“How can we unite, act and resist together to protect gender equality and the rights of women and girls?”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
This is the main issue of the 4th Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy, which France will hold on October 22-23, 2025. It will be attended by ministers of foreign affairs from all regions of the world, representatives of international organizations, state development banks, as well as civil society, scientific institutions and charitable foundations.
Since 2019, France has been implementing a feminist foreign policy, making gender equality and women’s rights a cross-cutting priority of its foreign activity – in the areas of development, democratic governance, peace and security, humanitarian aid, etc.
However, feminist foreign policy is not only high ideals, but also concrete state decisions and sustainable partnerships.
France and its partners actively protect the rights of women and girls France has made gender equality and the protection of the rights of women and girls a strategic and geopolitical priority to contribute to the formation of just, inclusive, peaceful and sustainable societies.
Studies show that women’s participation in peace negotiations increases the likelihood of the process lasting longer 35%. Similarly, policies that effectively integrate gender equality enable more effective responses to climate change, stimulate economic growth and strengthen the resilience of societies.
On March 7, 2025, France presented the International Feminist Foreign Policy Strategy. Its central principle is the protection of human rights and sexual and reproductive health. The new priorities put gender equality at the center of France’s response to today’s global challenges – including armed conflict, the climate crisis, health care, international finance, digital technology and artificial intelligence.
As part of its feminist foreign policy, France implements a number of key initiatives. Among them are Support Fund for Feminist Organizations (FSOF), founded in 2020, which has already helped more than 1,400 organizations in 75 countries. Another important initiative is Laboratory of women’s rights onlinecreated in 2024. It is the world’s first platform for international exchange of experience and at the same time an incubator of projects aimed at combating gender-based violence in the digital environment.
As long as gender inequality exists, there is still much work to be done Despite these initiatives and the progress achieved by the international community, not everything has been done yet. According to UN Women, at the current rate of change, it will take almost 300 years to achieve true gender equality in the world.
Even today, gender inequality persists, and in some places even increases. The number of cases of conflict-related sexual violence increased by 50% between 2022 and 2023.
In many countries, millions of women are deprived of the fundamental right to bodily autonomy: 193 million women have access to abortion only when their lives are in danger, and 142 million – do not have such access at all.
Where societies are experiencing a crisis – in Afghanistan, Iran, Gaza, Ukraine or Sudan – women’s rights suffer first of all.
A high-level conference to confirm shared determination and ambition At a time when the world is facing cuts in funding for gender programs and the rise of anti-rights movements, the 4th Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy will be a platform to reaffirm our shared determination to protect and advance women’s rights and gender equality without allowing any retreat.
Together we will continue to move forward.
Gael VesierAmbassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France in Ukraine, specially for “UP. Life”.
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