Theme: Feminist Foreign Policy

Today sees the opening of the Stockholm Forum on Gender Equality – a global conference with 600 participants from over 100 countries. The Forum will bring together activists, academics, politicians and entrepreneurs who put their energies into making the world more gender-equal.

After two weeks of talks and intensive negotiations, the Commission on the Status of Women was concluded on 23 March and the agreed conclusions adopted. On the agenda were women’s and girls’ rights, with a focus on women in rural areas, which was the theme of this year’s meeting. Despite a tougher world climate, progress has been made. The final document now contains important formulations on the fight against violence and sexual harassment, protection of women human rights defenders, and sexuality education in schools, as well as the right of women to own land.

Award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner and human rights counsellor Colin Gonsalves are some of the 500 gender equality actors who will participate in the Stockholm Forum on Gender Equality on 15–17 April. The global forum is about strengthening women’s and girls’ rights, representation and access to resources.

The whole world helped to fill Wikipedia with articles on prominent women on International Women’s Day. The WikiGap campaign has already been established in over fifty countries, and the hope is that it will be long-lasting.

Here, Björn Andersson describes his many years of working for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender equality and women’s rights. He is head of the UNFPA’s operations in Asia and the Pacific.

Stina Eriksson currently works for UNDP Sri Lanka, monitoring and evaluating peacebuilding projects. She and her colleagues work to implement resolution 1325 in the Sri Lankan peace process. Read her story about her work to support women peacebuilders.

On 11 December, the Swedish Embassy in Mexico hosted a seminar on how the gender perspective could be enhanced in the analysis and protective measures offered by the Mexican government to protect journalists and human rights defenders. The event took place in connection with International Human Rights Day, which this year particularly focused on freedom of expression, and the two-week campaign to highlight and combat violence against women.

There is an important story about women, peace and security that needs to be told.
We are putting the spotlight on women who have paved the way – the bold and the brave – and we know there are and can be many more of them.
We are pushing for #MoreWomenMorePeace.

There is an important story about women, peace and security that needs to be told.
We are putting the spotlight on women who have paved the way – the bold and the brave – and we know there are and can be many more of them.
We are pushing for #MoreWomenMorePeace

In April 2017, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) presented new country reports on human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The reports form part of the Government’s work to promote, prevent and influence developments in these areas. The reports can be read on the Government website. Here, I describe some of the overarching trends that can be identified based on the extensive material contained in the reports.