On June 12, one of the key guidelines for Chile's international strategy was launched at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with commercial, human rights and global leadership positioning implications. With this, Chile is the first South American country to implement a Feminist Foreign Policy, joining France, Canada, Germany, Spain, Luxembourg, Mexico, among others.
Achieving the strengthening of democracy with a focus on gender equality; betting on greater empowerment and representation of women; deepening the agenda of women, peace and security; addressing issues such as trade and gender, climate change, science, technology and innovation and promoting a comprehensive care system. These are the main axes of the Feminist Foreign Policy presented this June 12 by the three highest authorities of the Chilean Foreign Ministry: Minister Alberto Van Klaveren, Undersecretary Gloria de La Fuente, and Undersecretary of International Economic Relations, Claudia Sanhueza.
Chile is thus the first South American country to implement a strategy of this magnitude, thus joining the global concert with France, Canada, Germany, Spain, Luxembourg and Mexico, among others.
"Since I took office as Minister of Foreign Affairs -last March 10-, I said that the PEF was here to stay; and what better demonstration than to be here for its launching, contributing to President Boric's determination for state action to address, in all its expressions and in a transversal manner, the commitment to gender equality in international relations", said Van Klaveren. He added: "It is about achieving a more egalitarian world, which recognizes and promotes the rights of women and girls, and duly represents today's societies, anchored in a human rights approach and in the promotion of principles of equality and non-discrimination between men, women and diversities. In this aspiration, the external action of countries cannot be left out; on the contrary, diplomacy and international organizations play a fundamental role".
The Minister's words were reinforced by Undersecretary Gloria de La Fuente, who pointed out that the purpose is to build a more just, inclusive and sustainable society, through the development of policies and actions that promote the autonomy and empowerment of women in different areas.
"A democratic and human rights imperative".
"The Feminist Foreign Policy (PEF) is fundamental for Chile's image; it contributes to our global positioning", explains the Undersecretary in conversation with Fundación Imagen de Chile. And she argues: "Countries that take women into account in all areas are more trustworthy; their institutions generate greater legal certainty, therefore, their economy develops better, which also attracts investments".
Furthermore, De la Fuente states that the commitment to the PEF "is an imperative in democratic matters, which reinforces Chile's leadership in the world".
The Vice Chancellor explains that the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action emphasizes the responsibility of States to develop actions, regulations and policies on gender equality within the framework of human rights.
"The incorporation of a gender perspective in public policies contributes to improving the understanding of social, economic and cultural processes; it helps redistribute and improve equality of rights and opportunities; to advance transparency and accountability; and to promote citizen participation and the strengthening of democracy".
During the launch of the strategy, in terms of trade, the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations Claudia Sanhueza recalled that Chile incorporated for the first time (in 2016) a chapter on gender in a bilateral trade agreement with Uruguay, which was then followed by Canada, Argentina, Ecuador and, most recently, the European Union. "Governments, international organizations and the private sector have and can create the conditions to ensure a better distribution of benefits in international trade," she warned.
In conversation with Imagen de Chile, Sanhueza goes further: "The objective is that the benefits of economic and trade integration are inclusive, that is, that they reach all groups and women under equal conditions. To this end, encouraging the participation of women -both female workers and entrepreneurs in the export sector- is fundamental, not only for their empowerment but also for economic growth".
The Undersecretary for International Economic Relations highlights one of the biggest gains from continuing to strengthen the feminist strategy. "From the point of view of its external image, Chile stands out in international economic forums for including an inclusive perspective in all conversations. We are committed as a State to continue projecting this image in economic and gender terms," she says in conversation with Imagen de Chile.
Specifically, at the institutional level, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will create the Gender Affairs Divisionwhich will be responsible for the implementation of this policy, in addition to coordinating the work with the agencies under the ministry: the Directorate of Borders and Boundaries, ProChile, the Chilean Antarctic Institute and the International Cooperation Agency.
The launching of the PEF took place in the Carrera Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the presence of Ministers Antonia Orellana (Women and Gender Equity); Aisén Etcheverry (Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation); the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Vlado Mirosevic; the Representative Resident Representative of the UNDP in Chile, Georgiana Braga-Orillard; ambassadors and ambassadors present in our country, as well as the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the U.S.A., Vlado Mirosevic. former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonia Urrejola, who worked on the strategy since the beginning of the current government..
At the event, the Minister of Foreign Affairs signed the Memorandum of Understanding Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), which establishes a framework for collaboration with a view to identifying existing gender gaps in the institution and moving forward with a plan of action.), which establishes a framework for collaboration with a view to identifying existing gender gaps in the institution in order to move forward with an action plan. Once the program is completed, an external evaluation will be conducted to certify it and recognize the Undersecretariat as a service that meets gender equality standards, a fundamental support for the implementation of the Feminist Foreign Policy.
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