Two ministries, one shared goal

“We are not calling for a revolution, we are doing something that should be taken for granted,” Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said when she presented the guidelines forGermany’s feminist foreign policy. That was in March 2023. Next to her stood Development Minister Svenja Schulze, who added: “We want to make societies more just.” The ministers deliberately appeared together, as the policies had been drawn up in their respective ministries.

Both ministries share the same goal, namely to dismantle gender-discriminatory structures around the world and bring about systemic change. This, they explain, is because societies are particularly stable, peaceful and economically successful when everyone is able to participate in them equally – in terms of rights, resources and representation, known as the “three Rs”.  

Strengthening participation in developing countries 

The Federal Foreign Office (AA) has adopted guidelines for feminist foreign policy, while the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has adopted a strategy for feminist development policy. The two policies complement one another and are intended to give impetus for modernisation, including at the two ministries. The AA aims to foster the participation of women in diplomatic relations, peace negotiations and international organisations and to give especial consideration to their needs in terms of humanitarian assistance. The BMZ concentrates on (economic) participation in developing countries and on promoting women’s rights.  

Overlaps when it comes to sexual violence  

There are overlaps when it comes for example to sexual violence, which plays a role not only in everyday life but also in conflicts or when people are fleeing. The idea is that cooperating with partner countries will help, while international negotiations address the core of the problem at the same time. Reproductive health is also an aspect that affects both ministries because it concerns not only women’s rights issues but also very practical matters such as the distribution of contraceptives.