Rethinking Global Politics: Gender Justice at the Heart of Geopolitics and Global Diplomacy

“It is necessary to think more clearly of the grounding of geopolitical discourse in practice (and in place) - to link international representation to the geographies of everyday life; to understand the ways in which the nation and the international are reproduced in the mundane practices we take for granted." - Lorraine Dowler & Joanne Sharp

From World War negotiations to the Cold War and into the modern-day, geopolitics and global diplomacy have historically been dominated by masculine voices, shaped by the perspectives and priorities of a select few. This lack of diversity has led to a discourse that often overlooks gender perspectives, neglecting the needs and rights of half the global population. As international relations continue to evolve, the persistent absence of gender justice in these spheres remains a major oversight. Integrating gender perspectives and feminist principles into geopolitical and diplomatic strategies is not both a moral imperative and a strategic necessity. This blog introduces the concept of the “Triangle of Power,” which interconnects gender justice, geopolitics, and global diplomacy (3G). The 3G framework embraces the correlation between the three elements. I will begin by exploring the existing gaps and examining how these shortcomings impact the effectiveness of both geopolitical and diplomatic efforts. I will also highlight the potential for more equitable and sustainable global development through the integration of gender justice into geopolitical strategies, diplomatic engagements, and international policymaking. This includes examining the significant challenges of incorporating these principles and exploring innovative approaches to achieving true inclusion. By addressing these intersections, we can strive for a world where global policies genuinely reflect the diversity and needs of all people.

What is the triangle of power?

In a world where power dynamics influence every facet of our lives, understanding the "Triangle of Power" provides insight into how gender justice, geopolitics, and global diplomacy are interconnected. This concept encapsulates the interconnected forces that drive international relations, influence policy decisions, and affect communities worldwide. Each element of the triangle reinforces the others, shaping how global policies are made and how inclusive and just those policies can be. Geopolitics, with its focus on strategic power dynamics, often neglects gender perspectives, while global diplomacy, traditionally dominated by male voices, perpetuates these imbalances. Integrating gender perspectives into geopolitics and diplomacy allows a more equitable approach that ensures that policy decisions address diverse needs and priorities.

Understanding the interconnectedness of gender justice, geopolitics, and diplomacy is pivotal to creating a just and equitable world. Oxfam defines gender justice “as the full equality and equity between women, men, LGBTQIA+, and non-binary people in all spheres of life, resulting in women jointly, and on an equal basis with men, defining and shaping the policies, structures, and decisions that affect their lives and society as a whole”. This vision calls for fairness, equal access, and shared decision-making in every sphere of life.

Geopolitics, as Dodds explains, can be understood in two fundamental ways: the classical perspective, which focuses on the interrelationship between state power, territorial interests, and geographical environments, and the critical perspective, which emphasises the role of discourse and ideology in shaping global politics. However, both perspectives have historically been dominated by masculinist reasoning, with national interests often reflecting patriarchal priorities. This is where feminist geopolitics becomes essential, shifting the focus from state security to human security, particularly addressing the needs and safety of women, girls and marginalised communities.

Diplomacy, rooted in maintaining cooperation among nations, is also shaped by national interests—interests often framed by masculinist ideals. These priorities place state security at the core, frequently sidelining human security, and the well-being of individuals.

Therefore, to build a truly inclusive and secure global order, we must challenge these outdated paradigms and centre gender justice and human security within the interconnected framework of the Triangle of Power, ensuring that geopolitics, diplomacy, and gender justice reinforce one another toward equitable outcomes.

Existing Gaps

Despite its undeniable importance as an empirical, analytical, and normative lens, gender remains astonishingly marginalised within the complex fabric of international relations. The structures of geopolitical manoeuvring and diplomatic exchanges starkly reflect this disregard, as the discourse frequently avoids meaningful gender integration.

For instance, while the atrocities in the Israel-Gaza conflict have an impact on both men and women, their impact is gendered and disproportionately affects women and children. Palestinian women have been subjected to an onslaught of numerous layers of heinous and systematic discrimination and violence as a result of the Israeli occupation and the denial of self-determination. The gendered nature of violence, including sexual violence, underscores the urgent need for gender-sensitive policies in conflict zones.

Similarly, Russia’s invasion in Ukraine reflects a similar situation where sexual violence is used as a weapon of war, demonstrating a pattern of gender-based violence in conflict. Despite the global efforts and policies that advocate for gender equality and addressing conflict-related sexual violence through conventions, treaties, and declarations, a significant gap remains between the commitments and the realities on the ground, both domestically and internationally.

This gap is pronounced within the representation of women and marginalised communities at decision-making levels. Representation, when viewed quantitatively, does not do justice to the meaningful participation of all. We must remember that several factors intersect in this context, including gender inequality, casteism, racism, and ageism.

For instance, the global governance (diplomacy) of climate change and gender intersects in significant ways. The recent COP29 meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, highlighted the importance of adopting an intersectional approach to advancing gender equality and human rights within the context of climate change. The impact of climate change is deeply unequal. In Bangladesh, for example, the floods in August 2024 affected 3.05 million women, with over 78,000 pregnant women in a precarious situation due to the disruption of health services. A month later in Viet Nam, Typhoon Yagi resulted in damage to 251,000 hectares of crops, significantly impacting the livelihoods of agricultural workers, the majority of whom were women.

These examples highlight the need for an intersectional approach, as women and marginalised communities around the world face unique vulnerabilities in such crises. Addressing global challenges, such as climate change, requires an intersectional approach that ensures the meaningful representation of women and marginalised groups, as their unique vulnerabilities and contributions (knowledge and experience) are essential for creating equitable and sustainable solutions in such precarious situations.

Despite international frameworks like the UN’s Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, which advocates for the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in peacemaking, conflict prevention, and peacebuilding, implementation often falls short. Geopolitical and diplomatic processes remain dominated by men, with decision-making power concentrated in a few powerful countries, primarily from the Global North and centred around the permanent five members of the UN Security Council. This results in the underrepresentation of women and marginalised communities, particularly those from the Global South, in critical discussions and decisions on peace and security of women.

This imbalance stems from a masculinist perspective that prioritises national security over human security, side lining the lived experiences and contributions of diverse groups. Furthermore, a lack of resources and inadequate efforts to incorporate local knowledge into peace and security frameworks exacerbate the gap between commitments and tangible progress. While frameworks like WPS provide a foundation for inclusive peacebuilding, their potential remains unrealised without sustained resources, localised implementation, and a shift in global power dynamics.

Impact of Absence of Gender Justice

The absence of gender justice negatively impacts the effectiveness and legitimacy of geopolitical and diplomatic efforts. Policies and agreements often fail to fulfil the interests and rights of all, producing less inclusive and long-lasting results. For instance, disregarding gender perspectives in conflict resolution might result in agreements that do not adequately address the underlying causes of conflict, increasing the chance of a relapse into violence. Afghanistan's ongoing conflict and instability, for example, have been exacerbated by the exclusion of women from peace negotiations, with studies showing that Afghan women were absent from 80 per cent of such talks between 2005 and 2020. The lack of female representation in key peace processes, such as the 2020 U.S.-Taliban deal and intra-Afghan negotiations, has resulted in agreements that overlook women's rights, perpetuating cycles of violence.  Ultimately, the exclusion of women from peace processes not only hinders sustainable peace in Afghanistan but also damages its credibility and effectiveness on the global stage, highlighting the critical need for inclusive and gender-sensitive diplomatic efforts.

Gender justice is not just a matter of fairness—it is a critical pillar for fostering peace and stability in the global arena. There is compelling evidence from studies on women, peace, and security that more peaceful and stable outcomes are linked to gender equality and women's empowerment. Inter- and intrastate conflicts are more likely in countries with a substantial gender gap, which manifests in uneven opportunities and experiences for men and women. Violence becomes the natural response to conflicts in such countries, perpetuating instability. Additionally, the likelihood of militarisation and violence in international disputes increases in countries with low human rights standards. Therefore, gender justice is crucial for establishing mutually beneficial international relations and is not merely a domestic issue.

Moreover, the absence of gender justice undermines a country's international standing. Countries with high rates of violence against women tend to disregard international conventions and treaties, making them less dependable and peaceful global participants. In contrast, countries that promote gender justice and equality are much less likely to resort to military force to settle conflicts. Conflicts are also less severe in countries that uphold gender equality.

Challenges

Although there are clear benefits, incorporating gender justice into diplomacy and geopolitics is not an easy task. To understand the challenges of integrating gender justice, it can be explored through various levels of analysis.

At the individual level, a key obstacle is the lack of political will to prioritise gender equality, often due to ingrained patriarchal norms. This is evident in the policies proposed during Trump’s 2024 election campaign, which centered around hardline immigration plans and global policies on health and reproductive rights, reflecting a broader resistance to gender justice in leadership level.

At the societal level, deeply rooted societal norms and biases challenge the integration of gender justice. For instance, Afghan women and girls face multiple forms of discrimination under the Taliban regime simply because of their gender. They are discriminated bodily, socially, economically, and politically. These societal and cultural norms, reinforced by religious law, influence both domestic policies and international diplomatic engagements, making gender justice a difficult goal to achieve.

At state level of analysis, insufficient resource allocation hampers the implementation of gender-sensitive policies. Despite state commitments to gender equality, the means to implement these policies often fall short due to chronic underfunding. This includes inadequate investment in areas such as the reproductive healthcare, education for girls, and leadership programmes. Furthermore, resources should not be limited to financial and logistical support but must also encompass social, psychological, and emotional supports that address gendered experiences and ensure the well-being of all. Thus, resource allocation plays a crucial role in integrating gender justice.

Finally, at the international level, military and economic interests often take precedence, relegating gender justice to a secondary or "soft" problem. This perspective frames gender equality as less impactful and urgent compared to defense strategies, leading to diminished attention and resources for addressing gender inequality. Such neglect undermines efforts to integrate global justice into core global agendas. Changing these perceptions requires not only policy reforms but also a cultural shift in how gender equality is valued within international systems.

Innovative approaches

To successfully incorporate gender justice, we require innovative approaches that challenge the existing frameworks within the geopolitical strategies and global diplomatic engagements. The Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP) framework could serve as an approach to address these challenges.

Although the term 'feminist foreign policy' gained prominence in the 2010s, with Sweden adopting the world's first feminist foreign policy in 2014, the concepts and ideas underlying a feminist approach to global politics and international relations have existed for decades.

Many elements of an FFP draw from long-standing feminist thinking and practices concerning state behaviour and how global politics is conducted. Early scholars like Cynthia Enloe have written extensively on these areas. In the book Banana, Beaches and Bases: Making Feminist Sense of International Politics (2014), Enloe concludes with the argument that the “personal is international”. This concept suggests that women's unpaid labour, emotions, and compliance often serve as the foundation for global power structures. As the concept of FFP has developed, major themes such as gender equality, inclusivity and intersectionality, empathetic cooperation, and ethics of care have emerged, challenging the conventional practices of international relations.

While FFP offers a progressive theoretical framework, it often faces contradictions in practice. These contradictions arise when state interests—such as military alliances or economic priorities—clash with feminist values. Additionally, FFP has been criticised as a Western construct, sometimes reinforcing global power structures rather than dismantling them. For FFP to be genuinely transformative, it must adopt an intersectional approach, ensuring that local and global gender justice needs are authentically integrated. This requires addressing structural inequalities and ensuring that marginalised communities, particularly those in the Global South, are actively involved in shaping policies.

As a whole, FFP is an innovative approach because it shifts the focus of diplomacy and geopolitical strategies from traditional power-centred paradigms to ones that prioritise equality, inclusivity, and human security.

Role of stakeholders

Policymakers, activists, diplomats, and other key stakeholders play a crucial role in advancing gender justice within global strategies. They can emphasise its tangible benefits, such as fostering stability, driving economic growth, and promoting sustainable peace. By leveraging UN frameworks like the WPS agenda, stakeholders can showcase successful examples of inclusive policies and their positive outcomes.

For policymakers, this means actively prioritising gender-sensitive policies in areas like peace and security, education, human rights, trade, and development aid. In 2017, Canada introduced a feminist foreign policy prioritising gender equality, allocating aid to support women's rights and gender equality. For diplomats, this means promoting gender equality in international negotiations and advocating for the inclusion of women in leadership roles. Research shows that when women hold positions in cabinets and parliaments, they tend to enact laws and policies that positively impact everyday citizens, the environment, and social unity.

Activists, both at the local and global levels, are vital in holding governments and international institutions accountable. Their advocacy can drive policy changes by pushing for the inclusion of marginalised voices, particularly from the Global South, and ensuring that gender justice is a core element of international human rights frameworks. For instance, the Global Fund for Women has played a pivotal role in amplifying the voices of grassroots women’s organisations across the world.

Considering current geopolitical instability and prevailing masculinist diplomatic approaches, there is an urgent need to build comprehensive support systems, localise knowledge and implementation processes, and reframe gender justice as integral to both human and national security. To drive systemic change, stakeholders must forge meaningful partnerships, integrate diverse perspectives into decision-making, and advocate for equitable and effective global policies.

Conclusion

In conclusion, integrating gender justice into geopolitical strategies and diplomatic engagement represents a transformative shift. Despite the existence of international frameworks such as WPS agenda, systemic barriers remain pervasive. Masculinist perspectives continue to dominate these spheres, often sidelining the critical emphasis on human security.

While such patterns persist, FFP presents an innovative and transformative approach to international relations. By focusing on gender equality, intersectionality, empathy, and the lived experiences of women and marginalised communities, FFP challenges traditional practices and paves the way for transformative change. Integrating feminist ideals into foreign policy frameworks fosters a more just and equitable international order by addressing the root causes of conflict and promoting sustained peace and stability.

To realise this vision, both state and non-state stakeholders must advocate for greater and more meaningful representation, allocate increased resources, and prioritise the localised implementation of gender-sensitive policies. Rethinking the trajectory of global diplomacy requires emphasising gender justice as fundamental to both human and national security, alongside fostering partnerships to drive comprehensive change. The moment has come to embrace gender justice as the foundation of geopolitical strategy and global diplomacy.

The opinions and statements of the guest authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion and position of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.