GOBIERNO MINISTERIO DE ESPAÑA DE ASUNTOS EXTERIORES, UNIÓN EUROPEA Y COOPERACIÓN

SPAIN’S FEMINIST FOREIGN POLICY Promoting in Spain’s External Action

1 GOBIERNO MINISTERIO DE ESPAÑA DE ASUNTOS EXTERIORES, UNIÓN EUROPEA Y COOPERACIÓN

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2 Index

1. Promoting Gender Equality in Spain’s External Action 5

2. Guiding principles: What does adopting a feminist foreign policy mean? 7

3. Instruments: How will feminist foreign policy be carried out? 9

4. Lines of action: Thematic priorities of Spain’s feminist foreign policy 21

5. Actors: Working together 30

6. Monitoring mechanism and resources 32

Appendix: 2021 Calendar 33

3 Promoting Gender Equality in Spain’s External Action

At the same time, the feminist diplomacy Preface mirrors the necessary coherence between national policy and the external action of the State. It is the reflection, at the international “We will adopt a feminist foreign policy. I level, of the commitment of the Government of announce this in the year in which we celebrate Spain to equality and women´s rights. the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 20th This Guide to Spain´s Feminist Foreign Policy anniversary of Security Council is an operational guide for the practical Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, implementation of a public policy, delivered that have to continue inspiring us. Sensitivity to through our commitment to multilateralism, gender issues will be present in the policies and our actions in the , our bilateral instruments of our external action, including relations as well as through our development development cooperation”. With these words, at cooperation policy, not to mention equality my very first appearance at the Foreign Affairs within our own Foreign Service. We will lead Committee in Parliament, I was announcing by example, as we have been doing since the the commitment of the Government of Spain beginning of this legislature, increasing the to a Feminist Diplomacy. proportion of women among Heads of Missions from 14 to 21% over the past year. Twenty-five years after the Beijing Conference, achieving gender equality remains a great In short, Feminist Diplomacy contributes to a challenge, the unfinished task of our time. better, more just world, where women and men It is true that progress has been made in the are equal in rights and opportunities. Nothing last decade, thanks to the implementation of more. Nothing less. ambitious progressive policies, but global data highlight persistent inequalities and a risk of regression, especially after COVID 19. Arancha González Laya Minister for Foreign Affairs, Equality is a synonym of diversity and thus also European Union and Cooperation a synonym of wealth. Wealth in the exercise of rights by all citizens, but also economic wealth, prosperity and justice. In this sense, our feminist foreign policy promotes and defends our interests as well as values of our society.

4 1 Promoting Gender Equality in Spain’s External Action

By announcing an explicit commitment to (2019); and, more recently, the Strategy for implementing a feminist foreign policy, Spain External Action, together with this guide for joins the countries that have placed gender the implementation of the feminist foreign equality and empowerment of women and girls policy. at the centre of their foreign policy. Upholding the same level of commitment to The decision to move towards a feminist foreign equality in all public policies, including those policy stems from the analysis of the current with an external and global dimension, is a situation, Spain’s already existing leadership at matter of coherence, and therefore also a the highest level in this area, and from a strong matter of country´s credibility. Due to its political commitment based on the vision normative framework and public policies, Spain

of achieving the 2030 Agenda of the United has become an international reference in areas POLICY FOREIGN FEMINIST SPAIN’S Nations (UN) and its Sustainable Development such as combating gender-based , Goals (SDGs). The prevalence of inequalities promoting gender equality in the context of between women and men underscores the employment and in work-life balance policies, need to step up efforts to close gender gaps. and fostering gender budgeting. The preamble In this context, Spain’s foreign policy will to Act 2/2014 on the State’s External contribute to moving towards real and effective Action and the Foreign Service identifies equality at the international level. promoting equality between women and men and eradicating gender-based violence as two Spain’s normative framework is well developed of Spain’s core values and interests. and comprises the Organic Law 3/2007 of 22 March, on effective equality between Moreover, a feminist foreign policy enables women and men1; the Action Plan for the Spain to step up the fulfilment of its Implementation of the 2030 Agenda: Towards international commitments. The 2030 a Spanish sustainable development strategy Agenda and meeting the targets of SDG 5

1 Article 15, which addresses the issue of mainstreaming the principle of equal treatment between women and men. In line with this, and with a feminist foreign policy in mind, the latest Royal Decree on basic organisational structure included the provision that “The powers set forth in this Royal Decree shall be exercised with a cross-cutting gender approach which guarantees real and effective implementa- tion of Organic Law 3/2007 of 22 March, on effective equality between women and men.”

5 > Women are up to 27% more product (GDP) would rise by nearly (International Trade Center, UN, likely to suffer from food insecurity 10% by 2050 (European Institute World Trade Organization). (UN Women). for Gender Equality). > According to data from surveys > An estimated 60% of preventa- > Only 55% of working-age women conducted in 83 countries, the ble maternal deaths occur in set- (15-64 years) are in the labour average time dedicated to care tings of conflict, displacement, and market, compared with 78% of work and unpaid domestic work is natural disasters. Every day, more men (World Economic Forum). three times more for women than than 500 women and adolescent for men (UN). girls die from complications during > During the Covid-19 pandemic, pregnancy and childbirth in emer- cases of Women are under-represented in gency contexts (UN Women). and girls rose by 30% worldwide management positions. In most (UN Women). of the 67 countries for which data > Improvements in gender equality is available, less than one third of in the European Union (EU) would > Only 13% of agricultural lands senior and middle management lead to an additional 10.5 million are owned by women (UN). positions were held by women jobs by 2050. The employment between 2009 and 2015 (UN). rate would reach nearly 80%, and > Only one out of five exporting the EU’s per capita gross domestic companies is owned by women

guide our efforts in advancing towards gender (GAP III); and the EU Action Plan on Women, equality. In the humanitarian area, the 2016 Peace and Security 2019-2024. World Humanitarian Summit established gender equality commitments to guide the Gender equality is not only a matter of rights international humanitarian system. The and social justice; achieving gender equality international legal and policy framework benefits society as a whole. Study after study on gender equality is highly developed and has confirmed that gender equality favours comprises the Convention on the Elimination employment, , increased of All Forms of Discrimination against Women productivity, and improved social structures. (CEDAW) and the 1995 Beijing Declaration At the same time, women’s full participation and Platform for Action. In the European in all phases of conflict resolution, including context, key documents include the Council peace processes, has proven essential to their of Europe Convention on Preventing and effectiveness, success and sustainability. Combating Violence against Women and Therefore, the 2030 Sustainable Development Domestic Violence (); Agenda recognises gender equality not only the ’s Gender Equality as a goal in itself, but also as a prerequisite for Strategy 2020-2025; the EU’s third Action achieving sustainable peace and prosperity. Plan on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in External Action 2021-2025

6 2

Guiding principles: a global view of its feminist foreign policy, eliminating silo-based work and ensuring What does coherence across all areas of external action. The goal is to bring about a structural change in working methods and institutional culture, adopting a so that gender perspective is systematically mainstreamed in every action of the Foreign feminist foreign Service. policy mean? > Committed leadership: The entire Foreign Service has taken on the commitment to develop, within their scope of competence, a feminist foreign policy, incorporating the principle of equality into their priorities, and ensuring that the management of the human, material, and financial resources takes into account this framework for action.

> Ownership: The Foreign Service has put in place coordination mechanisms to enhance the ownership of the feminist foreign policy by

all its members. Those in leadership positions POLICY FOREIGN FEMINIST SPAIN’S Spain has adopted a practical and operational have the specific responsibility to promote approach towards the implementation of gender equality within their scope of action. the feminist foreign policy, with its own methodology aimed at specific actions. We will > Inclusive participation and fostering follow a two-pronged approach, strengthening alliances: It is crucial to unite efforts with all the priority lines of work of the Foreign Service the actors that may contribute to achieving in this area, while mainstreaming the gender sustainable and lasting advances for women. perspective into all phases of foreign policy as The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union well as into all its actions. Spain’s new External and Cooperation will conduct the feminist Action Strategy presents the active promotion foreign policy in close collaboration with other of gender equality as a crosscutting principle ministries, in particular with the Ministry of and a priority of Spain’s external action. Equality. Participation channels with other relevant stakeholders, such as the private The feminist foreign policy will be guided by sector, think tanks, civil society organisations, five principles that will govern our external and the Parliament, will be strengthened to action in all its phases and in every area. reach a broad consensus on this policy and achieve its effective implementation. Beyond > Transformative approach: Spain will foster its borders, Spain will continue participating

7 STRENGTHENING ALLIANCES TO PROMOTE EQUALITY

Spain is represented in international networks in international gender equality networks. working to promote gender equality: Furthermore, Spain’s public will continue to provide support, within the > International Gender Champions Network in framework of international cooperation Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi, Paris and The Hague. projects, for the design and implementation of public policies addressing equality with > Network of Special Representatives and different partner countries. Ambassadors for Women, Peace and Security. > Intersectionality and diversity: > Women, Peace and Security Focal Points Mainstreaming the gender approach in foreign Network launched by Spain. policy necessarily means working with an intersectionality perspective. The situation > Informal Groups of Friends in the EU to of women and girls cannot improve without promote gender equality. recognising the existence of intersectional and multiple forms of discrimination. In addition to > Group of Friends for the Elimination of gender discrimination, women may also suffer Violence against Women and Girls created in discrimination due to their ethnic or racial 2020 within the UN, and the Group of Friends origin, sexual orientation and gender identity of Women, Peace and Security. (LBTI women), economic status, religious beliefs, disability or place of origin.

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Instruments: b) Bilateral and regional How will feminist diplomacy It is important to mainstream the gender foreign policy approach into all areas of Spain’s bilateral relations with other countries. This means be carried out? systematically putting issues regarding gender equality and women’s and girls’ rights on the agenda during travels and official visits, policy consultations and political dialogue meetings, as well as in international negotiations, and The Foreign Service will make a full use of making sure that women and women’s existing instruments to achieve the goals organisations have a voice. The participation of of its feminist foreign policy. These are, in Spanish multinational corporations and local particular: stakeholders in the feminist agenda will also be encouraged. The feminist foreign policy a) Mainstreaming the gender confers a new prominent role to Spain´s approach in foreign policy diplomatic and consular missions as well as other bodies that channel its external action, fostering their active engagement in

The gender approach will be mainstreamed promoting equality. POLICY FOREIGN FEMINIST SPAIN’S into all foreign policy instruments and actions, while the thematic areas on which gender- Realisation of and gender equality related action has traditionally focused will is systematically mainstreamed and integrated be strengthened. Another aim of gender in all Country Partnership Frameworks (CPFs) of mainstreaming is to foster change in new Spanish Cooperation. As a result, the SDG 5 of strategic areas, such as , trade the 2030 Agenda has become consolidated as a relations and the fight against human trafficking. priority and a hallmark of Spain’s foreign policy At the same time, a gender perspective will (16 of the current 21 CPFs include SDG 5 as a be to progressively integrated into all phases priority). of foreign policy development, ranging from drafting, planning and implementation to the Regional organisations are also priority follow-up, using the appropriate tools to analyse stakeholders in Spain’s actions regarding the impact of any decision on the situation of women’s economic empowerment and rights, women. Achieving this goal requires internal and support for women’s organisations and capacity building through awareness-raising their participation in all spheres of society. and training initiatives, development of internal Spain promotes and supports initiatives by the instructions and tools, as well as provision of African Union, the Organization of American support. States, and the Central American Integration

9 OUR EMBASSIES’ ROLE IN IMPLEMENTING FEMINIST FOREIGN POLICY: THE EMBASSY OF SPAIN IN THE PHILIPPINES (2020)

> Cooperation for sustainable > Amplifying women’s voices: maintains regular contacts with development: The gender Narratives for transitional justice key stakeholders promoting dimension is one of the priority in the north and south of the equality in the national context, lines of action for sustainable Philippines. such as transsexual congressional development cooperation in the representative Geraldine Roman, Philippines, as reflected in the CPF. > Humanitarian action: In the who became a member of the Collaboration is underway with the framework of Spain’s chairing Philippine Academy of the Spanish Philippine Commission on Women the Donor Support Group of the Language in 2019. for the approval of the Magna Carta UN Office for the Coordination of Women, which seeks women’s of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), > The Embassy contributes to empowerment and equality. a high-level workshop on gender implementing the European Union’s Different projects are being carried equality in humanitarian action was external action by promoting out, such as: organised in 2020. EU gender equality priorities > Support for indigenous with local bodies, such as the women’s participation in human > Cultural diplomacy: As part of Philippine Commission on Women, rights, peace, and development. its cultural programming in 2020, and supporting the EU Gender > Improving the employability the Embassy organised a webinar Champion project. The Embassy of displaced young people and launched a video as a tribute is also going to participate in the and women in Marawi and to female creators, specifically the Gender Equality and Equality in Zamboanga. Spanish painter Betsy Westendorp, Diplomacy workshop organized by > Promoting resilient highlighting the role she played in the EU Delegation. communities with a gender and raising the profile of female artists. approach in the Caraga region. > Bilateral contacts: The Embassy

System (SICA), as well as the integration of the promotion of robust institutions, effective gender equality as a strategic component of public policies, and cooperation programmes their programmes and planning. Defending and that advance gender equality. Spain will promote promoting gender equality, especially among specific dialogue on this matter, following the the most vulnerable populations, is one of the initiative launched in response to Covid-19, as four priority lines of action of the Costa Rican well as the mainstreaming of this approach pro tempore presidency of SICA during the first in all political declarations and cooperation half of 2021. programmes, and harmonising Ibero-American countries’ legislation on combating gender- Spain’s relations with Ibero-America are embodied based violence. In this framework, the Spanish in the system of the Ibero-American Summits. Agency for International Cooperation and The Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB) Development (AECID) has decisively supported promotes gender mainstreaming in all its actions and promoted the Ibero-American Programme and it presents itself as a point of reference in on gender equality.

ADVANCING During their meeting in Montreal mitment to deliver on Agenda COMMON AGENDA in September 2018, the President 2030 through the specific SDG 5 of the Spanish Government Pedro as well as through the inclusion of WITH Sánchez and the Prime Minister gender equality perspective in all IN SUPPORT OF of Canada, , signed other Sustainable Development GENDER EQUALITY a joint statement on gender Objectives. equality, reaffirming their com-

10 EFFORTS TO ADVANCE GENDER EQUALITY AS A HALLMARK OF SPANISH COOPERATION IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

PROMOTING programmes seeking to promote Gender equality is a crosscutting GENDER EQUALITY the equality and empowerment priority of the Spanish THROUGH of women and girls. Development Cooperation. REGIONAL Moreover, 10,4% of the gross >Providing support to countries bilateral ODA that AECID allocates INITIATIVES: G5 and the G5 Sahel Secretariat to the region corresponds to SAHEL ALLIANCE in adopting an institutional and SDG 5. The emphasis lies on legal framework and policies programmes to combat gender- regarding gender equality and based violence and femicide, Spain designated the Women, protecting the rights of women mainstream a gender perspective, Peace and Security agenda and girls. and to foster women’s economic as one of the priorities of its empowerment and their effective Presidency of the Sahel Alliance >Strengthening ties within the political participation. General Assembly, which Alliance, as well as with national began in June 2020. In this partners, local stakeholders, and In the framework of the context, in December 2020, civil society. ARAUCLIMA programme to Foreign Minister González Laya combat climate change, the promoted a Declaration, in her During her visit to the region, project on women’s participation in capacity as President of the the Minister also held meetings climate governance in Peru in the General Assembly, restating the with women’s organisations and context of the Covid-19 pandemic Alliance’s commitment to: female leaders to promote the is particularly noteworthy. participation of women in all > Increasing support for areas, including peacebuilding Indigenous peoples: cooperation projects and and security. Empowerment and leadership of indigenous women is one of the targets of the Indigenous Programme, as 50% of the Indigenous Programme’s projects have had SDG 5 as the main goal.

In the case of Afro-descendent women, AECID supports the Afro-descendent women’s chair at several universities in Ecuador, working to institutionalise training programs for women leaders, promote their advocacy capacity and political and social participation.

11 Promoting Gender Equality in Spain’s External Action

c) European Union Spain will support the adoption of legislative proposals that promote gender equality Within the European Union, Spain will continue within the EU, including the Directive on to promote and strengthen its position as a improving the gender balance on company gender equality advocate in the negotiation, boards. Moreover, it will promote the drafting and implementation of all documents adoption of measures on pay transparency and Council Conclusions. and on combating gender-based violence and domestic violence, once the European Spain has promoted European Union Commission presents the relevant legislative instruments on gender equality, and will proposals. continue contributing to the development and implementation of the EU Action Plan on With regard to the participation in the EU Women, Peace and Security 2019-2024 and Common Security and Defence Policy to the achievement of the objectives set out in (CSDP), Spain leads, together with Finland, the the European Commission’s Gender Equality cluster on women’s participation in the EU´s Strategy 2020-2025. civilian missions. Spain will organise two annual workshops and will ensure the follow-up of the Spain will actively participate in the national plan to implement the Civilian CSDP development of a common approach for Compact. It will also promote the publication the EU’s external action in line with III of an operational guide on good practices and Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women´s lessons learned, so that Member States may Empowerment in EU External Action 2021- apply specific measures to promote women in 2025. In this context, Spain will: these missions.

> Promote the systematic inclusion of gender Spain will follow up on the Council issues in political and human rights dialogues. Conclusions on Human Rights and Decent Work in Global Supply Chains. Spain will > Prioritise the establishment of specific promote the inclusion of a gender perspective dialogues on gender equality with interested and the analysis of inequalities in this sphere in countries. the future draft of an EU Action Plan focused on the sustainable configuration of global > Promote and participate in the definition of supply chains and on the promotion of human EU Joint Strategies on cooperation with third rights, rules of due diligence in social and countries, with an aim to incorporate gender environmental matters, and transparency. equality as a strategic goal.

12 d) Multilateral diplomacy

Through its feminist foreign policy, Spain will deepen its existing commitment and strengthen its positioning as a driver of new initiatives. The goal is to give greater weight to gender issues on the agendas of international organisations, PROMOTING EU’S be it through improving collaboration with other ACCESSION TO THE countries in this area, supporting candidates ISTANBUL CONVENTION who promote this priority, or ensuring that a gender approach is integrated into funding instruments. Furthermore, Spain will support Spain is committed to promoting and monitor equality plans of international the European Union’s accession organisations in which it participates. to the ’s Istanbul Convention, which is a key instrument With this goal in mind, coordination mechanisms to combat violence against women will be strengthened, both within Spain´s and girls. In this context, Spain will Foreign Service as well with other ministries. support the efforts of the Portuguese As a first step, gender focal points have been

Presidency of the Council, including designated in Spain’s representations and POLICY FOREIGN FEMINIST SPAIN’S its initiative to organise a high-level missions to international organisations. conference on gender-based violence in the EU, to commemorate the At the UN level, Spain has led strategic gender- tenth anniversary of the Istanbul equality initiatives that will make their mark on Convention. future global actions:

In line with the goals of the Gender > Resolution of the UN General Assembly on Equality Strategy 2020-2025, Spain women and girls in the response to Covid 19 will promote and support future adopted in November 2020. measures presented by the European Commission to achieve the same > Joint statement on reinforcing multilateralism objectives; in particular, a possible adopted on 12th November 2020, which initiative to extend the areas of crime includes gender equality as a priority. in which harmonisation is possible to include specific forms of gender-based > Resolution of the Human Rights Council on violence, pursuant to article 83.1 of the rights of women and girls, marking the the Treaty on the Functioning of the anniversary of UN Security Council resolution European Union. 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

13 Promoting Gender Equality in Spain’s External Action

> Spain is leading the gender approach Moreover, it will promote internal OSCE projects. dimension of the Disarmament Agenda of the UN Secretary-General and actively participates Spain will continue contributing to the work in the Stockholm Initiative, which promotes the of the Council of Europe, which plays an participation of women and the integration of important role in promoting gender equality the gender perspective in nuclear disarmament at the European level. In its role as an active and in the non-proliferation agenda. member of the Equality Commission, Spain will continue supporting the implementation of Within the Organisation for Security and the strategic objectives set out in the Gender Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Spain Equality Strategy 2018-2023. supports the gender equality priority of the Swedish Chairpersonship. It will continue Consistently with promoting the participation promoting the Gender Equality Review of women at all levels of global decision- Conference as well as increased participation making, Spain will promote candidacies and of women in OSCE Missions. Spain will co- appointments of women in international sponsor a ´Security Day´ on gender equality agencies and organisations. and women’s participation in security issues.

WORLD HEALTH At the 148th session of the WHO Women (GEEW), and to narrow the ORGANIZATION Executive Board, Spain urged the current gender gap in its staffing. WHO to renew its gender strate- Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, (WHO) gy as soon as possible, to apply the European Union and Coope- the United Nations System-wide ration is a Gender Champion for Action Plan (UN-SWAP) on Gender the WHO Global Polio Eradication Equality and the Empowerment of Initiative (GPEI).

14 SPAIN AND UN WOMEN

Spain played a decisive role in the creation of UN Women, the UN organisation dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. Spain has signed strategic partnership frameworks formalising its relationship with the organisation, the current one covering the period from 2018-2021. Since UN Women was founded in 2011, Spain has made key e) International cooperation economic contributions, totalling more than 210 million euros, and participates for sustainable development actively in initiatives such as Safe Cities and Safe Public Spaces and the Achieving SDG 5 under the 2030 Agenda is a Beijing+25 Generation Equality Forum. priority of the fifthMaster Plan for Spanish Cooperation 2018-2021 and of Spanish Cooperation’s Joint Response Strategy to SPAIN AND address the Covid-19 crisis. Through bilateral, THE UNITED NATIONS regional, and multilateral instruments, Spanish Cooperation supports public policies POPULATION FUND promoting equality and the eradication of (UNFPA) violence against women in partner countries. Moreover, Spanish Cooperation stands with A framework agreement between Spain women’s organisations and feminist groups and UNFPA supports the following through its involvement in innumerable initiatives: projects with a wide diversity of stakeholders.

> Global Programme to Enhance A series of analyses and reviews by the Commodity Development Assistance Committee

Security. (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic POLICY FOREIGN FEMINIST SPAIN’S Cooperation and Development (OECD) has > Joint Global Programme on Essential singled out gender equality as a hallmark of Services for Women and Girls Subject Spanish Cooperation, and its leadership and to Violence. commitment on the international stage.

> WE DECIDE programme, promoting Spain subscribes to the EU commitment that polices for social inclusion, gender, at least 85% of its international cooperation and prevention of sexual violence actions will have gender equality and women´s in vulnerable populations, with an and girls´ empowerment as a significant or a emphasis on persons with disabilities. principal objective.

Spanish Cooperation has vast experience in progressively mainstreaming the gender approach, acquired through more than 25 years of implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action into its development policy. Spanish Cooperation’s planning instruments reflect this reality:

15 Promoting Gender Equality in Spain’s External Action

> Spanish Cooperation has a Gender pandemic context. In the next few years, Strategy, an Action Plan for Women regional programmes will be launched for the and Peacebuilding, and manuals on Arab world and Sub-Saharan Africa, centred mainstreaming gender and human rights in on promoting equality and the defence of its Country Partnership Frameworks (CPFs). women’s rights. These include the new Ellas+ In addition to these advances, there are other Fund, focused on SDG target 5.5, and aimed at relevant policy documents such as the Health promoting the full and effective participation Strategy. The 2019-2026 Humanitarian of women in the public sphere, and the new Action Strategy incorporates a gender RAISA grants programme for women leaders approach and considers a feminist agenda for in Africa and the Arab world. the humanitarian action.

> Another reference document is the Sectoral Gender Plan, which guides the priority MASAR GENDER setting of Spanish Cooperation, aligns it with PROGRAMME specific targets of SDG 5, and guides the work of other public actors such as Spanish AECID is committed to strengthening civil society. its Masar Gender Programme in North Africa and the Middle East, whose lines > AECID also has its own Guide for of action include the protection of Mainstreaming the Gender Approach into all women’s rights; promoting the political of its other policies and sectoral interventions. participation of women; the Women, The Guide is very useful in practice, ensuring Peace and Security Agenda; women’s that the elements of the gender approach are socio-economic empowerment; and incorporated into all interventions of Spanish supporting the media’s role in combating Cooperation. stereotypes and creating more diverse and inclusive societies. It remains With regard to development cooperation, it will especially important to continue working be crucial to maintain a systemic approach with our partners on the legal and judicial towards all the interventions: AECID currently changes necessary to eradicate gender- runs more than 300 projects centred on based discrimination. gender equality with a total budget of more than 100 million euros. Moreover, the In addition to bilateral actions, the International and Ibero-American Foundation Masar Gender Programme will focus for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP) on activities that promote the creation has carried out more than 80 gender initiatives of regional networks, underscoring the to date, with a priority focus on pandemic importance of South-South cooperation. response. Through this programme, AECID is cooperating with Mauritania, Morocco, At the same time, new lines of action will Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Palestine, be launched based on priorities in the post- Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

16 INTERNATIONAL Since October 2020, Spain has Roundtable is a venue for dialogue COOPERATION held the rotating chairpersonship to strengthen coordination ROUNDTABLE ON of the International Cooperation amongst international partners GENDER EQUALITY Roundtable on Gender Equality and international cooperation in . Created in 2018, stakeholders. IN MEXICO the International Cooperation

©Fernando-Rivero

HUMANITARIAN SPANISH ASSISTANCE AND COOPERATION’S JOINT COMBATING VIOLENCE COVID RESPONSE AGAINST WOMEN AND STRATEGY GIRLS Spanish Cooperation’s Joint Covid In 2017, Spain joined the Call to Action Response Strategy mainstreams a on Protection from Gender-Based gender approach linked to women’s Violence in Emergencies and it has human rights as crosscutting renewed its specific commitments elements while promoting for 2021-2025, focusing mainly on specific initiatives to narrow the training the Spanish Cooperation discrimination gap in economic rights staff in gender violence prevention, and the feminisation of , mitigation and response. exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis.

17 Promoting Gender Equality in Spain’s External Action

To advance the identification of good In 2021, Spain will present its Humanitarian practices, it is foreseen to strengthen the Diplomacy Strategy for 2021-2026, network of gender experts at the Cooperation incorporating elements of the Women, Peace Units Abroad, which are key in consolidating and Security Agenda as its priorities, as AECID’s ongoing efforts to promote stable well as combating gender-based violence in knowledge management processes. humanitarian situations.

In relation to humanitarian affairs, intense work has been undertaken on tools enabling f) Consular protection and the mainstreaming of gender equality into assistance all interventions, especially regarding the prevention, protection and assistance to In line with the Action Protocol for Assisting the victims of sexual and gender-based Spanish Women Victims of Gender-based violence in humanitarian crisis situations, in Violence Abroad, Spain will continue to line with the methods and guidelines of the strengthen its assistance to Spanish women Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) of through its network of embassies and OCHA and of the European Commission (DG- consulates, and will establish cooperation ECHO), and regarding women’s decisive role channels with third States. The Protocol is as peacebuilders in conflicts as part of the implemented through annual action plans Women, Peace and Security Agenda. and the office of the Coordinator on Violence

ASSISTING SPANISH WOMEN WHO ARE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE ABROAD

In 2020, Spain’s consular missions abroad pro- vided assistance to 260 new cases of violence against women, in addition to the cases for which consular assistance had already begun in previous years. The 2021 Annual Action Plan to Coordinate Combating Violence against Spanish Women Abroad includes 19 measures aimed at achieving three specific objectives:

1) Continue to design tools to professionalise, systematise, coordinate, and facilitate assis- tance to victims.

2) Provide specific training, coordinated among the parties to the Protocol, to improve assistance services.

3) Raise awareness about the availability of this public service, and provide information on Spain’s role at international level.

18 against Women at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. g) Public diplomacy

Public diplomacy will contribute to consolidating Spain’s role as a leader in the implementation of equality policies, raising awareness of the country’s actions abroad as well as among its own citizens. The tools to do this include campaigns highlighting good practices, participation in international campaigns, as well as events, conferences, and publications on these issues. Efforts will be made to promote synergies with key stakeholders in Spain’s external action that COMMUNICATION contribute significantly to public diplomacy such as the Instituto Cervantes, the Foreign CAMPAIGNS Ministry’s Network of ´Casas´, the Carolina In 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Foundation, and the network of Council European Union and Cooperation, in coor- Foundations. dination with other ministries and actors, has launched campaigns to mark the 25th In its communication, the Ministry of Foreign anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation Platform for Action the 20th anniversary takes special care to respect the principles of resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and of inclusive and non-sexist communication, Security; and events to mark the Interna- avoiding gender stereotypes and providing tional Day for the Elimination of Violence visibility to female points of reference in against Women on 25 November. It is esti- the different aspects of its external action. mated that these campaigns may reach a With this objective, the Ministry has total of 1 million views during 2021. elaborated Recommendations for inclusive communication, which serve as a useful tool, both for the drafting of internal documents as well as for external communication. h) Equality policies within the Foreign Service

The development of a genuine feminist foreign policy requires a Foreign Service that puts emphasis on the values of equal treatment and equal opportunities and applies them consistently within its own structures. It is about achieving substantive equality and highlighting the role of women in Spanish diplomacy.

At present, women still make up a little less than one third (28%) of all Spanish diplomats.

19 Promoting Gender Equality in Spain’s External Action

As regards senior positions, women are in evolution of equality within the Foreign charge of one third of the Foreign Ministry’s Service, efforts will be undertaken to directorates-general. When it comes to the strengthen the collection of disaggregated positions of Heads of Missions, the proportion data regarding the representation of women of female Ambassadors grew from 14.7% in within the Ministry, its diplomatic staff and in January 2020 to the current 21%. Efforts to senior positions. continue advancing towards parity include: Measures to promote equality, work-life > Maintaining the ongoing efforts to balance, and co-responsibility will be carried attract more women candidates for the out in line with the third Gender Equality Plan competitive exams to enter the diplomatic for the General State Administration and its service. In the last public examination, 42% Dependent Public Organisations. of the candidates were women. However, it is necessary to maintain and increase this Moreover, the Ministry will undertake figure to achieve the goal of parity. To this measures necessary to address the end, ongoing activities will be intensified, inherent specificities of the Foreign presenting a career in diplomacy as a Service. To this end, the Ministry will use all professional option for female university the instruments available to support families graduates. Spain’s Diplomatic School will of officials subject to forced mobility, avoiding also continue and step up its efforts to as much as possible the interruption of raise awareness among female university professional careers. students. Work will also continue to consolidate the > Appointing women to senior positions Belisama platform, supporting officials’ will remain an aspiration of our staffing policy. spouses and partners in seeking employment Efforts will continue for women to occupy abroad. top positions at the Ministry headquarters as well as its embassies, without forgetting the The Foreign Service will promote the importance of lower management positions standardisation of training in gender due to their medium- and long-term relevance. equality. Efforts will be made to ensure that the Foreign Ministry’s annual training plans > In the case of Heads of Missions, the include modules on equality. Moreover, goal will not only be quantitative but also training courses on equality issues will qualitative with a view to achieve adequate continue to feature in the Diplomatic School’s representation of women in the priority programming, promoting equality training in geographic areas of Spanish foreign policy. every phase of diplomatic staff’s professional development, from new recruits to senior > To improve the knowledge about the officials.

At the beginning of this legislature, the Progress will continue within the existing percentage of female Heads of Missions was staff selection mechanisms to achieve the below 15% and there was no female head of overall target of 25% female Ambassa- mission in any G20 country. At present, 21% dors, and to have at least 15% of women of all Ambassadors are women and there is Ambassadors in G20 countries, before the one female Ambassador to a G20 country. end of the government´s mandate.

20 4 Lines of action: Thematic priorities of Spain’s feminist foreign policy

While continuing to strengthen gender > Internally, the Foreign Ministry will promote mainstreaming in every area of foreign policy, the development of projects and sectoral and Spain will continue developing specific actions geographic strategies. in the priority lines of action. > At national level, a follow-up report on the second National Women, Peace and Security a) Women, Peace and Plan is due to be presented to the Parliament. Security In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation jointly with The Women, Peace and Security Agenda, the Ministry of Defence will organise a training

based on resolution 1325 of the UN Security course on Gender in Operations. POLICY FOREIGN FEMINIST SPAIN’S Council and the following, is a priority of Spanish foreign policy. During its presidency > At the European Union level, Spain will of the Security Council, Spain promoted the actively participate in the EU Task Force for adoption of resolution 2242 of the Security Women, Peace and Security, monitoring Council, the creation of the Informal Expert the EU Action Plan on Women, Peace and Group on Women, Peace and Security, and the Security. Furthermore, Spain will promote launching of the Focal Points Network. the mainstreaming of this agenda into other European instruments, especially the EU’s third Implementation of this Agenda is base on Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women’s the second National Action Plan for Women, Empowerment in External Action 2021-2025. Peace and Security 2017-2023 and a specific In addition, Spain will support and participate plan of the Spanish Cooperation for Women in EU technical cooperation projects focused and Peacebuilding. Coordination with other on gender equality and contribute to raising ministries is carried out through a network of the profile of Spain’s equality policies that focal points. Moreover, a Spanish Cooperation inspire reforms in other countries. Working Group for Projects on Women, Peace and Security was also established.

21 Promoting Gender Equality in Spain’s External Action

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH ECOWAS

Spain and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) formalised a Memorandum of Understanding on Women, Peace and Security, which included 400,000 euros in funding for projects in the region.

> At the multilateral level, Spain presented a resolution on promotion and protection of the human rights of women and girls in conflict and post-conflict situations on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325. The resolution was adopted by consensus during the 45th session of the Human Rights Council with more than 60 co-sponsors. Spain will follow up on the implementation of the afore-mentioned resolution as well as on the mainstreaming of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in the work of the Human Rights Council. As part of the Beijing+25 Generation Equality Forum, Spain is a member of the Compact for Women, Peace and Security and Humanitarian Action. Spain also participates in the implementation of NATO instruments in the area of women, peace and security, particularly its plan to combat sexual violence, its initiative on gender equality and terrorism, and the actions of the NATO Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security. COMMITMENT 2025 In 2019, Spain and Finland presented > Spain will support, through its existing their Commitment 2025 initiative. funding mechanisms, instruments and funds Now subscribed to by 12 countries, working on the implementation of the Women, the initiative sets forth 10 specific Peace and Security Agenda. This includes commitments for the signatory States a two-year funding for the Secretariat of the and five requests aimed at the United Women, Peace and Security Focal Points Nations, with the goal of guaranteeing Network and contributions to the Women the full and effective participation of Humanitarian Peace Fund (WHPF). Moreover, women in all peace processes by 2025. Spain has renewed its commitment to the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, doubling its contribution and serving as an advocate for strengthening post-conflict societies through the full participation of women and mainstreaming the gender approach.

22 b) Violence against women against women and girls in the multilateral and girls area and will take part in the recently created Group of Friends for the Elimination of The Government of Spain accords great Violence against Women and Girls, of which importance to combating gender-based Spain is a member. Spain will also continue to violence and violence against women. Through promote initiatives in the international sphere multilateral action and partnerships with other and to support the mandate of the United countries, the Foreign Service will work to raise Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence the profile of the Spanish model for combating against Women and Girls, as well as the gender-based violence. Working Group on Violence against Women.

In the consular area, the need for specific planning to provide informed assistance > In the bilateral context, Spain will identify to Spanish victims abroad has been fully countries with which to sign Memoranda of recognised. Development cooperation and Understanding on collaboration in combating humanitarian action will continue to prioritise gender-based violence, as it did with Tunisia programmes focused on gender-based in 2018, as well as joint declarations on the violence in priority countries and multilaterally, issue. whether through Country Partnership Frameworks, conventions or projects. > Spain will fight against impunity with regard to sexual violence crimes, promoting > On the 10th anniversary of the Istanbul interventions of relevant international Courts Convention, Spain reaffirms its support as well as adoption of sanctions, when for this instrument through communication applicable. campaigns and commemorative events, promoting its ratification by other European > The adoption and implementation of countries. the 2021 Annual Action Plan of the Action Protocol for Assisting Spanish Women Victims > The Foreign Service will ensure Spain’s of Gender-based Violence Abroad is crucial to participation in events to combat violence strengthening consular assistance.

JOINT STATEMENT ON THE OCCASION OF SPAIN-ITALY SUMMIT

On the occasion of the bilateral Summit held in Palma de Mallorca on 25 November 2020, a joint statement was signed marking the International Day for the Elimination of Vio- lence against Women. Both sides expressed their ambition to combat and prevent gender discrimination and to promote specific mea- sures at EU level to combat violence against women.

23 Promoting Gender Equality in Spain’s External Action

Combating the trafficking of women and girls will receive increased attention, consisting in monitoring multilateral initiatives and designing national initiatives, promoted by the Foreign Ministry. These will include:

> Promoting the formalisation of bilateral conventions aimed at combating trafficking, with particular focus on the trafficking of women and girls.

> Organising an international seminar on human trafficking, focusing on the in-depth analysis of international supply chains, c) Human rights of women illegal financial flows and the role of new and girls technologies in the fight against human trafficking, in collaboration with experts from the United Nations Office on Drugs This line of action encompasses initiatives and Crime, tech companies and the heads aimed at strengthening the civil, political, of financial institutions, among others. The economic, social and cultural rights of women conclusions reached will be used to design and girls. Part of this work is undertaken at the the Foreign Ministry’s upcoming short- and multilateral level, and requires the promotion medium-term actions in international fora. of national initiatives in addition to the close monitoring of the resolutions and sessions > Active participation in the resolutions of the Human Rights Council and of the Third presented to the UN General Assembly and Committee of the UN General Assembly, as the Human Rights Council, and support to well as responses to communications from existing mechanisms such as the mandate Treaty Bodies and Special Procedures. of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons or the UN Trust Fund for Victims of > Spain will monitor the UN General Assembly Human Trafficking. Furthermore, Spain will resolution on women and girls and the contribute to and support the EU strategy response to Covid-19 promoted by Spain and towards the eradication of human trafficking adopted by consensus. due in 2021.

> Spain will participate actively in the 65th A specific focus will be placed on promoting session of the United Nations Commission on sexual and reproductive health and rights, the Status of Women (CSW). with these efforts entailing the following actions in 2021: > Spain’s periodic report will be presented to the Committee on the Elimination of > Monitoring and promoting initiatives in Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). the multilateral area and within the EU to guarantee the agreed language and advances > Messages and exchanges regarding the pursuant to the Beijing Declaration and human rights of women and girls will be Platform for Action (Beijing+25) and the featured in the bilateral sphere. International Conference on Population and Development (ICDP).

24 > Support for multilateral bodies leading projects for the promotion of sexual and reproductive rights, such as UNFPA and UN Women.

> Projects undertaken by AECID relating to sexual and reproductive rights, including in humanitarian contexts.

Supporting the realisation of rights necessarily entails supporting human rights defenders. Spain has a Human Rights Defenders Programme providing temporary reception in Spain to human rights defenders who have been threatened and are at risk due to their activities. This support also means the recognition of the role to women’s rights movements, ensuring their visibility and presence in different fora.

The Embassies of Spain will continue to PROMOTING SEXUAL participate in the liaison groups promoted AND REPRODUCTIVE by the European Union to hold meetings HEALTH AND RIGHTS and monitor the situation of human rights defenders in different countries. We will work Spain promoted and signed, to raise the profile of female human rights together with 57 countries, a Joint defenders in multilateral and regional fora. Statement on Protecting Sexual and In this regard, Spain will also strengthen its Reproductive Health and Rights and support for the programmes undertaken Promoting Gender Responsiveness in by the Office of the United Nations High the Covid-19 Crisis, which serves as a Commissioner for Human Rights to protect guide to guaranteeing that responses human rights defenders. to the pandemic consider sexual and reproductive health as a fundamental right.

25 Promoting Gender Equality in Spain’s External Action

d) Participation of women in > Participation and active empowerment decision-making of women in the political life and in leadership at local level through specific The full and effective participation of women programmes and dialogue with women’s and girls in political and public life, and in organisations in different countries. The role decision-making in all spheres of society, of women’s organisations in implementing is key to achieving real equality, while at Spain’s feminist foreign policy will be the same time serving as a catalyst for the promoted through meetings in the context of attainment of other priorities. official visits or through Spanish Cooperation projects. Spain’s external action will support the participation of women and girls in all spheres > Participation of women in multilateral of power and influence, with particular focus bodies and mechanisms for the promotion on specific areas, including: and protection of human rights, focusing particularly on strengthening consultation mechanisms and stepping up the presence of women in bodies such as the Human Rights SUPPORTING THE Council and the UN General Assembly.

G5 SAHEL WOMEN’S > Participation in peace processes and PLATFORM mediation projects: The projects currently designed for stabilisation and resolution of In 2018, Spain supported the launch of the conflicts at the local level in Libya include Women’s Platform of G5 Sahel, a subregio- the creation and inclusion of women’s nal organisation formed by Mauritania, Mali, networks in mediation processes and in the Niger, Chad, and Burkina Faso. The purpose different crosscutting areas of the activities of this Platform is to facilitate the integra- planned to enhance economic and political tion and consideration of gender perspecti- empowerment. The Toledo Platform project ve and the priorities of women and girls into for mediation through cultural heritage also these countries’ initiatives and activities, incorporates the gender equality perspective thereby contributing to the stability and by involving women as central and active development of the Sahel region. players in the socio-cultural contexts of conflict resolution processes.

26 PUTTING THE SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN AND WOMEN’S > Gender and climate change: participation ORGANISATIONS IN in the climate action. Spain will monitor the BILATERAL RELATIONS commitments undertaken by more than 50 countries under the Initiative on Gender and Climate Change, promoted by Spain, Peru, Official trips and visits to countries in Costa Rica, UN Women and other relevant the Maghreb region and the Middle East actors during the 2019 Climate Action Summit. have included meetings with women’s Moreover, Spain will pay special attention to representatives from civil society and the gender dimension as a member of the women leaders. Such meetings were held UN Secretary-General’s High Level Advisory during the recent visits to Tunisia, Libya and Group on Climate Change. Similarly, Spain Egypt. In addition, new initiatives will be will promote the implementation of the Lima put in place to connect and raise the profile Work Programme on Gender and the Gender of women and women’s organisations Action Plan adopted at the 25th United Nations through virtual meetings and seminars, as is Climate Change Conference (COP 25) held in currently the case with Palestinian women’s Madrid in December 2019. organisations, among others.

e) Economic justice and the INITIATIVE ON GENDER empowerment of women AND CLIMATE CHANGE

The signatories have undertaken to deliver Spain, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the following commitments by 2025: the European Union and Cooperation and the Ministry of Equality, has assumed the leadership > Adopt and implement gender-responsive of the Beijing+25 Generation Equality climate change action plans, policies or Forum (GEF) Action Coalition on Economic strategies. Justice and Rights, giving our country a key role in promoting women’s economic rights in > Improve the evidence base by supporting the multilateral sphere and the opportunity to women’s knowledge platforms and promote specific initiatives engaging a variety quantifying the benefits and effectiveness of actors. This coalition will identify specific POLICY FOREIGN FEMINIST SPAIN’S of engaging women and girls in climate commitments to be implemented over the actions and other initiatives. next five years by governments, international organisations, private sector entities and civil > Track progress by including relevant society organisations, addressing issues such information in their regular reporting to UN as decent work, the care economy, equal bodies and other related fora. access to and control of resources, financing and digitalisation., > Promote and enhance innovative tools that demonstrate and measure The launch of the different action coalitions’ the transformative power of women and work and their specific commitments will be girls’ leadership in modifying patterns of announced at the Mexico City Forum in March consumption to reduce carbon emissions. and the Paris Forum in June 2021, with Spain participating at high level. > Support and promote initiatives that foster women’s and girls’ full participation Similarly, Spain’s feminist foreign policy and leadership in mitigation and adaptation promotes the economic empowerment measures. of women as agents of wealth creation, as demonstrated by many studies and forecasts.

27 ECONOMIC Economic diplomacy will use the tools at its disposal to support women as business EMPOWERMENT IN owners and consumers and promote their SPANISH COOPERATION participation in defining and implementing economic policy. AECID contributes to the economic empowerment of women in Ibero- Spain is committed to an inclusive trade America and the Caribbean through policy. In the international context, Spain innovative actions such as the will follow up on the Buenos Aires Joint Emprende-Q project in Chimborazo, Declaration on Trade and Women´s Economic Ecuador, and the microcredit Empowerment signed in 2017 in the context programme in the Dominican Republic, of the 11th Ministerial Conference of the through the FONPRODE Development International Trade Organization (WTO). Within Promotion Fund. the framework of the International Gender Champions (ICG) initiative, initially led by FORUM OF AFRICAN Botswana and Iceland, a working group on WOMEN BUSINESS trade and gender has been created at the WTO. In the European context, Spain supports the LEADERS inclusion of a chapter on gender in all trade agreements negotiated by the EU. Currently, women represent only 5% of CEOs in Africa and only 14% of Moreover, Spain promotes and gives visibility to senior management. As part of the the role of women in the internationalisation Spotlight on Africa programme, the of the Spanish economy. The 2019-2020 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Action Plan set the foundations for progress in Union and Cooperation will organise this area, identifying as priorities the analysis periodic meetings of African women of the obstacles to female entrepreneurship entrepreneurs, underscoring the at international level, as a basis for corrective importance of equality to sustainability action; and promoting the participation of and to the good health of companies and women in government programmes supporting government bodies. Top-level African the internationalisation. women entrepreneurs will participate in the forum, together with Spanish female In this context, in 2019, the State Secretariat business leaders and representatives for Commerce organised the first meeting of from national and international the Working Group on the Role of Women in the institutions. The first meeting is foreseen Internationalisation of the Spanish Economy, in 2021 in Madrid. attended by the representatives of different public bodies, universities and business

28 associations. In this framework, several Spain will promote women’s access to digital discussion panels were created in 2020 with media, particularly e-commerce as a key the aim to define concrete actions, promoted instrument in reducing the commercial gap. by the State Secretariat for Commerce and The proportion of women business owners the State Secretariat for Equality and against in e-commerce is double that of traditional Gender-based Violence. The presentation of business owners. The access and participation the final report of the Action Plan is foreseen of women and girls to STEM (science, for 2021. Under the new Action Plan for the technology, engineering and mathematics) Internationalisation of the Spanish Economy training and careers is a fundamental lever in 2021-2020, efforts in this area will continue the goal of full participation of women and girls through new lines of action. in international trade. SPAIN’S FEMINIST FOREIGN POLICY FOREIGN FEMINIST SPAIN’S

PROMOTING GENDER EMPOWERMENT OF MAINSTREAMING IN THE WOMEN AND THE G20 EU TRADE POLICY Spain participates in G20 meetings and In November 2020, the Minister of summits as a permanent guest Industry, Tourism and Trade, together member, promoting gender equality with her counterparts from , and the empowerment of women in G20 Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, declarations and lines of action. Spain Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Belgium actively participates in the Women20 and Luxembourg, sent a letter to EU (W20) group and the Empower Women Commissioner Dombrovskis with network, led by the private sector with proposals for a more gender-responsive the principal objective to promote trade policy with specific references to the presence of women in leadership the WTO. positions in companies.

29 Promoting Gender Equality in Spain’s External Action 5

Actors: on the Foreign Ministry will also collaborate closely in integrating the gender approach into Working together Spain’s external action, including the Instituto Cervantes, the Carolina Foundation, the network of Council Foundations, and the ´Casas´ Network comprising Casa América, Casa Árabe, Casa África and Casa Mediterráneo. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation will The implementation of Spain’s feminist implement the feminist foreign policy in foreign policy requires close institutional collaboration with all the actors involved in cooperation with other ministries and Spa∫in’s external action. public administrations (the General State Administration, regional administrations AECID, the Spanish Agency for International of the Autonomous Communities, and Development Cooperation, plays an local administrations) that participate in instrumental role in this context, not only in Spain’s external action or in the defence of mainstreaming gender approach into Spanish gender equality. This includes the Ministry Cooperation but also in sharing with the rest of Equality, which is responsible for ensuring of the Foreign Service the lessons learned that the gender approach is present in all the from its extensive experience in this area. The Government’s public policies. other bodies which are linked to or depend

GENDER EQUALITY The Carolina Foundation envisaged in the Foundation’s 2021 AND CULTURAL undertakes action on gender programming, with a new call for in three areas: a) postgraduate grant applications for its women COOPERATION training, a Master’s programmes on leaders programme. IN HIGHER gender equality policy and gender and development, in relation to Spanish Cultural Centres abroad SDG 5, through an annual call for undertake numerous initiatives on The Instituto Cervantes seeks grant applications, and specific gender and culture in collaboration to offer exclusive cultural programmes for women in STEM with local partners, raising the programming that disseminates fields; b) studies, analyses and profile of women who create creative work by women in the seminars, and their relationship and produce culture in different Spanish language. It is also strongly to development and cooperation countries, creating networks of committed to a balanced presence policies in the Ibero-American and women in culture, and publicising of women in its line-up. Euro-Latin-American spheres; the cultural output of Spanish and c) a visitors’ programme, women.

30 THE INTERNATIONAL AND IBERO-AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC POLICIES (FIIAPP)

The FIIAPP as an actor of the Spanish and EU development cooperation incorporates gender equality as a strategic and cross-cutting priority into its projects on inclusion and diversity, disability, health, migration, modernisation of public administration, governance, climate change, justice, combating people-smuggling and Cooperation with other actors will also human trafficking, and combating be further enhanced, in recognition of their organised crime. instrumental role in defending gender equality. These include, in particular: CONNECTING AFRICAN > non-governmental organisations, AND SPANISH particularly development and humanitarian action NGOs and women’s rights organisations, THINK TANKS recognising their considerable experience in this area; The initiative to create a network of African and Spanish think tanks to > the private sector, as a key actor in raising deliberate on the political, social, and the profile of Spain’s feminist foreign policy and economic empowerment of African POLICY FOREIGN FEMINIST SPAIN’S raising public awareness about the positive women and on the Women, Peace and impact of actions aimed at empowering Security Agenda will be launched in women; 2021. The first meeting, scheduled for the first half of 2021, will focus on laying > universities and research centres, to the foundations of the network, sharing advance analysis of gender-responsive foreign information and experiences, and policy. identifying specific geographic contexts and spaces ripe for research initiatives. In implementing Spain’s feminist foreign policy, the Foreign Service will work closely with the multilateral organisations in which the country participates, in particular the United Nations and its related organisations, especially UN Women and UNFPA, as well as regional organisations, in particular the Council of Europe and OSCE. Similarly, partnerships with bilateral actors will be promoted with an aim to achieve specific advances in gender equality.

31 6 Monitoring mechanism and

resources reference to the need to develop a gender- responsive budget in order to reflect one of the State’s public policy priorities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation prepares budgets with a gender Effective implementation of Spain’s feminist perspective and will work on improving gender foreign policy requires establishment of a impact reports in the execution of the budget by monitoring mechanism, as well as an increase incorporating indicators, in order to guarantee in available resources to make gender equality a gender perspective in all its financing. a reality. The Ambassador-at-Large for Equality in As regards the external action, the incorporation Foreign Policy is responsible for maintaining of the gender approach shall be reflected in the the global vision of Spain’s feminist foreign existing funding instruments and in support policy. The Under-Secretariat of the Ministry for specific projects and organisations that of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and promote the rights of women and girls. Cooperation will ensure, through its Equality Unit, the incorporation of the gender approach Within the Foreign Service, there is a need for a into the Foreign Service’s internal policies. redistribution of human and material resources and creation of practical tools. Budgeting is The monitoring of the actions described in a key instrument for gender mainstreaming. this Guide will be carried out through annual Spanish budget legislation makes an explicit reports that will reflect how Spain’s feminist foreign policy is being implemented. The report will be presented to the Parliament and discussed with stakeholders and civil society. A high-level Advisory Group will be established to identify future priorities and courses of action.

32 Appendix. 2021 schedule

JANUARY • Preparatory meetings, Beijing+25 Generation Equality Forum coalition. • 15 January: first workshop on the participation of women in EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Missions (co-led by Spain and Finland).

FEBRUARY • Preparatory meetings, Beijing+25 Generation Equality Forum coalition. • Presentation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) report. • 46th Session, Human Rights Council (HRC).

MARCH • 8 March: International Women’s Day. • 8 March: Instituto Cervantes, launch of the Inclusive Language Guide. • 15-26 March: 65th session, Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). • 29-31 March: Generation Equality Forum in Mexico City.

APRIL • Presentation to the Spanish Parliament of the follow-up report on the second National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.

MAY • Commemoration, 10th anniversary of the Istanbul Convention. • Event in Brussels and communication actions. Event/Seminar with participation of leaders in Strasbourg.

JUNE • Beijing+25 Generation Equality Forum in Paris, and launch of the coalitions’ work. Heads of State and of Government level. • 47th session, HRC. High-level panel discussion on the rights of women and girls.

SEPTEMBER • UN General Assembly (UNGA) Ministerial Week. Organisation of parallel acts. • 48th session, HRC.

OCTOBER • UN Security Council, Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security. • UNGA Third Committee.

NOVEMBER • UNGA Third Committee. • 25 November: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. 16 days of activism.

33 34 35 GOBIERNO MINISTERIO DE ESPAÑA DE ASUNTOS EXTERIORES, UNIÓN EUROPEA Y COOPERACIÓN

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