International Day of Women in Diplomacy, promoting equality through feminist foreign policy

Skopje, North Macedonia, 24 June 2024 – UN Women in North Macedonia, for a second consecutive year in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, marked the International Day of Women in Diplomacy with a high-level panel discussion highlighting the pivotal role that women play in international relations and diplomatic efforts.

By commemorating this day, we as UN Women, reaffirm our commitment to gender equality and highlight the importance of inclusive policies that encourage women’s participation in all levels of foreign policy.

A diverse panel of ambassadors spoke at the event, sharing their experiences and insights on how their countries support gender-inclusive policies and empowerment programmes for feminist foreign policy, and advocating for the advancement of women’s roles in foreign policy in North Macedonia.

“Women are still largely excluded from positions of power and diplomacy, globally only 20.54% of all ambassadors are women. This day is a call to recognize critical contribution of women and their indispensable role in diplomacy, and we all, every day shall support equal opportunities for all women in all fields of life, including in diplomacy,” said Vesna Ivanovikj-Castarede, Head of the UN Women Office in North Macedonia.

The outgoing Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fatmire Isaki, in her opening address underlined that “women are ambassadors of peace, they have the wisdom to soften the temper through their calmness and gentleness, speaking with their kindness. Peace reigns in their spirit and their intellect produces warmth. Therefore, it is in our collective responsibility to continue to uplift and empower women-who are the change makers across the globe. It has been proven time and time again that without the involvement of women, sustainable peace and security cannot be achieved.”

A relatively recent development in international politics, ‘feminist foreign policy’ is the result of a growing recognition of gender issues. From development policy, the gender focus has gradually extended to human rights, security, conflict resolution, and now foreign policy.

“It makes a lot of sense for me to participate in your event, as a representative of a country that is very proud of its feminist diplomacy, and very happy to be a partner since day one of the establishment of the Macedonian feminist diplomacy, at the initiative of Ms. Isaki and with the help of UN Women”, stated Emmanuelle Gardille, Deputy Ambassador of France to North Macedonia.

“Gender equality is good for women and men, and for society as a whole. This goes also for diplomacy and all forms of international cooperation,” noted Ami Larsson Jain, Ambassador of Sweden to North Macedonia.

Dr. Teuta Agai-Demjaha, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of North Macedonia to the United Nations Office, the World Trade Organization and other international organizations in Geneva in her speech during the panel discussion pointed out that “the fight for women’s rights is in jeopardy. Women and girls cannot struggle alone. Men and boys cannot prosper alone. Let’s break the barriers together and build a better future for all. We owe this to generations to come.
The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to North Macedonia, José Luis Lozano García, reminded the audience that “in the official photo of the signing of the United Nations Charter, in June 1945, there is only one woman”, at the same time highlighting the need for greater women diplomats in the world.

“Representation matters. The strong voice of women in diplomacy is not just in the interest of a few, but of our societies as a whole. A foreign policy that does not take into account the perspectives of all members of society lacks credibility and remains incomplete,” said Petra Drexler, Ambassador of Germany to North Macedonia.

To achieve gender equality in foreign policy in the country and establish a ‘feminist foreign policy’ approach, the Government should completely integrate gender issues into foreign affairs institutions, reveals a recent analysis conducted by the UN Women Office in North Macedonia.

In 2022, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 June of each year the International Day of Women in Diplomacy, reaffirming that the participation of women, on equal terms with men, at all levels of decision-making is essential to the achievement of sustainable development, peace and democracy.

The International Day of Women in Diplomacy serves as an important reminder of the improvements that have been made so far and the work that remains to guarantee that women have equal opportunities to lead and contribute to the field of diplomacy.

Learn more about gender equality in foreign policy in North Macedonia and visit here for further information.

Media enquiries should be directed to:
Dimitar Dimitrovski, Communications and Knowledge Management Officer, UN Women, Email: dimitar.dimitrovski@unwomen.org