Mezinárodní Politika's Report: Gender, feminism and their role today
The issue of gender equality between men and women has always brought many controversies along the way. Claims against a balanced society of genders have been heard more loudly lately, especially in connection to the newly proposed legal quotas for women within the European Union. What is the current agenda in the peace-building and development? In what ways can women influence the course of both of these fields? Dr. Claudia von Braunmühl gives us a much needed insight into this matter which impacts international politics.
More than a century has passed since women took matters into their hands and started a campaign for emancipation and enhancement of their position and rights within societies. It is surprising that it took decades for this issue to be officially recognised and brought to UN’s agenda. Finally, in the early 2000s a resolution on Women, Peace and Security was brought to the UN Security Council. This idea was prompted by activism on the part of women organisations and involvement of particular key personalities as well. Despite the fact there are debates about women’s role within social movements, the UN resolution obliges the UN members to discuss, once a year, what individual states have done, if the status of women has improved or not and what kind of developments have been made.
Thanks to this initiative, other issues have been brought to light, such as the European Union’s respect of human rights and the recent debate about quotas. There are various opinions on this among both women and scholars. Some say that quotas are a useful instrument in improving positions of women in the political sphere. On the other hand, others view quotas as counterproductive and demeaning for women and their position in the society and politics. Dr. Braunmühl supports this argument: “Rules and regulations - one man and one woman speaking - encourage and make it easier for women to develop their potential and to be able to contribute something to the society.”
Outside the EU, one major gender-related topic in post-conflict development stands out – rape; a central weapon in degradation of women. Rape is repeatedly considered as a taboo, where the victims are seen as dirty and become outcasts within their own communities. A frequent practice employed during the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina forced women to leave their villages with nowhere to go. That is why medical and trauma counselling are so important, because it gives them an opportunity to discuss their experience and deal with their mental distress.
With the background in the field of gender and globalisation but also in development cooperation or in global governance, Dr. Claudia von Braunmühl gives us a fresh perspective on the current situation of women and gender within international politics. Do not miss this exclusive interview!
Author:
Anja Grabovac, PR and social-media interm at the Institute of International Relations (IIR)
Claudia von Braunmühl:
Claudia von Braunmühl, Honorary Professor of International Relations at Freie Universität Berlin
Interview led by:
Tomáš Dopita, researcher at IIR
Nahoru
Tomáš Profant