Might Feminism Revive Arms Control? Why Greater Inclusion of Women in Nuclear Policy Is Necessary and How to Achieve It

Apr 29, 2020 | Marylia Hushcha
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The link between gender and security has become a prominent issue in the public debate over the last decades. On the most basic level, it is understood as greater inclusion of women in security policy decision-making processes. The underlying motivation to promote a greater role for women in foreign policy is manifold, ranging from social justice arguments about equal political representation of different societal groups, to the benefits of diversity in fostering creativity and innovation, to the special characteristics of women’s leadership styles and their distinct communication skills.

On the international level, the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda adopted by the United Nations Security Council (Resolution 1325) twenty years ago has played a central role in raising awareness about the positive impact on peace and security by the increased inclusion of women. More specifically, the WPS Agenda for the first time recognized the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women and acknowledged the undervalued and underutilized role of women in conflict prevention and peace processes. The European Union adopted its first Gender Action Plan in 2010, renewing it every five years. In 2018, the African Union adopted a ten-year strategy on gender equality and women’s empowerment. In 2014, Sweden became the first country in the world to adopt a feminist foreign policy as its official foreign policy, with Canada, France, and Mexico following suit.

Despite these positive developments, a gender approach to security policy has been relatively limited. While Resolution 1325 encouraged states to adopt national action plans to mainstream gender in their foreign and security policies, as of January 2020, only 43% of UN member states have done so. A 2018 study on gender diversity in US national security policy found that while awareness about the gender and security nexus has grown among national security professionals, many are still not entirely clear on how to apply it in practice and where to find or what to do with the relevant data.