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A study of the implementation of Sweden’s feminist foreign policy

Research project

Active research

Project period

2022 - 2023

Project owner

Department of Political Science

Financier

The Expert Group for Aid Studies (EBA)

Area

Society and economy

Topic

Political Science

Short description

In 2014, Sweden became the first country in the world to declare a feminist foreign policy, to permeate the three policy areas in Swedish foreign policy: foreign and security policy; development cooperation; and trade and promotion policy. In 2022, the new liberal-right government rescinded the feminist foreign policy.

Ann Towns (P.I.), Elin Bjarnegård (Uppsala University) and Katarzyna Jezierska (University West) were selected by the Expert Group of Aid Studies (EBA) to assess the implementation of the Swedish Feminist Foreign Policy over time and across contexts, to examine whether it made any difference to Swedish foreign policy.

The assessment was carried out during 2022 and the final report was delivered in 2023.

Report "More Than a Label, Less Than a Revolution: Sweden’s Feminist Foreign Policy"

During eight years, 2014–2022, Sweden pursued a feminist foreign policy (FFP). Sweden was the first country in the world to declare an FFP and also became the first country to retract one. Since 2014, FFP has spread internationally, and around ten countries have declared their own versions. But to what degree and how was Sweden’s feminist foreign policy translated into practical action in terms of gender equality work? The EBA report More Than a Label, Less Than a Revolution: Sweden’s Feminist Foreign Policy (EBA 2023:02) presents the first systematic study of the implementation of FFP. It follows the implementation chain from the Government to embassies and public authorities within the three areas of foreign policy – development cooperation, security policy, and trade and promotion.

You find the report here.