A yawning gender gap in foreign policy

The contemporary, globalized world is witnessing a great shift of power from males to females, and people have realized how aggressive, risk-seeking behaviour, which enables men to entrench power, has proven ‘destructive and unsustainable'. With this shift, various countries are moving slowly or gradually toward alternative conceptions of sustainable peace by adopting gender-inclusive, gender-balanced approaches in their activities and policies. Nepal is one of the countries in South-Asia that has recognized social and gender inequalities and is progressive, adopting inclusive laws for gender equality and promotion. According to Sapana Pradhan Malla, the Supreme Court judge of Nepal, ‘the  2015 Constitution of Nepal is one of the most progressive in South Asia in terms of gender equality and women’s rights. Furthermore, Nepal leads South Asia in women’s political participation.  

Additionally, Nepal is a signatory to the significant foundational human and women's rights treaties and conventions, namely the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1991, the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in 1991. The country ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 1992. Also, Nepal is the first country in South Asia to adopt a National Action Plan to implement UN Security Council 1325 and a prominent contributor of women peacekeepers in UN missions. In this regard, Nepal can be considered well-placed and holds the potential for gender-inclusive foreign policies due to conducive domestic and international factors.

However, Nepal also depicts a bleak picture and shows a considerable gender gap in its foreign policy. The policy abides by the 2015 Constitution of Nepal, and the constitution upholds the GESI framework. However, foreign policy documents and guiding principles do not adequately reflect the same commitments. Updated four years ago, the foreign policy of Nepal considers gender, gender equality and social inclusion as cross-cutting issues for effective aid implementation rather than a priority in foreign policy formulation. It tries to address gender issues through mainstreaming without opening up to intersecting identities that are more vulnerable, marginalized  and in dire need of opportunities. Though the nation has passed through various political struggles, including the democratic struggles,  the Maoist insurgency and the Madhes movement, it is oblivious to multiple intersecting identities and contains homogeneous language about gender categories.

Examining key foreign policy documents, such as the Foreign Aid Policy 2002 and International Development Cooperation Policy 2019 showcases this gender gap. In these policies, individual donors can execute those projects that align with sectoral priorities of Nepal, which include poverty reduction, fostering economic growth and supporting critical social infrastructure needs. In these projects, social needs are not explicitly defined, nor are languages of intersectionality considered. If we try to locate gender in International Development Cooperation Policy 2019,  it comes up only twice, except for aid utilization and project design and implementation, where the policy has considered gender as one of the cross-cutting issues to improve aid effectiveness. The policy has not prioritized gender explicitly as one of the key principles/aspects. It showcases policies that deal with international affairs and external aid lack robust consideration of intersectionality, leading to the homogenization of diverse experiences and marginalization of specific individuals.

Why? There are two primary reasons, among many. First, insecurities shape Nepal's foreign policies. Usually tangled in balancing two neighbors and having survival mode policies as evident in the external policies adopted by Nepal, which include a policy of independence, a policy of isolation, non–alignment, Indo-centric unique relations, and currently, a neutral and balanced approach vis-a-vis neighbours. Nepal's foreign policy debates often revolve around its neighbors, limiting the scope and knowledge of the overall policy framework. Second, Nepal’s aspiration is for economic development rather than social development, and it aims to elevate itself to a middle-income country by 2030. Thus, the understanding of foreign policy has been limited, narrow and state-centric. It has been understood to protect national sovereignty and security against external threats and promote economic interest through its foreign policy. Therefore, considering an intersectional gender-sensitive approach looks challenging within the state-centric foreign policy.

However, Nepal’s foreign policy is critical to its development goals. For realization of the vision of ‘Prosperous Nepal and Happy Nepali’ and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the elevation to the club of middle-income countries by 2030, development aid should be channelized through citizen-centric aid policies that include the gender dimension. Non-inclusion of gender issues in the nation’s foreign policy can have serious consequences, perpetuating gender-based inequalities and hindering progress toward sustainable development. So, there is a need for Nepal to advance gender perspectives through its foreign policy and prioritize the development of marginalized communities by recognizing the existence of diverse categories of people and ensure that these groups, including women and girls, people with disabilities and senior citizens, get to enjoy their rights. For this, it is important to amend relevant policy documents and make intersectionality integral to its foreign policy.

Overall, it is critical for Nepal to prioritize social development that can contribute to sustainable development and economic prosperity. It is of utmost importance for Nepal to focus on gender aspects not only in gender mainstreaming but also to make gender a top priority area of its foreign policy and partnerships.