Gendering European External Relations

Abstract

The aim of this panel is to assess the EU’s commitment to gender mainstreaming through the prism of external relations. Looking at the how the EU positions itself in external relations provides a useful starting point for a detailed discussion of its role as a norm entrepreneur. The papers included in this panel assess the operationalisation of key European policies, e.g. security and development, as well as the limitation of specifically gendered initiatives, e.g. the implementation of the UNSCR 1325. Finally, the panel explores the role of key external actors, like the European External Action Service, on the integration of a gender dimension. Together these papers provide a useful assessment of the impact of gender blindness in the external dimension on the position of equality as a foundational value of the EU.