France’s Feminist Foreign Policy (2025-2030): A Bold Strategy for Global Gender Equality

[JeremyVickers]

Progress on gender equality has lagged since the fourth UN World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. If the current trend continues, full gender equality may take almost 300 years.

France became the fourth country to join them with a feminist foreign policy in 2019 — after Sweden, Canada and Luxembourg. By 2025, some 15 countries adopted this approach of making gender equality a goal of foreign policy. France now aims to consolidate its commitment with a clear political orientation over the next five years.

A Different Approach for More Impact​

France’s 2025-2030 International Strategy for a Feminist Foreign Policy follows on from its 2018 International Strategy for Gender Equality. This new strategy is a departure from the previous one by:

The strategy establishes cross-cutting objectives for France’s international and European action and provides a five-year action plan for the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. It is the result of consultations with over 200 stakeholders, ranging from government agencies to international organizations, civil society, the private sector and research institutions.

On International Women’s Day, France adopted its International Strategy for a Feminist Foreign Policy (2025-2030).

The Making of France’s Feminist Foreign Policy​

Gender equality is at the heart of the French foreign policy agenda across all sectors, including peace and security; climate action; governance; human rights; trade; digital technology; culture; education; and health. The policy approaches reflects the principles of equal rights, freedoms and opportunities, reaffirming the universal application of women's rights. France stayed committed to implementing this policy amidst a fracturing global climate and rising anti-rights movements.

Five Pillars of France’s Feminist Foreign Policy​

Defending Rights and Freedoms​

France also takes a rights-based approach to protecting and promoting the rights of women. It continues to place sexual and reproductive health rights, including access to safe abortion, at the heart of its feminist foreign policy.

France encourages the equal participation of women in political, social and economic life. It encourages the inclusion of women in all sectors and recognises them as major agents of change — including for crisis management and peace processes.

Combating Gender-Based Violence and Inequalities​

For France, achieving freedom from gender-based violence and discrimination is about breaking the cycle of these injustices, challenging stereotypes and involving men and boys in building a gender-equal society.

Ensuring Gender Equality through Equal Access to Resources and Funding​

France's adoption of gender equality in all financial tools including bilateral and multilateral actions, guarantees a resource pool for women's rights.

As such, France is guided by four principles: cross-sector coherence, partnerships, expertise development, and accountability for results.

Five Central Goals of France’s Feminist Foreign Policy​

Priority 1. The Advancement of Fundamental Rights​

This approach underscores pledges on education, eliminating violence against women, women’s political participation and economic empowerment. Sexual and reproductive health rights are still an important area of focus.

Priority Area 2: Strengthening Engagement with Multilateral Fora​

France this month hosted the 2nd International Conference on Voluntary National Reviews for the Sustainable Development Goals, where it boldly elevated gender equality on the agenda; France is also leading on the Côte d’Ivoire[1] and more recently, with Peru, on the Gender-Equal Economic Growth opening towards this year’s G20, whose presidency is held by the very selective Saudi Arabia.

Priortiy 3: Pivotal to Feminist Action​

France pledges to scale up its financial support for feminist organizations and grassroots movements working for sustainable change.

Addressing Gender in Humanitarian Responses​

As conflicts and crises grow, France plans to:

• Guarantee the equal participation of women and ensure them a role in decision-making processes on conflict prevention and resolution;
• Address sexual and gender-based violence;
• Integrate gender analysis into crisis prevention efforts.

France’s Key Commitments​

Previous conferences have taken place in Germany (2022), the Netherlands (2023), and Mexico (2024), with France hosting in 2025. This event will cement France's international position as a leader in gender justice.

Advancing Social Services for Sexual & Reproductive Health Rights​

France will keep fighting for abortion rights and for comprehensive sexual education. After the constitutional amendment paving the way for the 2024 abortion right, France will lobby for its inclusion in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Strengthening the Feminist Organizations’ Support Fund​

Simon Dutt, the French representative at UN Women, points out the importance of feminist activists in supporting the progress of gender equality. It aims to enhance partnerships with civil society (including feminist organizations) and international donors for sustainable support.

Women: Building Peace, Safe and Strong.​

A strong supporter of the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund (WPHF), France supports its concrete actions to empower women, particularly in crisis zones (including climate security projects).

Franco-Feminist Alliance:​

France, along with Quebec, will create the Francophone Feminist Alliance, an incubator for gender equality efforts in Francophone nations.

Enhancing Initiatives to Combat Gender-Based Violence​

France will continue to promote universal ratification of the Istanbul Convention and the work of the International Criminal Court in fighting gender-based violence, including in conflict zones.