The Women and Foreign Policy program is a major component of CFR's Civil Society, Markets, and Democracy initiative. The objective of the Women and Foreign Policy program is to bring the status of women firmly into the mainstream foreign policy debate. Thanks in part to its efforts, there is now broad understanding of the importance of women's empowerment to a host of development, health, security, and other global priorities.
The program's current areas of focus include:
Please see below for relevant publications:
Alyse Nelson, Co-Founder and CEO of Vital Voices, discusses the organization's work to empower women around the world with Isobel Coleman, Director of CFR's Civil Society, Markets, and Democracy Initiative.
See more in Africa, Democratization, Women
Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women and former president of Chile, discusses the empowerment of women around the world with CFR's Director of Studies, James Lindsay. Bachelet emphasizes the importance of contextualizing the support provided in each country, and the need to combine both top-down and bottom-up approaches.
See more in Minorities, Diversity and Foreign Policy, UN, Gender Issues
Experts discuss the impact of technology and banking on the economic and political development of women.
See more in Civil Society, Economic Development, Poverty, Women
Experts discuss the impact of technology and banking on the economic and political development of women.
See more in Economic Development, Health, Science, and Technology, Gender Issues
The story of a young woman's entrepreneurial success during the Taliban reign in Afghanistan is an argument for international investment in women, says CFR's Gayle Tzemach Lemmon.
See more in Afghanistan, Democratization, Human Rights, Labor, Women
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon says that at the moment in Afghanistan, those who traffic in destruction are winning.
See more in Afghanistan, Wars and Warfare, Religion and Politics
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon says microfinance is only part of the solution to helping women entrepreneurs in poor nations.
See more in Economic Development, Poverty, Women
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon discusses Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's efforts to put women and girls at the forefront of the new world order.
See more in Women, U.S. Strategy and Politics
Isobel Coleman writes: "If a brave new world of electoral politics does emerge, women's rights activists will have to be savvy - commanding international support without raising fears of undue Western influence."
See more in Bahrain, Egypt, Democracy and Human Rights, Women
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon examines incorrect assumptions about Afghanistan that are influencing U.S. policy in the region.
See more in Afghanistan, Wars and Warfare, Women, U.S. Strategy and Politics
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon discusses responses to the attack on news reporter Lara Logan in Egypt.
Isobel Coleman and John Chen examine whether opportunities created by and for women in Iraq will be able to continue.
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon examines women-owned business in Afghanistan.
See more in Afghanistan, Economic Development, Women
Isobel Coleman discusses Yemeni reactions to the uprisings in Tunisia.
See more in Tunisia, Yemen, Civil Society, Women
Isobel Coleman says investing in midwifery programs gives Haiti's next generation a chance.
See more in Haiti, Economic Development, Women
The story of a young entrepreneur whose business created jobs and hope for women in her Kabul, Afghanistan, neighborhood during the Taliban years.
See more in Afghanistan, Economic Development, Women
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon discusses one Aghan woman's efforts to stop the reality that every 30 minutes, a pregnant woman dies in Afghanistan.
See more in Afghanistan, Health, Gender Issues
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon argues that unwanted attention on women's shelters in Afghanistan has sent a chill through women's rights supporters in Kabul and created an environment of both fear and defiance among shelter workers.
See more in Afghanistan, Women
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon says that while community support for girls education and women's right to work in Afghanistan is actually strong, the challenge for women lies in what comes next for the country.
See more in Afghanistan, Democracy and Human Rights, Women
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon discusses the arrest of one of the men responsible for maiming an Afghan teenager.
See more in Afghanistan, Democracy and Human Rights, Women
For more on what the United States and others can do to foster open, prosperous, and stable societies, visit CSM&D.
