Gender Equality in Foreign Policy Index
The Gender Equality in Foreign Policy Index (previously known as the Feminist Foreign Policy Index, published in 2023) provides a comparative framework for evaluating how governments advance gender equality through their international policies and engagements. It assesses how states translate commitments to gender equality into measurable policy outcomes across key areas of international engagement.
The Gender Equality in Foreign Policy Index builds on the methodology developed for the 2023 Index and adjusts its scope to more fully capture the interconnected nature of foreign policy, development cooperation, and participation in multilateral institutions.
The Index focuses on seven priority areas that shape international norms, influence the allocation of resources, and affect the distribution of power within the international system:
● Peace and militarization;
● Official development assistance (ODA);
● Migration for employment;
● Labor protections;
● Economic justice;
● Institutional commitments to gender equality; and
● Climate action.
The framework recognizes that gender equality outcomes are shaped by a wide range of policy decisions that extend beyond traditional diplomatic activity and evaluates state performance across seven priority domains where international policymaking has significant implications for gender equality. Together, these policy arenas shape international norms, influence the allocation of resources, and affect the distribution of power within the international system. They also reflect both established areas of feminist policy analysis and emerging priorities identified by feminist movements and scholars globally. The framework conceptualizes gender equality in foreign policy not only as a set of policy commitments but also as a potential tool for systems change by examining both the role countries play in perpetuating global inequalities and their efforts to address them.
The updated Index also seeks to strengthen its usefulness as a tool for policy analysis and action. In addition to evaluating formal commitments to gender equality, it examines how states contribute to structural conditions that either reinforce or challenge global inequalities. By combining indicators related to policy commitments, financial allocations, institutional frameworks, and engagement within multilateral institutions, the Index aims to provide a more comprehensive assessment of how governments promote gender equality through their international actions and support governments, researchers, and civil society actors in identifying policy gaps, highlighting promising practices, and promoting more equitable and inclusive approaches to global governance.
Principles of the Report:
● Adopts a decolonial perspective that recognizes the historical and structural inequalities shaping contemporary global governance systems. This approach seeks to incorporate diverse feminist perspectives and to situate gender equality within broader debates about power, justice, and global governance.
● Focuses on power relations and recognizing the capacity of policies to shift underlying power relations and institutional structures, rather than solely increasing representation or participation.
● Provides a pragmatic tool for action. Its indicators are intended to support policy learning and inform reforms that can advance gender equality in practice, in addition to measuring progress.
● Is grounded in an evidence-based methodology that draws on quantitative data, established research, and feminist policy analysis.
Taken together, the priority areas of the Gender Equality in Foreign Policy Index are meant to consider key areas in which foreign policy, development cooperation, and multilateral engagement intersect with gender equality outcomes. By evaluating state performance across these areas, the Index seeks to provide an evidence-based tool for assessing progress and identifying opportunities for more transformative feminist policy action.