Since the fourth UN World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995, progress has been made on the rights of women and girls and gender equality, but at a very slow pace. At the current rate, it will take close to 300 years to achieve real gender equality worldwide.
France was the fourth country to adopt a feminist foreign policy in 2019, after Sweden, Canada and Luxembourg. In 2025, some 15 countries share this engagement. They all have made progress to further women and girls’ rights and gender equality a priority of their foreign policy.
With this strategy, France reaffirms its ambition and defines a clear political direction for the next five years.
France’s International Strategy for Feminist Foreign Policy 2025-2030 follows on from the International Strategy for Gender Equality adopted in 2018.
This new strategy document signals a paradigm shift by:
The strategy defines common goals for all of France’s international and European action and establishes a plan of action for the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs for 2025-2030.
This document is the result of a broad participatory process bringing together Foreign Ministry directorates, agencies, sector-based ministries, bilateral and multilateral partners, international organizations, French and international civil society, the private sector, research institutions and philanthropic foundations. More than 200 stakeholders participated in 8 thematic working groups and external and internal consultations.
To mark International Women’s Rights Day, France is launching its International Strategy for a Feminist Foreign Policy (2025-2030).
France’s International Strategy for a Feminist Foreign Policy (2025-2030) - (PDF, 97.5 kb)
On the eve of #IWD2025, @jnbarrot reiterated 🇫🇷’s commitments to #FeministDiplomacy alongside @TMohamedSoilihi and many guests.
A round-up of the day:✅ Launch of France’s international strategy for feminist foreign policy (2025-2030) ✅️Announcement for the first time of 🇫🇷… pic.twitter.com/JC1Z9gUcXo
— France Diplomacy 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@francediplo_EN) March 10, 2025
By promoting a feminist foreign policy, France places the rights of women and girls and gender equality at the centre of its foreign policy. It has made it a priority in every area of its European and international action, including peace and security, climate and the environment, development, democratic governance, human rights, humanitarian action, economic, financial and trade issues, digital technology, culture, education, health and food security. All the instruments involved in bilateral and multilateral diplomatic action and consular activity are concerned.
France’s feminist foreign policy is founded on the principle of equal rights, fundamental freedoms and opportunities for all human beings. It reaffirms the universality of women and girls’ rights and supports the full achievement of gender equality as essential lever for sustainable development and the construction of peaceful, just and inclusive societies. Amid a proliferation of crises and a rise in anti-rights movements, France is pushing forward feminist foreign policy with determination.
France adopts a rights-based approach and is actively fighting to defend and promote women and girls’ rights. These rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent, inalienable and enforceable in States. Sexual and reproductive health and rights, including the right to safe abortion, are a cornerstone of France’s feminist foreign policy.
France is working for full, equal and significant participation of women in all dimensions of political, social and economic life. It promotes the representation of women and girls in all sectors of society, without gender stereotypes. It recognizes women as actors of change, including in crisis prevention, management and resolution. France supports the participation of men and boys in upholding women and girls’ rights and gender equality.
France recognizes the need to target the root causes of inequalities and gender-based violence. It fights gender stereotypes, supports an active and positive role of men and boys and combats forms of masculinity contributing to inequalities. It takes multiple and cross-cutting discrimination factors into consideration. All instruments are being used to fight violence against women and girls and gender-based violence in all contexts, including in the cyber space and in crises and conflicts situations.
France promotes equal access to resources and mobilizes financing to advance gender equality. It ensures that gender equality is mainstreamed throughout all actions implemented with bilateral and multilateral financial instruments.
Implementing a feminist foreign policy requires working differently. The feminist methodology France adopts is centred on four guiding principles: the mainstreaming and coherence of action; partnerships and coalitions; training and expertise; and tangible ach
France was the fourth country to adopt a feminist foreign policy in 2019, after Sweden, Canada and Luxembourg. In 2025, some 15 countries share this engagement. They all have made progress to further women and girls’ rights and gender equality a priority of their foreign policy.
With this strategy, France reaffirms its ambition and defines a clear political direction for the next five years.
France’s International Strategy for Feminist Foreign Policy 2025-2030 follows on from the International Strategy for Gender Equality adopted in 2018.
This new strategy document signals a paradigm shift by:
The strategy defines common goals for all of France’s international and European action and establishes a plan of action for the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs for 2025-2030.
This document is the result of a broad participatory process bringing together Foreign Ministry directorates, agencies, sector-based ministries, bilateral and multilateral partners, international organizations, French and international civil society, the private sector, research institutions and philanthropic foundations. More than 200 stakeholders participated in 8 thematic working groups and external and internal consultations.
To mark International Women’s Rights Day, France is launching its International Strategy for a Feminist Foreign Policy (2025-2030).
France’s International Strategy for a Feminist Foreign Policy (2025-2030) - (PDF, 97.5 kb)
On the eve of #IWD2025, @jnbarrot reiterated 🇫🇷’s commitments to #FeministDiplomacy alongside @TMohamedSoilihi and many guests.
A round-up of the day:✅ Launch of France’s international strategy for feminist foreign policy (2025-2030) ✅️Announcement for the first time of 🇫🇷… pic.twitter.com/JC1Z9gUcXo
— France Diplomacy 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@francediplo_EN) March 10, 2025
By promoting a feminist foreign policy, France places the rights of women and girls and gender equality at the centre of its foreign policy. It has made it a priority in every area of its European and international action, including peace and security, climate and the environment, development, democratic governance, human rights, humanitarian action, economic, financial and trade issues, digital technology, culture, education, health and food security. All the instruments involved in bilateral and multilateral diplomatic action and consular activity are concerned.
France’s feminist foreign policy is founded on the principle of equal rights, fundamental freedoms and opportunities for all human beings. It reaffirms the universality of women and girls’ rights and supports the full achievement of gender equality as essential lever for sustainable development and the construction of peaceful, just and inclusive societies. Amid a proliferation of crises and a rise in anti-rights movements, France is pushing forward feminist foreign policy with determination.
France adopts a rights-based approach and is actively fighting to defend and promote women and girls’ rights. These rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent, inalienable and enforceable in States. Sexual and reproductive health and rights, including the right to safe abortion, are a cornerstone of France’s feminist foreign policy.
France is working for full, equal and significant participation of women in all dimensions of political, social and economic life. It promotes the representation of women and girls in all sectors of society, without gender stereotypes. It recognizes women as actors of change, including in crisis prevention, management and resolution. France supports the participation of men and boys in upholding women and girls’ rights and gender equality.
France recognizes the need to target the root causes of inequalities and gender-based violence. It fights gender stereotypes, supports an active and positive role of men and boys and combats forms of masculinity contributing to inequalities. It takes multiple and cross-cutting discrimination factors into consideration. All instruments are being used to fight violence against women and girls and gender-based violence in all contexts, including in the cyber space and in crises and conflicts situations.
France promotes equal access to resources and mobilizes financing to advance gender equality. It ensures that gender equality is mainstreamed throughout all actions implemented with bilateral and multilateral financial instruments.
Implementing a feminist foreign policy requires working differently. The feminist methodology France adopts is centred on four guiding principles: the mainstreaming and coherence of action; partnerships and coalitions; training and expertise; and tangible ach