Page 25 - A Gender-Sensitive Indian Foreign Policy- Why? and How?

Indian Council
of World Affairs

As feminists we are also careful to not argue that putting women
in places of power means a more peaceful world will emerge -
that is something that has been critiqued and none of us would
say that. Nevertheless, that is also not an argument to exclude
women in decision making,

the fore. There is an argument to be made about why we need to see more
women and their shades of uniqueness. We saw that with Sushma Swaraj.
When things were going really hawkish, as foreign minister, she showed
exemplary care and compassion.

We must avoid the stereotype that when we bring in women, we are going
to make a peaceful world. It is important to talk about the differences, the
different approaches that women will bring and why and what kind of
gender equality is very necessary. Finally, I want to just end with the idea
that we have to think about the ‘South Asia’ commons that Amb. Rao also
talked about. The biggest problem, the barrier to this is how we imagine
it, how Indian hegemony is perceived, and how we occupy spaces. I attend
a number of South Asian conferences abroad where India and all things
Indian, including speakers dominate (consider the LSE South Asia panel on
Bangladesh Liberation War in February which had 5 Indians, 2 white scholars
and only one Bangladeshi!). Or the Routledge handbook that has just come
out on colonialism in South Asia where all the contributors are from India or
of the Indian origin. This is also being widely noticed in the courses that are
being taught in universities abroad and in India. I was in CSDS as a visiting
fellow in 2016 where we had a course on South Asia for young researchers,
including PhD candidates. Except Allama Iqbal, we did not teach anything
from anywhere in the neighbourhood.

I applaud you Amb. Rao for doing this work of creating music induced
harmony in the region. I just hope it takes off in a big way and regional peace
and harmony is recognised as a long term project beyond borders. With this,
I close here, and look forward to any questions. Thank you very much.

Amb. Nirupama Thank you Swati, thank you for bringing this very interesting definition of
Menon Rao (Chair how the feminist outlook basically informed our foreign policy and provided
and Moderator)
an undercurrent, perhaps something we involuntarily absorbed and never

It is important to talk about the differences, the different
approaches that women will bring and why and what kind of
gender equality is very necessary.
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A GENDER-SENSITIVE INDIAN FOREIGN POLICY Why? and How?