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Gender-balanced diplomacy: Human security vs state security?
In a patriarchal society like Indonesia, sexist, even misogynistic, mindsets are often considered the norm.
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Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi (right) looks on as Cambodia's Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn (left) speaks during the Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the ASEAN Secretariat building in Jakarta on Oct. 27, 2022. (AFP/ASEAN)
T
he leader of contemporary Russia a woman? After so many years of Vladimir Putin’s hypermasculine machismo, both as president and prime minister, perhaps it is hard to imagine. But it’s not far-fetched, as there have been nine empresses who ruled in Russia from the 10th to the 18th century, as empress regnant, but after that, only as empress consorts.
What about in Ukraine? Who can forget the fascinating prima donna of Ukrainian politics Yulia Tymoshenko, with her trademark braided hairdo, serving as prime minister in 2005 (February to September) and from December 2007 to March 2010. Since May 2019, we have had Volodymyr Zelensky, comedian turned politician and current president of Ukraine. From comedy to tragedy.
If the leaders of Russia and Ukraine were women, would the current war have dragged on for a year, in fact, would it ever have been waged at all? Would they have resorted to diplomacy on the negotiating table, to avoid a catastrophe for Ukraine, a disaster for Russia itself and the danger of a protracted crisis in Europe and indeed the world, even the risk of nuclear warfare?
I am not saying that women leaders do not wage wars. One need only think of Indira Gandhi (1917-1984) and Pakistan, Golda Meir (1898-1978) and the Yom Kippur War and Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013) and the Falklands.
But there is certainly a greater need for diplomacy in today’s world, to verbally communicate realities, rather than war or military action which “physically communicates a government's wishes by trying to sweep away resistance to them”.
Given that diplomacy is associated with feminine traits such as collaboration, accommodation, compromise, “feel for the game” and empathy, i.e. understanding the other party’s position, emotions and needs, why are there not more women in diplomacy?
Because like politics, diplomacy is male-dominated.
