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Introduction
Over the last several decades, governments have collectively pledged to slow global warming. But despite intensified diplomacy, the world is already facing the consequences of climate…
Women and Foreign Policy Program
Women’s Political Leadership
Project Expert
About the Project
Elevating the status of women and girls has been demonstrated to advance global prosperity, stability, and security, yet the journey toward gender equality has been marked by fitful and incremental gains. Women’s political representation and leadership remains the area of greatest lag, despite notable success in some countries. The Project on Women’s Political Leadership examines the factors that account for progress as well as the impediments that are stalling progress. In addition to ongoing structural barriers and persistent bias, gains in women’s leadership and representation have been significantly affected by the worldwide erosion in democratic norms, rising authoritarianism, and growing online gender-based violence fueled by increasingly powerful artificial intelligence. The project examines the experiences of current women world leaders to understand the effects of these trends on political leaders, identify the components of effective policy responses, and assess the demonstration effect of contributions that women leaders are making to global peace and stability. Project activities include meetings, articles, government briefings, and a book. The project will include a blog series, "Women Leaders' Contributions to Foreign Policy," that will feature excerpts from interviews conducted as part of the book research. The project also maintains the program’s signature digital interactive, the Women’s Power Index, a robust five-indicator measure of women’s political leadership and representation, backed by ongoing analysis of relevant peer-reviewed research.
Events
President Vjosa Osmani discusses security challenges in Europe, Kosovo's foreign policy priorities amid regional instability, and the future of the country's relationship with the United States.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark discusses transatlantic cooperation, Russia's war in Ukraine, and her priorities for the NATO Summit in Washington.
As a record number of countries hold elections in 2024, panelists reflect on the substantive policy achievements of women political leaders, needed measures to achieve increased women’s leadership, and recommendations for bridging divides and governing effectively in a time of turmoil.
This meeting is part of the Council on Foreign Relations Roundtable Series on Women's Global Leadership.
Rising threats and online abuse affect political officials at the highest levels in many countries; studies have documented that women politicians are disproportionately targeted. Sigrid Kaag, deputy…
Sima Sami Bahous discusses women’s rights in areas of acute crisis and how UN Women is supporting gender equality and the empowerment of women around the world.
The Sorensen Distinguished Lecture on the United Nations was established in 1996 by Gillian and Theodore C. Sorensen to highlight the United Nations and offer a special occasion for its most distinguished and experienced leaders to speak to the Council membership.
In the News
Blogs
An initial analysis of the factors that led to the Democrats’ defeat in the 2024 election
Who runs the world? Sorry Beyoncé, it’s not girls. But with Harris topping the ticket, that may change.
Indian voters signaled they want change, but achieving change requires restoring democratic practices.
Harris’s foreign policy experience has been far wider than recognized, equipping her to serve as the first woman president.
Mette Frederiksen of Denmark discusses strengthening U.S.-European ties, stopping Russian hybrid warfare, and shoring up democracy via safer digital technology.
Annual reports on the health of democracy this year reaffirmed an ongoing trend of decline, which has occurred alongside a less heralded but related stalling of women’s political participation. Given…
The European Union (EU) began implementing the Digital Services Act (DSA) this year, just in time to combat online disinformation and other electoral interference in the dozens of elections taking pl…
A discussion with Ambassador Rao Gupta on women’s political representation, violence against women, and new U.S. policy initiatives to advance gender equality and UN Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security.
The 2024 U.S. presidential election could be the first election clearly decided by women, in a landmark assertion of power by the majority.
The president of Women in Africa (WIA) Initiative, Hafsat Abiola, shares her experiences for International Women’s Day under the theme “Invest in women: Accelerate progress.”
More than two years into his presidency, Joseph Biden has achieved some of his gender equality goals, and fallen short on others.
Women made modest gains in representation in the 2022 Congressional midterms but the path for women's issues in the 118th Congress is uncertain.
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The world’s nations are lagging woefully behind in meeting targets for achieving gender equality by 2030, but a new round of initiatives has stirred hope of progress.
More from this Program
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In 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the “Palermo Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children.” In the more than two decades since, …
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Despite near universal condemnation of human trafficking, the number of victims remains high, with an estimated 40 million people trafficked and enslaved worldwide—71 percent of whom are women and gi…