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Through the Looking Glass: Brexit, Defence and Security Through the Lens of Gender

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Gender and Queer Perspectives on Brexit

Part of the book series: Gender and Politics ((GAP))

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Abstract

This chapter explores the implications of Brexit on the EU’s defence and security policy through the lens of gender. As the UK navigates its departure from the EU, there remains significant uncertainty about the implications of the post-Brexit political landscape on defence and security. While commentators have attempted to decipher what Britain’s divorce from the EU may mean for the UK as well as the EU’s defence and security, a gender lens has not been systematically applied to these analyses. Since UN Security Council Resolution 1325 was adopted in October 2000, the EU has, at least on paper, supported the implementation of the women, peace and security agenda. Yet, these and other important policy developments are at risk. Whether the UK and EU negotiate a ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ Brexit, the integration of a gender perspective in defence and security policymaking may be undermined and have detrimental consequences.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    UNSC Res 1325 (31 October 2000) UN Doc S/RES/1325.

  2. 2.

    European Parliament Resolution on Participation of Women in Peaceful Conflict Resolution (2000/2025(INI)).

  3. 3.

    Council of the European Union, ‘Implementation of UNSCR 1325 as Reinforced by UNSCR 1820 in the Context of ESDP’ (3 December 2008) 157282/3/08.

  4. 4.

    Council of the European Union, ‘Comprehensive Approach to the EU Implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820 on Women, Peace and Security’ (1 December 2008) 15671/1/08 REV 1.

  5. 5.

    IRS-Istituto per la Ricerca Sociale-Italy (2014), ‘Evaluation of the Strategy for Equality Between Women and Men 2010–2015 as a Contribution to Achieve the Goals of the Beijing Platform for Action’, Study for the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, PE 509.996 at 16, http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2014/509996/IPOL_STU(2014)509996_EN.pdf, last accessed 18 May 2018.

  6. 6.

    European External Action Service, ‘European Union Shared Vision, Common Action: A Stronger Europe: A Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy’ (June 2016), http://eeas.europa.eu/archives/docs/top_stories/pdf/eugs_review_web.pdf, last accessed 18 May 2018.

  7. 7.

    European Union External Action 08/03/2018 ‘Mogherini Pledges Strong Support to Women Around the World on International Women’s Day’, https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/22322/mogherini-pledges-strong-support-women-around-world-international-womens-day_en, last accessed 18 May 2018.

  8. 8.

    For example, the Global Strategy states that the human rights and gender issues will be systematically mainstreamed across policy sectors and institutions, but beyond this statement, there is no further indication of how this will be done in practice. Above Footnote 6, at 51.

  9. 9.

    For further information see respectively Gender Action for Peace and Security (GAPS-UK), http://gaps-uk.org/; 1325 Network Finland, http://www.1325.fi/in-english/; Forum Norway 1325, a network of 21 civil society organisations working on the Norwegian implementation of UNSCR 1325, is coordinated by the Forum for Women and Development, https://www.fokuskvinner.no/en/.

  10. 10.

    For more information about Woman to Woman, see http://thekvinnatillkvinnafoundation.org/

  11. 11.

    The Council of the European Union, Second Report on the EU Indicators for the Comprehensive Approach to the EU Implementation of UNSCR 1325 & 1820 on Women, Peace and Security (6 February 2014) 6219/14 at 36.

  12. 12.

    Above, Footnote 2.

  13. 13.

    Council of the European Union, ‘Implementing UNSCR 1325 in ESDP Operations’ (7 November 2005) 11932/2/05.

  14. 14.

    Council of the European Union, ‘Check list to ensure on gender mainstreaming and implementation in the planning and conduct of ESDP operations’ (27 July 2006) 12068/06.

  15. 15.

    UNSC Res 1820 (19 June 2008) UN Doc S/RES/1820.

  16. 16.

    Council of the European Union, ‘Indicators for the Comprehensive Approach to the EU Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820’ (14 July 2010) 11948/10.

  17. 17.

    The Council of the European Union, Report on the EU-indicators for the Comprehensive Approach to the EU implementation of the UN Security Council UNSCRs 1325 & 1820 on Women, Peace and Security (11 May 2011) 9990/11 at 2.

  18. 18.

    According to the report, only 12 EU Member States provided information regarding Heads of Diplomatic Missions, therefore this figure may not accurately reflect levels of female leadership across EU Member States’ diplomatic missions. Above Footnote 11, at 45.

  19. 19.

    Above Footnote 16, at 12.

  20. 20.

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (2012) United Kingdom National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 Women, Peace and Security at 22.

  21. 21.

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office, United Kingdom National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2014–2017, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-national-action-plan-on-women-peace-and-security, last accessed 18 May 2018.

  22. 22.

    Ibid., at 26.

  23. 23.

    European Commission, Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (2014), ‘Instrument Contributing to Stability and Peace, Preventing Conflict Around the World’, http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/fpi/what-we-do/instrument_contributing_to_stability_and_peace_en.htm, last accessed 18 May 2018.

  24. 24.

    Department for International Development, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ministry of Defence and Stabilisation Unit, ‘UK National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2018–2022’ (January 16, 2018), https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-national-action-plan-on-women-peace-and-security-2018-to-2022, last accessed 18 May 2018.

  25. 25.

    HM Government, Department for Exiting the European Union, Foreign Policy, Defence and Development: A Future Partnership Paper (12 September 2017), https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/643924/Foreign_policy__defence_and_development_paper.pdf, last accessed 18 May 2018.

  26. 26.

    HM Government Prime Ministers Office, 10 Downing Street, Cabinet Office, Department for International Development, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office and Ministry of Defence, ‘National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015: A Secure and Prosperous United Kingdom’ (23 November 2015), https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/478933/52309_Cm_9161_NSS_SD_Review_web_only.pdf, last accessed 18 May 2018.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Macquarie Law School, Macquarie University, NSW, Sydney, Australia

    Amy Barrow

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  1. Amy Barrow
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Correspondence to Amy Barrow .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Law, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK

    Moira Dustin

  2. School of Law, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK

    Nuno Ferreira

  3. School of Law, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK

    Susan Millns

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Barrow, A. (2019). Through the Looking Glass: Brexit, Defence and Security Through the Lens of Gender. In: Dustin, M., Ferreira, N., Millns, S. (eds) Gender and Queer Perspectives on Brexit. Gender and Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-03122-0_15

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