The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs and the United Nations, have held an Exhibition and Conference, to showcase and discuss the important roles women play in diplomacy and foreign affairs.

Speaking at the event, the Director General (DG) of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), Ms. Tatiana Volovaya, pointed out that women and children are mostly the victims in cases of war and adverse climatic conditions, and called for the inclusion of women in the negotiation of peace treaties.

Volovaya observed that out of the 93 member countries of the United Nations, only 23 women were State leaders or Prime Ministers, and female Ambassadors constituted only a third of the total number.

She, however, noted that the female Ambassadors were more active and visible during negotiations, compared to their male counterparts.

The DG highlighted the history of women in diplomacy, who only occupied technical positions, citing the fact that the first ever Center of Library and Research, was created by a woman,
who also created the archives of the League of Nations and United Nations for peace and security.

Further, Volovaya noted that the first multilateral organisation was created in 1919-the League of Nations-and that it had its headquarters in Geneva. For the first time in its chatter, a special article, which said all positions in the secretariats of the League of Nations are equally open to both men and women.

At the same time, the Director General of the United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON), Mrs. Zainab Hawa, also emphasised the important soft skills women possess, that could be harnessed in various global fields, including diplomacy.

Hawa recalled that the signing of a Gender Parity Policy in 2017 had contributed to the appointment of the highest number of women under the position of Secretary General, and that women now constitute over 50 per cent of the secretary generals and chaired three of the four economic commissions, which include Chile, Geneva, Lebanon, and Thailand.

The Conference pulled tog
ether participants drawn from the Kenyan Foreign Ministries, Members of the Diplomatic Corps in Nairobi, the United Nations, academia, and Kenya’s retired ambassadors, among others.

The participants engaged in discussions through several panels and open questions from the audience.

The Conference stressed on the need for nurturing and mentoring women in diplomacy and called on governments and institutions, to invest in women diplomats by leveraging on their unique abilities, due to their understanding of women on various issues such as climate change and security, and that women diplomats are better suited to solving global challenges.

As such, the inclusion and empowerment of women address and provide the best strategy for solving global challenges.

The Conference highlighted the following five key areas in relation to women and diplomacy: On the role of women in peace and security, the conference acknowledged that the world is in a state of war and the majority of the victims were women and children, an
d that men alone cannot negotiate peace, climate change, and other global challenges.

Additionally, the UN Country Representative to Kenya, Ennis Hannah Mutavati, observed that Security Policy is the heart of diplomacy and there should be urgency to deliberately create awareness, train, and provide legislation that makes women qualified for diplomatic work, such as security.

On climate action and women, the Conference stressed on the essence of public participation, especially women and youth, in climate change and action.

The Ambassador of Sweden to Kenya, HE Caroline Visiny, urged that public diplomacy should be used to amplify important issues in society, such as climate change.

On women governance perspectives from multilateral settings, the Conference acknowledged the importance of laws laid by women to create legislation for other women diplomats, reiterating that the right to education is key to changing outdated cultural beliefs and norms.

On technology and innovation, it was observed that there
is a need to incorporate science and technology experts in all diplomatic negotiations and a call to re-examine the role of women in science and technology.

The panel emphasised role modelling by encouraging girls and young female diplomats to engage in the ever-evolving world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The Conference was also privileged to celebrate the 30th anniversary of women’s empowerment in Romanian diplomacy.

The Conference looked at the growth of women in diplomacy using Romania as a case study.

The Ambassador of Romania to Kenya, Gentiana Sego, observed that the last three decades had seen a rise in the number of women in diplomacy, including Ministers and Assistant Ministers.

On personal reflections on women in Diplomacy, the Conference recognised the contribution made by Kenyan diplomats, pointing out that the success of diplomacy lies in creating interpersonal relationships and networks.

Adaptability was also considered an important skill for women that could be ha
rnessed for diplomacy and international relations.

Citing the women’s Agency in diplomacy and other professional settings, it was noted that women should leverage their judgement in situations of crisis.

The Conference ultimately called for a holistic approach to international relations in an endeavour to address women’s issues.

Source: Kenyai News Agency