“Women in the European External Action Service” and “Women at Work” of the Belgian Foreign Ministry are joining forces!

“WEDIN EU is a powerful tool to encourage and inspire those women who go the extra mile in their respective foreign ministries to support other women in their diplomatic careers and who go the extra mile to support women worldwide.”

– Angelina EICHHORST, Chair of Women in the EEAS

The 2024 edition of the BOhEN TUEplomats Nnetwork in the European Union (WEDIN EU) was a new experience for the participants, as it was organised for the first time jointly with the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU on the occasion of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy.

This annual meeting provides an opportunity for female diplomats from EU Member States and the EEAS, including heads of networks of Member States’ foreign ministries, to exchange best practices on promoting the careers of women diplomats and to discuss the important role of women in diplomacy and, more generally, the promotion of gender equality in the world, also focusing on building networks with women diplomats in third countries.

The WEDIN EU took place on 25 June at the Belgian FPS Foreign Affairs and was opened by its Secretary General Theodora Gentzis and the new WEEAS Chair Angelina Eichhorst.

Over the years, we have taken many concrete measures to ensure good representation of women at all decision-making levels and in all leadership positions and to achieve a better gender balance in our diplomatic corps.

– Theodora Gentzis

T

Angelina Eichhorst stressed the importance of women breaking the glass ceiling and pointed out that female diplomats bear a special responsibility, especially in this time of war on our continent, in neighboring countries and worldwide.

What I would like to say to female diplomats is… Abide by international law wherever you are and wherever you go… because I believe that we as women have the skills to take a holistic, strategic and inclusive approach to what is really needed today..

– Angelina Eichhorst

The event was moderated by WEDIN-EU coordinator Aude Maio-Coliche and the Belgian women diplomats network W@W.

While in its first years of existence WEDIN EU focused on exchanging experiences on the creation of networks of women diplomats in our respective Foreign Ministries and in the EEAS and on how we could work towards promoting the careers of women diplomats, since last November our exchanges have targeted another aspect of our work programme: developing relations with networks of women diplomats in third countries.

– Aude Maio-Coliche

Former diplomat Dr. Jennifer Cassidy, Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Oxford and editor of the book “Gender and Diplomacy”, gave an inspiring lecture about the progress of women in diplomacy and stresses the importance It is about acknowledging the progress that has been made, but also critically questioning what still needs to be done for the status of women.

Two things can be true at the same time: progress and the pursuit of constant change.

-Jennifer Cassidy

Participants also attended a training session at the Folke Bernadotte Academy on gender-responsive leadership with a focus on countering resistance.

Now in its third year, the WomEn DIplomats Network reaffirms the strong commitment of the European Union and the EEAS to promoting diversity and gender equality in the world, as well as the transformative potential of women in diplomacy.

Let us use this day to agree together on solutions and measures that we can advance in the network to make it even more active and efficient than before.

– Angelina Eichhorst