. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .
An article from the United Nations University
On 3 March 2025, UNU, in partnership with the Embassy of Mongolia in Japan, will co-host the symposium “Women, Peace and Security: Mongolia, a Feminist-oriented Foreign Policy”. This event will be held from 09:30–12:00 in the 2F Reception Hall at UNU Headquarters (Tokyo).
Under Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh, Mongolia has increasingly championed women’s issues in its diplomacy and foreign relations. In June 2022, Mongolia hosted the international conference on “Strengthening the Role of Women in Peacekeeping,” welcoming female peacekeepers from over 30 countries.
Photo: Provided by Embassy of Mongolia in Japan. Battsetseg Batmunkh is 4th from left.
In June 2023, Mongolia hosted a historic Meeting of Female Foreign Ministers in Ulaanbaatar. The first of its kind in Asia, the meeting gathered female ministers from France, Germany, Indonesia, Liechtenstein, Mongolia, and South Africa to discuss feminist foreign policy. The meeting produced the “Ulaanbaatar Declaration” to enhance women’s leadership and participation in addressing global challenges.
The Declaration included: “We note with deep concern the adverse impact of war, its humanitarian consequences for women and children, and for global food security, and urge all UN member states to cooperate in the spirit of solidarity and to support the UN Secretary-General in his efforts to address these impacts”. The Declaration reflects the strong focus of feminist-oriented foreign policy on cooperation and the need for creating an ecosystem for coordinated actions between nations rather than individual state actors pursuing narrow self-interest.
In 2024, Mongolia hosted the first World Women’s Forum, “Towards a Green Future”, which further built on the Ulaanbaatar Declaration.
This symposium at UNU will include a keynote speech by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia Battsetseg Batmunkh (to be confirmed), followed by a panel discussion on the integration of feminist principles into foreign policy, an audience question and answer session, and informal discussions and networking opportunities. The symposium will explore questions such as: What are the key principles of Mongolia’s feminist foreign policy? What are the roles of international actors, including the United Nations, in prioritizing women, peace and security issues? Can feminist foreign policy create an effective framework for achieving sustainable development?
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Do women have a special role to play in the peace movement?
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This event will be held in English. Advance registration (by 28 February at 15:00) is required. Please click on the REGISTER button to access the online registration page.
UNU@50
This event is part of the UNU 50th anniversary celebration. To learn more, visit: https://unu.edu/unuat50
Agenda
Opening remarks
09:30 — Tshilidzi Marwala, UNU Rector and Under-Secretary-General of the UN
09:40 — Representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Japan
09:50 — Representative of Female Ambassador Group, Tokyo Diplomatic Corps
Keynote address
10:00 — Battsetseg Batmunkh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia (to be confirmed)
Panel discussion
10:30 — Integrating Feminist Principles in Foreign Policy
Moderator: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia
Panelists: Ambassadors from the Tokyo diplomatic corps, Tokyo-based researchers and UNU experts
Interactive session
11:10 — Q&A with audience
Closing remarks
11:35 — Summary of key points
11:45 — Closing address — Representative of UNU
Networking session
12:00 — Informal discussions and networking opportunities
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