Recognizing Women Changing the Course of Global Diplomacy, Shattering Obstacles, Constructing Connections
The International Day of Women in Diplomacy, celebrated annually on June 24, serves as a significant platform to recognise and address the ongoing challenges faced by women in diplomatic leadership and global governance. This year's theme, "Eliminating structural barriers to women's leadership in diplomacy," underscores the persistent challenges that still need to be addressed.
The day highlights the indispensable role women have played in shaping global relations, foreign policy, peace, and security. Women diplomats, such as Catherine Colonna, a French diplomat and politician, and Ruchira Kamboj, India's current envoy to the UN, embody a new diplomatic ethos that values cooperation over confrontation.
Historically, women have made significant contributions to diplomacy, as exemplified by Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, the first woman and Indian to preside over the UN General Assembly in 1953, and Eleanor Roosevelt, who served as a US delegate to the UN General Assembly and was instrumental in crafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Despite these achievements, women remain under-represented in diplomatic leadership roles worldwide, with only 21 percent of ambassadors being women as of early 2025. This under-representation is a critical concern, as studies show that peace processes involving women yield more sustainable and inclusive agreements.
The establishment of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy by the UN General Assembly in 2022 reflects a formal commitment to promoting women’s leadership in this field. Institutional support and advocacy are essential in driving change, and meaningful change requires mentorship initiatives, equitable career advancement, and inclusive institutional cultures.
Persistent barriers, including systemic bias, underrepresentation, and work-life disparities, continue to limit women's potential in diplomacy. However, progress has been made, with female heads of state or government in 25 countries as of January 2025, and women constituting nearly 23% of cabinet ministers globally.
Empowering women in diplomacy is crucial for effective global governance in the face of overlapping crises such as climate change, conflict, public health, and migration. By fostering women's leadership, it strengthens global governance through more inclusive and effective diplomatic engagement. This, in turn, contributes to more inclusive, effective, and representative governance at the global level, enhancing the legitimacy and responsiveness of international institutions.
Reem Al Hashimi, a UAE diplomat, is part of a new diplomatic ethos that values shared humanity over sheer power. This ethos, which embodies cooperation and understanding, is key to bridging national legislative priorities with international diplomatic efforts and promoting women’s rights, peace, security, and democratic principles.
In conclusion, the International Day of Women in Diplomacy serves as a reminder of both the progress made by women in overcoming historical under-representation and the urgent work still needed to remove structural barriers. By fostering women's leadership, it strengthens global governance through more inclusive and effective diplomatic engagement.
- To further strengthen global governance, it's important to focus on fostering women's leadership in finance, as an inclusive and effective approach to financial decision-making can lead to more equitable distributions of resources and opportunities.
- Great female leaders in diplomacy, such as Catherine Colonna, Ruchira Kamboj, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, and Eleanor Roosevelt, have demonstrated that business success is not exclusive to one gender, inspiring promising women to take on leadership roles in the corporate sector.
