The Rationale for a Foreign Policy that Takes the Cause of Women Seriously

In recent years, the role of gender, particularly the security of women and how it significantly contributes to the security of states, has permeated mainstream security discussions. At an international women’s conference held at the United Nations in March 2010, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton remarked that “the subjugation of women is a direct threat to the security of the United States.”

On October 28 at Brookings, Dr. Valerie M. Hudson discussed the need for a foreign policy that addresses this issue. In her remarks, Dr. Hudson drew on research from her book Bare Branches: The Security Implications of Asia’s Surplus Male Population, which argues that high male-to-female ratios often trigger domestic and international violence, and from the ground breaking “WomanStats Project,” the most comprehensive compilation of information on the status of women in the world and a project that facilitates understanding the linkage between the situation of women and the security of nation-states. 

Dr. Hudson’s presentation was followed by remarks from Roberta Cohen.