an initiative by SEEK Development
Filter to your needs on the right
Search our database
March 8, 2024 | France, Gender Equality | Share this update
On March 8, 2024, the MEAE organized an event entitled "Defending and promoting feminist diplomacy," in which it announced France would welcome the next edition of the shaping foreign feminist policy conference.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Séjourné reiterated France's responsibility towards feminist diplomacy and the defense of women's rights around the world. He pledged that the right to abortion would be incorporated into the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights. He also praised the vital work of civil society, calling it the true architect of feminist diplomacy. Finally, he announced that France will organize the 4th international conference on feminist foreign policy in 2025.
The new actions for 2024-25 were presented during the conference and include the launch of:
March 4, 2024 | France, Gender Equality, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health, Family Planning | Share this update
On March 4, 2024, a Constitutional Congress took place in France in Versailles to pass a vote on the historic inclusion of women’s right to abortion in the constitution, making it the first country in the world to do so.
The vote had been previously passed in both houses by a total of 760 parliamentarians, out of a total of 925. 493 votes came from the National Assembly and 267 came from the Senate.
The new constitutional provision confirms “the guaranteed freedom of women to undergo a voluntary interruption of pregnancy.”
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal attended the gathering in the presence of Jean Veil, son of former Minister of Health Simone Veil’s, who fought to decriminalize abortion during his tenure in 1975. Attal expressed that while equality has not been fully achieved, the vote marked a historic step towards a more equal world. He also paid homage to Veil and other advocates for women's rights.
On International Women's Day, which falls on March 8, the historic move will be celebrated by French President Emmanuel Macron during a ceremony with the Ministry of Justice in order to welcome the constitutional amendment.
The Vatican expressed the Catholic Church's opposition to the constitutional amendment.
February 27, 2024 | France, Agriculture, Education, Gender Equality, Climate, Global Health | Share this update
On February 27, 2024, 102 French NGOs signed an op-ed published in Le Monde.
The article called out France’s February 2024 budget cut of EUR742 million (US$804 million). CSOs argued the cut goes against Macron's 2021 Development Law, which set France on the path to acheiving a 0.7% ODA/GNI ratio. The article stated that by reducing its financial commitments, France had reduced its influence on the international stage at a time when it should be reaffirming its support to multilateralism and CSOs.
The article also underscored the impact that the cut would have on the poorest countries, highlighting projects across sectors that would be reduced or cut due to diminished funding.
Led by Coordination Sud President Olivier Bruyeron, signatures included:
February 8, 2024 | France, Gender Equality | Share this update
On February 8, 2024, the full details of the composition of the new French government were announced, including Chrysoula Zacharopoulou re-appointed as French Secretary of State for Development and Partnerships.
The announcement came following the reshuffle and appointment of Gabriel Attal as Prime Minister on January 9, 2024.
Zacharopoulopu, while re-appointed, no longer holds responsibility for the Francophonie.
Franck Riester now holds responsibility for the Francophonie as Delegated Minister responsible for Trade, Attractiveness, Francophonie, and French living overseas. The appointment came as a surprise to the development community, as Riester had been working on a significantly different portfolio concerning relations between Parliament and the Prime Minister's office. Riester will oversee the organization of the Francophonie Summit, which is slated to be held in France on October 4-5, 2024.
Also announced was Aurore Bergé as the newly appointed Delegated Minister responsible for gender equality and the fight against discrimination.
July 3, 2023 | France, Gender Equality, Global Health, Education | Share this update
On July 3, 2023, ahead of the forthcoming CICID, Coordination SUD, the French national umbrella organization of NGOs, published its recommendations for an ambitious development policy.
Coordination SUD formulated six guiding recommendations for France's new strategy:
May 24, 2023 | Japan, Canada, France, UK, US, Germany, Italy, EUI, Education, Agriculture, Gender Equality, Climate, Global Health | Share this update
On May 24, 2023, Civil Society 7 released its review of the May 2023 G7 Hiroshima Summit.
The report looked at six topics, including the nuclear disarmament, climate and environmental justice, the transition to a fair economy, global health, humanitarian aid and conflict, and a resilient and open society, and presented the following findings:
C7 aims to achieve a society envisioned by the SDGs that leaves no one behind, and its criticism of the G7 Hiroshima Summit was presented as a means of holding leaders to account for their role in building a better world.
May 20, 2023 | UK, France, Canada, Japan, US, Germany, Italy, EUI, Agriculture, Gender Equality, Climate, Global Health | Share this update
The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) assembled in Hiroshima from May 19-21, 2023 to discuss a wide range of global issues requiring immediate and long-term attention.
On May 20, 2023, the leaders released a communiqué outlining their commitments to the international community. Among other issues, the communiqué focused on infrastructure, humanitarian crises, climate change, global health, and gender.
Key commitments included:
The G7 Hiroshima Summit 2023 was held during a tense period for both Europe and Asia. The leaders took a strong stance against further aggression and reconfirmed their commitment to promoting sustainable ODA and international collaboration.
May 8, 2023 | France, Climate, Agriculture, Gender Equality | Share this update
On May 5, 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron made public some new directions France will consider as priorities of its development policy at the Presidential Development Council.
The Council was the second of its kind since President Macron's appointment in 2017 and aimed to provide general priorities before more detailed objectives are provided in the upcoming CICID decisions and French Strategy for International Solidarity and Sustainable Investment.
According to the Elysée, the new strategy should consider ten priority objectives, including:
According to the press release shared by the French presidency, the new French strategy will also aim to mobilize more private investment, notably in the fight against climate change and the protection of biodiversity.
The official date of the upcoming Inter-ministerial Committee for International Cooperation and Development has not been made public yet but it should take place soon after the Summit for a new global financial pact to be cohosted by France and India in Paris on June 22-23, 2023.
April 24, 2023 | France, Germany, EUI, Climate, Agriculture, Gender Equality | Share this update
On April 24, 2023, the European Commission announced EUR70 million (US$77 million) for two Global Gateway initiatives in Togo.
Broadly, the funding aims to support Togo's 2025 development plan, in cooperation with France, Germany, and the EIB. In particular, the funding was announced in relation to two agreements signed by European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen and Prime Minister of Togo Victoire Tomegah Dogbé on agriculture and electrification.
EUR30 million (US$33 million) was allocated to an agreement on developing agriculture and natural resources. Programming under this agreement adopted a holistic approach to strengthening agricultural value chains through WEE and leveraging sustainable innovations, such as solar-powered irrigation.
The second agreement received EUR40 million (US$44 million), and focused on energey and connectivity. The partnership prioritized Togo's goal of achieving 100% electrification, while sourcing 50% of energy from renewable sources.
March 8, 2023 | France, Gender Equality | Share this update
On March 8, 2023, International Women’s day, Minister for European and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna launched France's new SRHR strategy for 2023-2027.
The strategy outlined a rights-based approach to the following priorities:
Colonna also announced France's renewal of the Support Fund for Women's Organizations, a financial instrument supporting feminist organizations in the global South through the AFD. In addition, she awarded the Simone Veil Prize to the Citizen's Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion (la Agrupación Ciudadana por la despenalización del aborto), a Salvadoran collective committed to defending the right to abortion.
Finally, Colonna announced the organization of feminist foreign policy meeting by the end of 2023.
US$ amounts are cited directly from sources; in the absence of an official conversion, they are calculated using the previous week's average of the US Federal Reserve's daily exchange rates.
Need an overview of donor funding to a specific issue area?
Be the first to know. Get our expert analyses directly in your inbox.
Our team of country experts and analysts bring you fresh content every week to help you drive impact.
By clicking Sign Up you're confirming that you agree with our Terms and Conditions .
SEEK Development
The Donor Tracker is an initiative by SEEK DevelopmentContact
SEEK DevelopmentCotheniusstrasse 310407 BerlinGermany