Abstract
This paper focuses on the role of the High Representative (HR) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in framing gender. We argue that as the HR heads the European External Action Service (EEAS), is one of the Vice Presidents of the Commission and presides over the Foreign Affairs Council, they have a fundamental role in providing the framework and direction for gender mainstreaming externally in the EU’s external relations and internally in the EEAS. Indeed the first HR set up the initial internal structure and agenda of the EEAS, including the staffing policies. Second and importantly, the first two HR’s were women (Catherine Ashton 2009-2014 and Federica Mogherini 2014 - 2019). Whilst this is symbolically important, it does not in and of itself mean that either have articulated or championed gender. Hence by comparing Ashton and Mogherini’s speeches and statements, and mapping how each understands and articulates gender, we can gain insights into how far both are committed to acting as gender champions, thus providing substantive leadership for mainstreaming gender in the area of foreign and security policy. This is set against the evolution of gender equality and mainstreaming within the EEAS and EU external relations, which although has been lagging behind NATO (see Guerrina and Wright 2016; Guerrina, Chappell and Wright 2018; Kronsell 2016; David and Guerrina 2013), has recently been gaining more prominence in the EEAS. Overall the paper provides insights into the critical role of the HR in setting gender narratives and framing, how these have evolved between the two HRs and finally the implications this has for gender equality and mainstreaming, particularly within the EEAS.
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