By Mark Longyen
The Ambassador of Mexico to Nigeria, Alfredo Miranda, says the country’s new foreign policy approach is feminist-centric, and aims to mainstream gender equality, locally and internationally.
Amb. Miranda made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
He explained that the new foreign policy initiative was deliberately adopted against the backdrop of the need to create awareness about the importance of women and gender equality globally.
According to him, this approach culminated in the recent election of 62-year-old Ms Claudia Sheinbaum, who will be inaugurated on October 1, as the first female president of the country.
Amb. Miranda disclosed that the incoming president’s 19-member cabinet will comprise men and women in equal proportions.
The envoy stressed that every policy in Mexico was being projected on the basis of gender equality, and deliberately tailored to ensure that there was no gender disparity.
“We have developed a feminist foreign policy approach, which aims to mainstream gender equality, by creating awareness about the importance of women and gender equality, not only for us but worldwide.
“Also, if you look at the Mexican Congress, the senators and representatives, it is the same thing, that is, equal ratio for men and women.
“Now, for instance, any political party that produces a male senator, governor, it automatically implies that his successor will be a female, and vice versa.
“This means that we are working to achieve gender balance in all ramifications, including political positions.
“So, Mexico’s new foreign policy approach aims at mainstreaming gender equality, and human rights for all, particularly women,” he said.
NAN reports that Sheinbaum, a climate scientist and former Mexico City Mayor, was earlier elected in June as Mexico’s first female president in the country’s 200-year history.
The president-elect has pledged to continue on the direction set by her mentor, outgoing populist leftist President, Andrés Obrador.
She has vowed to break with Mexico’s male-dominated political culture.(NAN)
