From Reproductive Rights To Global Responsibility: Why India’s Feminist Foreign Policy Must Center Women’s Bodily Autonomy

Dale Senora Fernandes

The term “Feminist Foreign Policy” (FFP) is frequently discussed in various global capitals.
While countries such as Sweden, Canada, and Germany have adopted it, the discourse often
centers on issues like representation, aid, and trade. However, for FFP to be genuinely
transformative—particularly for an emerging global power like India—it needs to address a
fundamental issue: bodily autonomy.

Reproductive rights—which encompass access to contraception, safe abortions, and thorough
sexual education—extend beyond just domestic healthcare concerns. They serve as powerful
catalysts for global justice, economic stability, and human security. By prioritizing bodily
autonomy, India can create a truly impactful and innovative FFP that sets a new benchmark for diplomacy.

The Personal is Global: Why Reproductive Autonomy is a Diplomatic Concern

The notion that reproductive health is exclusively a domestic matter overlooks the significant
ripple effects that a lack of autonomy can generate across nations and communities.

The Human Security Imperative

Human security emphasizes the protection of individuals rather than the state. When women are stripped of control over their own bodies, their fundamental security—economic, health, and personal—is jeopardized.

Conflict and Crisis: In war zones, sexual violence and limited access to reproductive health services are utilized as tools of war and significant causes of displacement. A foreign policy that neglects this reality fails to tackle the underlying causes of humanitarian emergencies.

Climate Migration: Climate change has a disproportionate impact on women and girls. Food scarcity and forced displacement frequently result in early marriages and involuntary pregnancies. Reproductive autonomy is essential for resilience, allowing women to organize their lives and reduce risks in unstable situations.
Economic and Developmental Justice

When a woman has the power to decide when and how many children to have, she is
significantly more likely to finish her education, engage in the formal economy, and elevate her family out of poverty. This concept is central to the “demographic dividend.”

As a leader in South-South cooperation and a significant development ally in the Global South, India’s support for reproductive rights in other countries is not an act of charity—it is a wise developmental strategy. Investing in the healthcare systems of partnering nations, particularly in family planning, directly enhances global stability and collective prosperity.

India’s Unique Opportunity for Leadership

India, with its extensive and varied populace, its position as the largest democracy globally, and its historical role in the non-aligned movement, is in a prime situation to advocate for this cause.

The Depth of Experience: India has firsthand experience dealing with these issues on a grand scale. Its diplomatic influence arises not only from its economic power but also from its ability to share tailored, scalable solutions with other developing nations, especially in Africa and Southeast Asia.

A Compelling Counter-Narrative: In a divided global landscape, where reproductive rights face challenges in numerous countries, India can provide a solid, pragmatic, and constitutionally sound counter-narrative. The Supreme Court of India has repeatedly upheld bodily autonomy as an essential aspect of the right to life and liberty. This judicial basis can be transformed into a robust diplomatic platform.

From Policy to Practice: Operationalizing Reproductive Autonomy in FFP

Translating feminist principles into foreign policy requires concrete mechanisms and structures. India can operationalize reproductive autonomy through:

Prioritizing Health Diplomacy: India should leverage its strength in pharmaceutical and
medical manufacturing—often referred to as the “pharmacy of the world”—to focus on ensuring
the global supply chain of affordable contraceptives and essential maternal healthcare
medications in developing countries. This involves actively utilizing its diplomatic influence in
multilateral organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the G20 to
safeguard funding for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), particularly in the
context of restrictive “global gag rules” set by other nations.

Integrating SRHR into Peace and Security Agendas: As a regular member of the UN
Security Council, India has the opportunity to demand that SRHR provisions become essential
elements of all humanitarian and peacekeeping missions. The impact of sexual violence should
not just be legally prosecuted, but the related consequences—such as unintended pregnancy
and disease—must also be medically addressed as a key aspect of conflict resolution and post-
conflict rebuilding.

Institutional integration: Creating a specialized gender and feminist foreign policy division
within the Ministry of External Affairs, tasked with incorporating reproductive autonomy
considerations into all policy domains—security, development, trade, and environment. This
division should comprise women leaders, feminists from civil society, and specialists in gender
and reproductive justice.

Gender-disaggregated data and monitoring: A structured gathering and examination of sex- disaggregated data related to reproductive autonomy, health results, and women’s involvement in India’s diplomatic efforts. NITI Aayog’s district-level mapping of the Sustainable Development Goals serves as a domestic model for this methodology; analogous systems can monitor advancements on an international scale.

Capacity building and leadership development: Allocating resources to enhance the recruitment, retention, and progression of women in India’s Foreign Service, where only 16% of
the workforce is currently female. Promoting women’s diplomats’ entry into decision-making
positions and making sure that feminist viewpoints shape policy development.

Coherence across policy domains: It is essential that India’s foreign policy concerning trade, climate, health, and security incorporates reproductive autonomy rather than addressing it as an isolated issue. For instance, climate diplomacy must acknowledge that environmental crises pose a threat to women’s reproductive autonomy; trade policies should ensure that economic agreements do not compromise women’s rights. Security strategies should emphasize conflict prevention by promoting gender equality and involving women in decision-making. Trade deals and foreign investments should include stipulations that support equal pay, safe working conditions, and access to family planning services for female workers in partner countries. This framework goes beyond superficial gestures toward gender equality and directly embeds gender justice into economic policies.

Civil society engagement: Establishing enduring relationships with women’s movements,
organizations focused on reproductive justice, and feminist scholars is crucial. Their
perspectives and dedication to the communities they serve are key in making sure foreign policy fosters justice instead of perpetuating existing disparities. Collaborating with these groups can aid us in formulating fairer and better-informed policies that genuinely represent the needs and rights of everyone.

A Call to Action for Global Responsibility

To the diplomats and scholars reading this: FFP transcends mere political correctness; it
embodies strategic pragmatism. Sustainable development, enduring peace, and genuine
equality are unattainable if half of the global population does not have essential autonomy over
their own bodies. By integrating bodily autonomy into its foreign policy framework, India not only improves its international standing but also advocates a significant reality: domestic justice and international justice are interconnected. Now is the time for India to elevate reproductive rights from a sensitive internal issue to a global diplomatic priority for justice and human security.

About the author

Dale Senora Fernandes is a PhD scholar at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education
(MAHE), Manipal, exploring women’s reproductive autonomy through a qualitative,
phenomenological approach. Her research examines the sociocultural, structural, and
ethical factors shaping women’s fertility and contraceptive decision-making. She has
collaborated closely with clinicians, public health practitioners, and academic leaders
across her study area and actively contributes to policy-oriented writing on gender and
reproductive rights. Dale’s work seeks to bridge grassroots realities with national and
global policy frameworks, advocating for justice-centered approaches to women’s
health, autonomy, and well-being.