The international politics of intersectionality: Religion and gender in foreign policy

In the context of high-profile attacks on religious minorities, many Western governments have started to prioritize the protection of religious freedom in their foreign policies. However, they seldom focus on these issues from a gender perspective. Using the international campaign to free Asia Bibi – a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to death by a Pakistani court in 2010 and finally acquitted in 2018, the paper explores the question of what happens if foreign policy priorities on religion and gender intersect. Was the dual identity of Asia Bibi as Christian and woman in Pakistan a ‘multiple advantage’ because it matched two foreign policy priorities of many states – on religious freedom and on women’s rights? Or did the often-perceived clash between religion and women’s rights led to a one-dimensional focus on the issue? Introducing the concept of intersectionality into foreign policy research, the paper argues that failing to address the human rights and security of women from religious minorities from an intersectional and more holistic perspective risks limiting the resources available to put consistent pressure on states that violate the rights of religious minority women.