Gender (In)Equality and (In)Visibility in European Neighbourhood Policy

Gender equality has become a treaty norm of the European Union (EU), but there is a discrepancy between the internal commitment to gender equality and initiatives that the EU is engaging in externally. This paper focuses on European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) as a means of diffusing EU standards, including gender equality. It argues that there is a discrepancy between the norms and standards that the EU claims to value, and the norms and standards which it chooses to export. Beginning from an analysis of EU norms and values, this paper argues that that the principle of gender mainstreaming is not being exported through the ENP. This consequently has implications for the success of the key policy goals as well as ideological consequences for the foundational myths of the EU. The status of the EU as a global leader in gender equality and external relations is thus called into question.