National Conference: “Women in Power: Governing in Polarized Times,” on June 12, with Robinson speaking, moderated by Senior Fellow and Associate Vice President of Studies Chris Tuttle; and “Volatility Premium: Iran, the Middle East, and Global Energy Markets,” with Steven Cook, senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at CFR, as well as Sanam Vakil, director of Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa program, and Karen E. Young, senior research scholar at Columbia University
Editors Note
Dear Readers,
This June opened with a roundtable hosted by my colleague Adjunct Senior Fellow and Fordham Law Professor Catherine Powell, where she was joined by cofounding members of the Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice, Geeta Rao Gupta and Jessica Stern. A blog post reflecting on the discussion will be published on the Women and Foreign Policy program webpage soon!
I am excited to also share that my book, Women in Power: Fighting for Democracy in an Age of Authoritarianism, has been released. I was motivated to write this book to focus on the state of women in politics at a time of historic decline for democracy globally. Women leaders are not only affected by the forces that are causing democratic decline but also a critical part of the antidote. Women in Power draws on my exclusive interviews with women leaders around the world, from Asia to Europe to Latin America. The recording from my book launch, along with other podcast episodes you can watch or listen to, can be found below.
—Linda Robinson, Senior Fellow for Women and Foreign Policy
Recent Events and Roundtables |
The Women and Foreign Policy program participates in various events and roundtables to elevate its mission and promote outreach. Titles are listed below; those viewable online are linked to their recording. 2026 Religion and Foreign Policy Workshop: “Gender Equality and Religious Communities,” on May 21, with Robinson presenting CFR Education Webinar: “Where Expertise Meets the Classroom: Gender, Democracy, and Global Power,” on May 26, featuring Robinson and María E. Zúñiga, a social studies teacher based in Nevada, and moderated by Caroline Netchvolodoff, vice president of education at CFR Hybrid Fellows’ Book Launch Series: “Women in Power,” on June 10, featuring Robinson, with former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield moderating |
Recent WFP Articles and Media Interviews |
Articles published on the Women and Foreign Policy program page examine the relationship between the advancement of women and U.S. foreign policy interests, including prosperity and stability. Robinson discussed her book on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal: “Linda Robinson on Her Book, Women in Power.” During a visit to Santa Fe, New Mexico, Robinson recorded an episode on WorldNow With Jim Falk: “Under Threat: Women, Power, and Democracy: A Conversation With Linda Robinson.” Robinson also joined the official New Lines Institute podcast to discuss Women in Power. |
Women’s Power Index |
The updated “Women’s Power Index” ranks 193 UN members based on an aggregate of women’s representation across five indicators of political participation: heads of state or government, cabinets, national legislatures, national legislature candidates, and local legislatures. See highlights from three of the five indicators in the images below. To see the new longitudinal trend feature, visit the full index. |
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What We Are Reading
- Linda Robinson’s new book, Women in Power: Fighting for Democracy in an Age of Authoritarianism, which can be preordered on Amazon and will be released on June 23
- Michelle Gavin, The Age of Change: How Urban Youth Are Transforming African Politics
- Sebastian Mallaby, The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, DeepMind, and the Quest for Superintelligence
- CFR’s 2026 Conference on Expanding Access to International Affairs
About the Women and Foreign Policy Program
The Women and Foreign Policy program analyzes how elevating the status of women and girls advances U.S. foreign policy objectives, including global peace, prosperity, and security. The program informs policymakers, opinion leaders, and the general public about issues related to gender equality and U.S. foreign policy through scholarship, roundtable discussions, and briefings.
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