What Difference Does It Make?

What does having women sitting at international affairs decisionmaking tables actually get us? Are decisions—and is organizational decisionmaking—actually improved by the inclusion of more women? Figuring that out is a tricky analytical problem. This is for at least two reasons: (1) restrictive cultural norms within organizations that grapple with foreign affairs and national security and (2) the lack of objective metrics against which to gauge success.

Recognizing these analytic obstacles, the CSIS Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative (SWSP) designed a qualitative research agenda to improve understanding of the contributions women have made in international affairs decisionmaking spaces. From April 2022 to December 2023, the Smart Women, Smart Power (SWSP) podcast hosted 54 conversations with leading women and one man in international affairs, and in so doing, shed light on the powerful contributions that women make in some of the most influential spaces in the world.

This report was made possible due to support from Thales, Lockheed Martin, and BAE Systems.