WUNRN
NORWAY - MINISTRY OF CHILDREN,
EQUALITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION
The cooperation between the Nordic
countries is the oldest regional cooperation in the world! It started over
fifty years ago, and Gender Equality has always been a important part of our
cooperation.
This has
paid off! It is no coincidence that all the Nordic countries are ranked among
the top seven countries on “The Global Gender Gap Index 2009” and always among
the top ten of other international statistics. This is due to our joint
efforts! We have had a common labour market since 1975 and we have designed
several of the same structures and initiatives in our societies.
I believe
the greatest product we have developed is our welfare state. This is not only a
question of having sufficient financial resources available. We became
prosperous because we developed the welfare state.
The welfare
state was crucial for women`s liberation and gender equality for two reasons:
It provided paid employment and public services that made it possible for most
women to combine labour market participation with family responsibilities.
We have
sustained our economies together. But, there are differences between our
countries. Norway has for instance been more willing to make use of affirmative
actions.
Our
experience is that targeted and affirmative action and legislation in the field
of gender equality is needed and lead to change.
I want to
give you some examples of measures and legislation which are exclusive for
Norway (compared to our Nordic neighbours):
In 2008 this
was expanded to also include ethnicity and disability.
In addition
Norway invented the father’s quota in 1993. Our parental leave scheme reserves
today 10 weeks for the obligatory, nontransferable father’s quota. 90 per cent
of the fathers are taking their obligaory 10 weeks, and the Cabinet intends to
expand the father’s quota to 14 weeks.
These strategies
have given very good results. Norway is today one of the front runners (no. 3
in the world) with regard to the level of equality between women and men.
Around 80 per cent of the female population participates in the labour
market. In addition Norway has one of the highest birthrates (1,98 child per
women) among the industrialized countries.
This did not
come by itself!
It came as a
result of systematic policy changes aimed at empowering women and giving them
more equal opportunity.
The key is
redistribution of power, care and work
This goal
and development can only bee achieved if governments, in collaboration with the
employer’s organisations and the employees organisations, design enabling
structures and reforms. Structures which allow women - and men - to chose, both
to have family and children, and professional lives and incomes as well.
Norway has
worked on such schemes and structures since the fifties and thus paved the way
for making able women and girls visible in the labour market and to be eligible
to high positions in the economy and decision-making processes.
Headwords
are:
We know that
women`s contribution to the economy are decisive to ensure sustainable economic
growth and development. Clear scientific evidence confirms that gender balance
in education, work life and the economy makes a significant difference in GNP,
effectiveness, innovation and competitive edge!
Countries
not promoting gender equality seem to score much lower on the UN and World
Economic Forum scales than more gender equal societies. Gender balance is smart
socio-economic politics as well as a matter of human rights! Both in the North
and the South!
My main
point: this is not only a matter of doing the right thing from a social
and moral perspective - it is necessary to ensure sustainable economic growth
and development, in rich and poor countries alike.
Any society
needs profound political will to set goals and develop tools to reach them.
Norway has set some standards we are proud of. However there are still
challenges ahead such as gender segregation in education and work-life, unequal
pay for work of equal value as well as gender based violence.
In order to
meet remaining challenges, the Government appointed a public committee 12
February this year, The committee will view our gender equality policy in a
life-cycle analysis as well as in a class- and ethnicity perspective. This will
provide a foundation for modern, overall and knowledge-based gender equality
policy.
Norway is
playing an active role internationally in fighting for the empowerment of women
and girls. The challenges in the North and the South are indeed different. But
the answer is the same. Gender equality pays off – for each and every woman and
girl child, boys and men, families, companies and the society at large.
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