Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Sweden Government Offices of Sweden Gender Equality - The Case of Sweden Klas Gierow

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Sweden Government Offices of Sweden Feminist Government Sweden has the first feminist government in the world. Women and men must have equal power to shape society and their own lives. Gender equality is also a part of the solution to the challenges facing society.

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Sweden Government Offices of Sweden Gender Mainstreaming The Government’s most important tool for implementing feminist policy is gender mainstreaming, of which gender-responsive budgeting is an important component. The strategy of gender mainstreaming means that gender is integrated into all stages of policy processes, from design and implementation to monitoring and evaluation.

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Sweden Government Offices of Sweden Gender Budgeting Gender budgeting is an important component of gender mainstreaming. –The budget process and the Budget Bill are key tools Gender-responsive budgeting means that the gender equality effects of budget policy are to be evaluated and that a gender equality perspective is to be integrated at all levels of the budgetary process. It also means a redistribution of revenue and expenditure to promote gender equality.

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Sweden Government Offices of Sweden Objective of Swedish gender equality policy Equal division of power and influence Economic equality Equal distribution of unpaid housework and provision of care Men’s violence against women must stop Adopted by the Swedish Parliament, the Riksdag, May 2006 Women and men are to have the same power to shape society and their own lives

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Sweden Government Offices of Sweden Equal division of power and influence Positive development in general, particularly in politics and public administration Representation of women in key arenas: –Parliament: 44% –County councils: 47% –Municipal councils: 44% –EU Parliament delegation: 55% –Cabinet: 50% –Public administration, CEOs: 42% –State-owned companies, board members: 48%

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Sweden Government Offices of Sweden Challenges Power and influence –29% women on corporate boards –24% women among professors

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Sweden Government Offices of Sweden Economic equality Women’s working hours have increased, but more women than men continue to work part- time. The labour market has become slightly less gender-segregated Women’s income has increased

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Sweden Government Offices of Sweden Challenges, cont. Economic equality –More women than men work part-time –Persistent large income disparities between women and men. –The pay gap has decreased very little. –A gender segregation on the labor market.

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Sweden Government Offices of Sweden Equal distribution of unpaid housework and provision of care The proportion of men that take parental leave has increased. Men tend to do more of the unpaid work at home (12 minutes more!), but Women continue taking the main responsibility for children and the unpaid work at home.

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Sweden Government Offices of Sweden Men’s violence against women must stop Constantly or possibly increasing exposure to violence Greater gap between reporting and prosecution The number of individuals in prostitution has decreased, but availability has increased.

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Sweden Government Offices of Sweden Continued work of the Government In autumn 2015, the Government has started comprehensive development work to ensure that the gender equality perspective will have a broad impact in shaping policy. The Minister for Gender Equality has convened a special ministerial group to develop gender equality policy and all ministers and state secretaries have taken part in gender equality training Each Minister is responsible for the integration of gender into all government policy within his/her portfolio. Gender is integrated into the budget process and the budget bill. Gender equality is not merely a policy area, but also a mindset that should influence all policy.

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Sweden Government Offices of Sweden Thank you for your attention!