Since the beginning, Norway has taken active part in the annual UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), where important issues concerning gender equality are discussed. This time around, Norwegian Minister of Equality Anniken Huitfeldt will present the first White Paper about men and gender equality for the UN. In the rucksack she has the World Economic Report that stated that Norway is the number one country in the world when it comes to closing the gender gap. “Men benefit from gender equality”, said Huitfeldt.
Norway is considered to be one of the most gender equal countries in the world. The official Norwegian strategy to achieve equality between men and women includes both gender mainstreaming and gender specific actions. Still, a number of challenges to gender equality remain and Huitfeldt warns against Norwegians becoming to self righteous. Even though the country has come a long way in dealing with gender inequality, the finish-line is not crossed. “We still have a gender biased professional scene, and women are overrepresented in low income care giving professions”, she said.
However, women now account for over forty percent of all positions on Norwegian corporate boards and occupy close to forty percent of the seats in the Norwegian parliament. Research shows a strong correlation between gender equality and a nation’s competitiveness and companies with female leaders have proven more successful than those where woman are underrepresented. The seminar on Scandinavia House on March 4, presented by the Norwegian Consulate General and Innovation Norway in collaboration with the Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce, discussed gender equality as competitive advantage and presented Norwegian and American experiences in business, society and policy. Click here for more information about the event, or click here to watch a video from the seminar.