Ministry of Education and Research Sweden

Government Offices of Sweden

Swedish Gender Equality Policy

Maria Arnholm

Minister for Gender Equality, Deputy Minister for Education

Ulrika Stuart Hamilton State Secretary to Minister for Gender Equality and Deputy Minister for Education

Ministry of Education and Research Sweden

Government Offices of Sweden

The goal: gender equality

Overall objective: to ensure that women and men have the same power to shape society and their own lives. Four sub-goals:

• Equal distribution of power and influence. • Economic equality• Equal distribution of unpaid care and household work• Men’s violence against women must stop

Ministry of Education and Research Sweden

Government Offices of Sweden

The strategy: gender mainstreaming• Decisions in all policy areas, at all levels are to be

permeated by a gender equality perspective

• Requires clear leadership, dedication at management level, well known objectives, support and coordination

• The Minister for Gender Equality is responsible for coordinating, developing and following-up the gender mainstreaming work

Ministry of Education and Research Sweden

Government Offices of Sweden

Gender mainstreaming – a case

• The Government has launched a “Platform for Gender Mainstreaming” for the period 2012-2015

• 18 national agencies participate in a national development programme

• The agencies will draw up gender mainstream action plans to be implemented in 2014 – their experiences will serve as good practice

 

Ministry of Education and Research Sweden

Government Offices of Sweden

Three strategic reforms in the 70’s crucial for Gender Equality in Sweden

• Abolition of the joint taxation system

• Expansion of universal child care provision

• Individual parental ”insurance”

Ministry of Education and Research Sweden

Government Offices of Sweden

Gender equality a precondition for economic growth• Women and men working to the same extent in paid jobs

enhance gender equality

• Employment rate: women 63 %, men 68 % (age 15-74)

• More women on the labour market is a key to high GDP; i.e. a foundation for developing welfare reforms and increased welfare

• Employment rate in Sweden is higher than in most European countries

Ministry of Education and Research Sweden

Government Offices of Sweden

Swedish family policy

Aim:• To contribute to improved conditions for good living

standards for all families with children, increased freedom of choice, empowerment of parents and reconciliation of work and family life

Factors for success:• Generous spending on family benefits• Flexible leave and working hours for parents with young

children • Affordable, high-quality preschool

Ministry of Education and Research Sweden

Government Offices of Sweden

The Swedish preschool system

• A key component of the welfare system

• A cornerstone of the work-first principle and gender equality

Family policy is aimed at supporting the dual-earner family model and ensuring the same rights and obligations regarding family and work for both women and men.

Ministry of Education and Research Sweden

Government Offices of Sweden

The parental insurance system

• Introduced in 1974, replacing what was previously known as maternity

insurance

• Today, parental benefit is available for a period of 16 months.

• 13 months are compensated at 80% of the previous income up to a ceiling of

around 3560 EUR/month.

• Three months are given at a flat rate of approximately 20 EUR per day. This

benefit can be claimed until the child is eight years old.

• Not uncommon for employers to supplement parental benefits to a higher rate.

Ministry of Education and Research Sweden

Government Offices of Sweden

The Swedish preschool: fees

• Parental fees are directly proportional to parents’ income and inversely proportional to the number of children in a family.

• The fee can be up to 3% of the family’s monthly income, but no more than 1,260 SEK per month.

• The parental fees cover, on average, only 7% of the real cost of a place in preschool which means that the cost is heavily subsidized.

Ministry of Education and Research Sweden

Government Offices of Sweden

Ministry of Education and Research Sweden

Government Offices of Sweden

 Extra funding 2007 – 2014 to enhance gender equality

• 2007 – 2010: 1,6 billion SEK • 2010 – 2014: another nearly 1 billion SEK

Ministry of Education and Research Sweden

Government Offices of Sweden

– developing and enhancing work on Gender Mainstreaming in the public sector,

– promoting gender equality in the labour market,

– promoting gender equality in schools,– improving knowledge of women's health

issues, – combating men's violence against women,

and preventing young people from marrying against their will,

– combating prostitution and trafficking.

 

Funding - prioritiy areas