Norway promotes gender equality at UN
Photo: UN Photo/Martine Perret
Thousands of delegates gather in mid-town Manhattan this week for the UN Commission on the Status of Women. Norway will be represented by State Secretary for Gender Equality, Ms. Henriette Westhrin, and State Secretary for International Development, Ms. Ingrid Fiskaa, along with a strong Norwegian civil society presence.
The official Norwegian delegation is also made up of representatives from parliament, trade unions and Forum for Women and Development (Fokus), as well as the Resource Center for Men and Alternatives to Violence, both of which focus on the role of men.
In addition, many Norwegian non-governmental organisations will be active during the Commission on the Status of Women.
The 23rd session of the Commission on the Status on Women will focus on “access and participation of women and girls to education, training, science and technology, including for the promotion of women`s equal access to full employment and decent work”. Norway is committed to fulfilling this agenda. One example of that is Norway’s two-year contribution of USD 166 million to UNICEF to support the Fund’s projects for girls and education. Read more here.
Over the last 30 years, Norwegians – women and men – have fought to achieve one of the highest levels of gender equality in the world. In the same time period the country has attained one of the highest GDPs per capital worldwide. Challenges remain, but we believe there is a strong link between a high degree of gender equality and a solid economy.
Some facts about Norway’s policies on gender equality:
- 40% of all members of public and private boards must be women
- 46 weeks parental leave on full pay, of which 10 weeks must be taken by the father
- 100% child-care coverage almost achieved
During the CSW the Norwegian State Secretaries will meet with key UN leaders, including Under Secretary General Michelle Bachelet of UN Women.
Norway will also co-host events on a range of issues, including:
- Climate change – grassroot women’s perspective (Wednesday)
- Launch of Nepal’s National Action Plan on Security Council Resolution 1325 (Wednesday)
- Nordic perspectives on: access to education / climate change and gender perspectives / the fight to eliminate violence against girls and boys (various times)
Source: Norway’s Mission to the UN
