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Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

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Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience. Norwegian Ambassador to Bulgaria Tove Skarstein. Sofia 5 May 2011. Gender Equality. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience Norwegian Ambassador to Bulgaria Tove Skarstein Sofia 5 May 2011
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Page 1: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

Norwegian Ambassador to Bulgaria Tove Skarstein

Sofia 5

May 2011

Page 2: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

Gender EqualityNorway’s most important political and social achievement is the fully-fledged welfare society – economic and social well-being of citizens in focus

Norway has the highest living standard globally, according to UN’s human development index rankings

Modern Norwegian welfare state is founded on women’s participation in the work force

Page 3: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

Gender EqualityNordic welfare model has two milestones: a high income growth and an even income distribution

Norway achieves both goals owing to the high female labor participation

In 2008 Norway had the smallest gender gap in the world according to the Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum. In 2010 Norway ranked second after Iceland

To date approx. 80% of all women aged 25 to 66 are in the labour force (compared to 52% in the 1970s)

Page 4: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

The History Behind•Societal change has to be backed by profound policy giving women more equal opportunity

1950s onwards – streamlined state policy to make women more visible on the labour market and help them combine work and family life- improved parent leave rules- flexible working hours- more kindergartens

Page 5: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

The History Behind1960s onwards – welfare sector-jobs helped women move from the informal economy (household, agriculture etc.) to the formal economy

1970s – introduction of voluntary quotas by some political parties

2011 – a complete gender balance (50-50%) in Norwegian political parties and government

Page 6: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

The History Behind1979 – the Gender Equality Act comes into force – women’s position should be improved

since 1981 – the Gender Equality Act fixes rules on gender representation (40% since 1988) in publicly appointed boards, committees, councils, delegations etc. A milestone towards breaking the glass ceiling

since 1986 – at least 40% of each sex in the Cabinet. Today the representation is 50-50

Page 7: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

The History Behind1993 – provisions in the Municipal Act secure gender balance also in local political committees

2003 – four company laws are amended to secure 40% of both genders on boards of state- and municipality-owned companies, as well as public limited companies

2009 – legislative amendments introducing gender balance requirements also to small municipal enterprises

Page 8: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

Norway was the first country to demand gender balance on company boards

Page 9: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

Quota Regulations of 2003 – the Basics

Cover all state-owned and municipality-owned companies, as well as public limited companies

Affect the largest companies onlyDo not refer to privately owned limited companies (160 000 mostly family owned small and medium enterprises with approx. 17-18% women). Spill-over effect much expected

Page 10: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

Quota Regulations of 2003 – the BasicsDo not regulate the daily management of business but the overall strategic decision-making of enterprises

Regulate the appointment of representatives to company boards. Do not actually imply positive discrimination of women

Private business sector was imposed a time limit until 2005 to achieve gender balance. In full force since 2008

The National Business Register investigates the set-up of company boards

Page 11: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

Arguments against Quota RegulationControversial introduction of quota legislation – highly debated and criticised by the Business Confederations

Major concerns:Women are elected to boards because of their gender not their professional capacity? – No, in Norway it is only competence which matters.

Qualified women are hard to find? – No, if we look beyond the old boys’ network and cast our nets wider.

Will women take on such responsibilities? – Yes, if one gives them the possibility to do so.

Page 12: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

The State of Affairs Today2003 – PLCs recruited only 7% of women to their boardrooms

The reason: competent women were not seen and recruited

2010 – 40% of women on the boards of companies covered by the quota regulations

Page 13: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

The State of Affairs Today2009 – 48% of women in central government administration

2009 – 42% of women at middle management level

More and more girls take economic and administrative courses at the university

Page 14: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

Why Quotas?•Quotas – not a goal in itself but a tool to display women’s competences. The goal is to achieve and maintain gender balance

Quotas secure a return on the investments in education and training

Economic grounds: a competitive economy needs the best heads and hands, regardless of gender

Women on boards = more diversity, better business, more transparency, improved organizational climate

Page 15: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

Why Quotas?Moral grounds: equal opportunity for all, regardless of gender (a key democratic principle)

There is strong global-wide evidence that higher women employment boosts GDP

Countries suppressing women’s economic rights are lagging behind economically

Quotas really work in Norway! Data from the Norwegian Institute for Social Research show that women on company boards are “just as qualified as men”

Page 16: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

Additional Tools to Promote Gender Equality•Other instruments to facilitate the smooth implementation of quota regulations

Job advertisements encourage the underrepresented gender to apply

Mentor and leadership training programmes open for women

Expanded job databases and networking platforms, involving more women

Page 17: Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience

Royal Norwegian EmbassyPlatinum Business Centre, 26-30, Bacho Kiro Str.Tel.: +359 2 981 11 06, e-mail: [email protected]

www.norvegia.bg


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