Norsknett

Norge skal eksportere likestilling

Det var en interessant artikkel om likestilling i dag på nettstedet til NRK.  Ifølge en ny rapport fra Verdens økonomiske forum er Norge det mest likestilte landet i verden.  USA ligger på 27. plass.

I en ny rapport fra Verdens økonomiske forum topper Norge listen over de mest likestilte landene i verden. Rapporten måler forskjellen mellom kjønnene på fire viktige områder: 1) økonomisk deltakelse, 2) utdanning, 3) politisk deltakelse og 4) helsespørsmål. Likestillingsminister Anniken Huitfeldt mener dette er et resultat av politiske valg, spesielt utvidelse av pappapermisjon og kjønnskvotering.

Les mer i NRK-nyheter.

Equality for women

On May 23, the Women's Media Center and Media Matters launched the above video "Sexism Sells, But We're Not Buying it."  The video and its accompanying online petition campaign illustrate the pervasive nature of sexism in the media's coverage.  There were many examples of such coverage during Hillary Clinton's campaign, and as you will see in the video, women from all areas of society experience demeaning and condescending interactions with the media on a regular basis.

While Norway cannot claim a perfect record on these issues, it has achieved much more success than the United States in creating equality between the genders in society.  Gro Harlem Brundtland, prime minister of Norway in 1981, 1986-89, and 1990-96, once said " Women will not become more empowered merely because we want them to be, but through legislative changes, increased information, and redirection of resources."

For more information about Gro Harlem Brundtland, see the following links:

• Norwegian political humor (Norsknett post)
• Honorary Doctorate, University of Oslo, Gro Harlem Brundtland (Norwegian / English)
• 20 Years Later, Again Assigned to Fight Climate Change (nytimes.com)
• Interview with UN Climate Change Envoy Gro Harlem Brundtland

The differences between Norway and the United States are especially striking when examining politics.  Norway had its first female prime minister almost 30 years ago, and today women and men are represented equally in the parliament and in the cabinet.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg's government consists of the ministers of 18 departments (Petroleum and Energy, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Research and Higher Education, Local Government and Regional Development, Defense, Environment and International Development, Trade and Industry, Labour and Social Inclusion, Justice and Police, Culture and Church Affairs, Health and Care Services, Government Administration and Reform, Agriculture and Food, Children and Equality, Education, Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, and Transport and Communications). In these 18 positions, there are 9 women and 9 men (see photos here – English / Norwegian).

President Bush's Cabinet consists of the Vice-President, the heads of 15 executive departments (Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans' Affairs) and 4 other agency directors (Office of Management and Budget, Environmental Protection Agency, Trade Representative, and National Drug Control Policy). In these 20 positions, there are 15 men and 5 women (see photos here).