Here are all of NIKK:s news, notices and press releases listed.
2026-09-16 The competitiveness of Europe and the Nordic region is on the political agenda and a key issue for regional cooperation. In a new publication, NIKK offers perspectives on the importance of gender equality for the competitiveness of the Nordic region. Gender equality has long been an integral part of the Nordic social model and has
2026-08-18 The living conditions of LGBTI people are influenced by where in the Nordic region they live. This can partly be explained by differences in access to support, targeted initiatives, networks and meeting places between different geographical areas across the Nordic countries. Helga Eggebø and Fredrik Langeland, researchers at Nordland Research Institute in Norway, have compiled
2026-05-27 What are the living conditions for LGBTI people in the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland? NIKK is investigating this in a new publication that brings together legislation, policy, key stakeholders and ongoing Nordic initiatives in the LGBTI field in these three countries. The publication shows that developments in the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland have, to varying degrees, followed those of
2026-04-08 The Nordic Council of Ministers has decided to launch a targeted call for proposals through the 2026 call for the Nordic LGBTI fund
2026-03-03 The publication Honour-related violence and oppression in the Nordic region is now available, providing an overview of the work being done in the Nordics
2026-01-29 How is the work against honour-based violence and oppression organised in the Nordic countries? How is the concept defined and what are the strengths and challenges with the different approaches? This webinar offers a unique opportunity to learn about and reflect on ways forward in work to guarantee fundamental rights and freedoms for the people
2026-01-20 The purpose of the Nordic Gender Equality Fund is to promote Nordic cooperation in the field of gender equality. Since its establishment in 2013, the fund has financed more than 100 projects and is now seeking additional projects that can contribute to Nordic added value. To be eligible for funding from the Nordic Gender Equality Fund, the
2026-01-14 A strong, united Nordic voice in international discourse on gender equality and LGBTI has been a central element in the Finnish and Ålandic presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers throughout 2025. Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, Finnish Minister of Social Security, has led the Nordic ministers’ co-operation on gender equality and LGBTI issues during the Finnish and
2025-12-12 During the autumn, the Nordic LGBTI Fund announced its sixth call for proposals. Of the twelve project applications received, three were awarded funding. Deepati Forsberg is responsible for fund administration at NIKK and is looking forward to following the projects that have been awarded funding. We hope that the projects that have received funding can help to
2025-11-10 How can Nordic welfare become more resilient to future crises? A new publication from NIKK shows how gender perspectives can contribute to increased resilience in healthcare. Four academic essays highlight key challenges and possible ways forward. Resilience can be described as a system’s ability to cope with pressure and change while continuing to develop. Pandemics,
2025-09-12 During the spring, the Nordic Gender Equality Fund announced its thirteenth call for proposals. There was considerable interest in the fund, and seven of the 35 project applications received were awarded funding. The projects will focus, for example, on combating technology-facilitated gender-based violence through concrete tools, strengthening gender aspects in Nordic emergency preparedness work, changing
2025-06-19 This September, the Nordic LGBTI Fund opens up for applications for funding for the fifth time. The purpose is to promote Nordic co-operation within the field and to improve conditions for LGBTI people in the Nordic countries.
2025-06-10 The publication Standing out even in groups to which you belong provides an insight into some of Nordic co-operation projects, the challenges they have identified and the concrete results they have seen.
2025-06-09 The project ‘Pay equity in the Nordic region’ is now crowned with a third publication focusing on the undervaluation of women’s work in the Nordic region.
2025-05-27 Based on the report Trans People’s Working Life Conditions in the Nordic Region (2024), NIKK is continuing the project with the publication Trans People’s Working Life in Figures.
2025-04-24 NIKK’s new report examines how available public statistics can be used to analyze pay differences between women and men.
2025-03-25 The seminar will build on existing Nordic knowledge, providing a comprehensive picture of the current situation.
2025-02-26 In October 2024, a Nordic conference was held on the conditions of trans people in working life.
2025-01-10 During the autumn 2024, the fourth call for proposals for the Nordic LGBTI Fund was launched.Tree projects were granted funding.
2024-12-17 The 50th anniversary of Nordic gender equality co-operation has been celebrated with an anniversary publication.
2024-11-27 How can Nordic countries develop their welfare based on needs today and in the future? This is the subject of four newly published texts written by researchers.
2024-11-25 The Nordic Gender Equality Fund provides an opportunity to further the Nordic cooperation fro gender equality. NIKK is now looking for more projects that can contribute to the Nordic benefit.
2024-10-25 This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ decision to establish official co-operation between the Nordic governments on gender equality issues.
2024-10-25 Today, women in the Nordic countries are among the most active in the world, but the goal of equal pay and conditions in the labour market is far from being achieved.
2024-10-17 2024 marks the end of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ programme Sustainable Living in the Nordic Region. NIKK presented results at the concluding conference.
2024-09-17 Under våren pågick den tolfte utlysningen för Nordisk jämställdhetsfond. Av 35 inkomna projektansökningar till årets utlysning beviljades åtta av dem medel
2024-09-02 At the launch of a new report by NIKK for Nordregio, challenges and strategies for youth climate organisation were discussed with youth representatives in the Nordic region.
2024-06-18 The Nordic Council of Ministers is now opening a call for proposals on the theme of welfare resilience in crises in the Nordic Region. The call is aimed at people working in research environments in the Nordic region.
2024-06-11 This autumn, the Nordic LGBTI Fund opens up for applications for funding for the fourth time. The purpose is to promote Nordic co-operation within the field and to improve conditions for LGBTI people in the region. The call is open between 2 September and 1 October 2024. The work to improve the living conditions of
2024-05-31 To increase knowledge of the working life conditions for trans people and the underlying factors that affect their employment, NIKK has summarised the field of knowledge in the Nordic countries in a new report.
2024-04-30 Preventing sexual harassment at work is a new report from NIKK on the subject of sexual harassment in Nordic workplaces.
2024-04-24 NIKK is now launching a publication that provides an introduction to the state of knowledge in the field of older LGBTI people’s living conditions.
2024-04-16 During its presidency in 2024, Sweden will focus in particular on combating men’s violence against women, other violence in close relationships and honour-related violence and oppression.
2024-03-05 Despite well-developed welfare systems in the Nordic countries, economic vulnerability is a growing problem.
2024-02-01 Following the 2023 call for proposals, the Nordic LGBTI Fund has awarded funding to three new co-operation projects. The projects will work on the well-being of children and young people at school, economic equality for trans people, and LGBTI and ageing in the Nordic Region.
2024-01-17 The Nordic Gender Equality Fund seeks new projects in 2024. The purpose of the Nordic Gender Equality FundThe purpose of the Nordic Gender Equality Fund is to stimulate Nordic cooperation in the field of gender equality. The fund was established in 2013. NIKK is now looking for more projects that can contribute to the Nordic benefit. is to stimulate Nordic cooperation in the field of gender equality. The fund was established in 2013.
2024-01-11 During the 2023 Icelandic presidency, the focus has been on the rights of older LGBTI people, gender perspectives on climate action and the working conditions of transgender people.
2023-12-15 There is a lack of knowledge about the experiences and needs of elderly LGBTI persons in the Nordic region. This is shown in the new report “He went back into the closet” from NIKK on the living conditions of elderly LGBTI people and their encounters with health and social care.
2023-12-13 Eight projects have now been granted funding from the Nordic Gender Equality Fund 2023.
2023-11-22 The new report Young Men’s Mental Ill-health in the Nordics highlights young men’s mental ill-health encompassing education, the workplace and the pandemic.
2023-11-17 “High time to go from me too to me neither” – wegian Minister of Gender Equality and Culture, Lubna Jaffery, in her opening speech at the Nordic conference Prevent and Intervene – Ending Sexual Harassment at Work.
2023-06-08 This autumn, the Nordic LGBTI Fund opens up for applications for funding for the third time. The purpose is to promote Nordic co-operation within the field and to improve conditions for LGBTI people in the region. The call is open between 1 September and 3 October, 14.00 (CET). The work to improve the living conditions
2023-06-08 On 30 October 2023, NIKK is organising a Nordic conference in Oslo based on the research initiative on sexual harassment at work.
2023-05-15 Gender perspectives on green jobs in the Nordic region is a new publication that gathers results from NIKK’s previous reports
2023-05-02 Iceland’s presidency in 2023 has a particular emphasis on initiatives for a socially sustainable Nordic region, the rights of LGBTI people and the gender perspective on climate work.
2023-04-18 Searing images and new theories are presented in Re-Imagining Sexual Harassment – Perspectives from the Nordic Region, which is published on April 18.
2023-04-11 On 25 April, NIKK, RIKK, the Institute for Gender, Equality and Difference at the University of Iceland, and the Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research, invite everyone who works to prevent sexual harassment to a discussion.
2023-03-29 More knowledge is needed on how to handle and prevent sexual harassment. As a contribution to knowledge building, NIKK and the Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research at the University of Gothenburg have co-produced a Nordic anthology published in April. In the book, academics and literary authors open up for new understandings of sexual harassment, violence
2023-03-27 NIKK presents the experiences, insights and effects of the first ten years of the Nordic Gender Equality Fund in a new publication.
2023-03-27 We need to learn from the pandemic to handle future crises better to protect children’s and youth’s wellbeing: webinar 27 april
2023-01-09 Norway’s Presidency in 2022 focused on making the Nordic countries greener and more gender-equal, with a particular emphasis on the workplace and opposition to gender equality and LGBTI rights. “Together, the Nordic countries can speak with a much stronger voice than these countries and regions can do alone. Nobody is liberated until everyone is liberated,”
2022-12-16 Next year, NIKK will open up the possibility of applying for funding for Nordic co-operation in the gender equality and LGBTI area again. As in previous years, actors from at least three Nordic countries are required to participate in the application. In total, approximately 4 million Danish kroner will be distributed. In order to be granted funding from the Nordic Gender Equality Fund or the
2022-12-05 This year’s call for proposals for the Nordic LGBTI Fund has resulted in three Nordic co-operation projects in the LGBTI area. This year the Nordic LGBTI Fund was open for applications for funding for the second time. Three projects strengthening the LGBTI area in the Nordic region has now been granted funding. Projects granted funding
2022-10-04 How people eat, travel and consume goods and services is a significant source of climate impacts in the Nordic countries. Nordic Information on Gender (NIKK) is now publishing a new research overview which aims to reveal, challenge and contribute insights into gender stereotypes as they relate to consumption and lifestyles. Among other things, the report
2022-09-13 Six projects have been granted funding from the Nordic Gender Equality Fund 2022. The collaboration projects will increase knowledge and create platforms on issues such combining parenting and academic careers, health consequences of covid-19 for immigrant women and feminist cooperation the in the West Nordic Region. Projects granted funding by the Nordic Gender Equality Fund
2022-09-07 On 13 September the webinar Combating gender segregation in education and labour markets takes place. The webinar is arranged by NIVA in collaboration with NIKK. Both the labour markets and the education systems in the Nordic countries are highly gender-segregated. This gender segregation has consequences for study and working conditions, pay, and the distribution of
2022-05-30 The labour markets in the Nordic countries are changing rapidly. New demands are coming out of the green transition and digital development. What needs to be done to enable sustainable development based on human rights and gender equality? NIKK’s new publication on the future world of work in the Nordic countries highlights some of the
2022-05-23 This autumn, the Nordic LGBTI* Fund opens up for applications for funding for the second year in a row. We have gathered information about the Fund in a message available in English, Finnish, Icelandic, and Swedish. The Fund is a part of the Nordic co-operation on improving conditions for LGBTI people. NIKK administers the Fund
2022-05-12 Every year, the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers and thereby leadership of efforts to promote gender equality rotate among the five member countries. In 2022, Norway is at the helm. The Presidency’s functions include leading initiatives in climate and gender equality policy and enhancing the health and wellbeing of LGBTI people. For succeeding
2022-05-11 This autumn, the Nordic LGBTI* Fund opens up for applications for funding for the second time. The purpose is to promote Nordic co-operation within the field and to improve conditions for LGBTI people in the region. The call opens on 1 September. The work to improve the living conditions of LGBTI people is an important
2022-03-18 How can we increase the knowledge about the role of bystanders in different risk situations? Which tools are needed to to break the silencing of sexual harassment in workplaces of care, and to promote a workplace culture prone to actively prevent sexual harassment? How can researchers and working life actors contribute to prevention strategies for the
2022-03-08 Both the labour markets and the education systems in the Nordic countries are highly gender-segregated. This is particularly apparent in vocational education and training (VET). NIKK´s report describes the state of knowledge and the education systems across the Nordic countries, and providing examples of existing interventions to break patterns of gender segregation in VET in
2022-02-09 1st of March, the Nordic Gender Equality Fund opens for applications for funding. We have gathered information about the new fund in a message available in English, Finnish, Icelandic and Swedish. The Nordic Gender Equality Fund finances collaborations that promote gender equality. Through the Fund, the Nordic Council of Ministers issues an annual call for proposals for funding projects in which at
2022-01-11 Over the past year, the Nordic countries have taken joint action to promote gender equality. Police officers as well as preschool teachers have been invited to share experiences and find solutions with their Nordic colleagues. Over the past year, the Nordic countries have taken joint action to promote gender equality. Police officers as well as
2021-12-20 During autumn 2021, the Nordic LGBTI Fund was open for applications for funding for the very first time. Two projects strengthening the LGBTI area in the Nordic region has now been granted funding. The Nordic LGBTI Fund’s first call for proposals has resulted in two new, Nordic co-operation projects in the LGBTI area. One project
2021-12-17 Next year, NIKK will open up the possibility of applying for funding for Nordic co-operation in the gender equality and LGBTI area again. As in previous years, actors from at least three Nordic countries are required to participate in the application. In total, nearly 3,6 million Danish kroner will be distributed. In order to be granted funding from the Nordic Gender Equality Fund or the Nordic
2021-11-30 The Nordic countries are among the most progressive in the world when it comes to the health and well-being of LGBTI people. Yet many are exposed to violence, hatred, intimidation and harassment because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. A new report has just been released which sheds light on this situation. The report
2021-11-11 How can we enable sustainable living in the Nordic region? How can we better understand how differences in lifestyle arise? This is the focus for the project Sustainability, lifestyles, and consumption from a gender perspective, which is a part of the cross-sectoral Sustainable lifestyles in the Nordic region programme. The project is implemented by NIKK,
2021-11-01 How do Nordic ideals, regarding management and organisation, impact the work environment of employees within service and retail – when the customer is the perpetrator of sexual harassment? A questionnaire that could provide an essential tool for comparative research on sexual harassment in the Nordic region – how could it be designed and tested? This
2021-11-01 Who commits gendered online abuse – and how can the harm be curbed? Those are issues in focus by one of the six projects that have been granted funding from the Nordic Gender Equality Fund 2021.
2021-08-26 Today, studies on the prevention of sexual harassment in workplaces in the Nordic countries are largely lacking. Knowledge is needed about why they work or not, about who is reached and not reached through the preventive work. Today, 26 August, the second of two calls opens within the framework of a Nordic research initiative, focusing on these issues.
2021-08-16 Despite the fact that life conditions of LGBTI persons* in the Nordic countries have changed in the last seventy years, major public health surveys indicate that this group suffers from an increased amount of mental and physical health issues compared to the rest of the population. Younger generations of LGBTI persons see their lives affected, too,
2021-06-15 This autumn, the Nordic LGBTI Fund opens up for applications for funding for the first time ever. We have gathered information about the new fund in a message available in in English, Finnish, Icelandic och Swedish. The fund is a part of the new Nordic co-operation on improving conditions for LGBTI people. NIKK is tasked to administrate the fund. It opens for applications for funding
2021-05-05 Since 2020, the Nordic countries have been working together to ensure that LGBTI people have equal rights, equal treatment and equal opportunities in the region. This year, calls for proposals to finance projects from the Nordic LGBTI Fund are being issued for the first time. The Fund aims to promote Nordic efforts to improve conditions for LGBTI
2021-05-03 How will gender equality and sustainability be achieved in the high-tech labour market of the future? A new report examines how the Nordic countries are working to break down gender segregation in natural scientific and technical fields (STEM). The report shows that many initiatives are based on the assumption that the solution is to ‘fix
2021-04-28 It has been one year since the Corona pandemic first hit the Nordic countries and the consequences are far from gender neutral. How are the Nordic countries handling the effects of COVID-19 on gender equality? NIKK’s new publication summarises knowledge, initiatives and measures regarding gender equality in relation to the pandemic. Early on, the Nordic
2021-04-20 Photo: Carina Elmäng Research and evidence-based knowledge is essential to be able to develop new and effective measures to combat sexual harassment in the workplace. Today opens the first of two open calls within a Nordic Research Initiative, focusing on these issues. In order to develop new and effective efforts to combat sexual harassment in the workplace, evidence- and
2021-03-22 The population structure in the Nordic countries is changing fast. Ageing, migration, and urbanisation pose challenges for both labour markets and welfare provision – especially in remote rural regions. The current Covid crisis adds fuel to the fire and the response and resilience differs widely between countries and regions. What are the solutions towards a
2021-03-22 The Nordic Council of Ministers supports joint research on sexual harassment at work with 3,7 million Danish crowns. The initiative is especially focused on prevention and methods for intervention through industry studies and comparative studies of different industries. Other topics for the Finnish presidency are hate and threat, men’s care responsibility and norms in preschools. Violence, harassment and other forms of vulnerability at work are major societal challenges with serious
2021-02-08 Health care workers are crucial to the functioning of society. They work on the front line and meet a large number of people every day – colleagues, patients and their relatives. Research shows that sexual harassment is a big problem in the workplace. That includes health care. On March 2 these issues are highlighted in
2021-02-04 How can gender segregation in the Nordic labour market be overcome? What are the problems and solutions in the health and care sector and the media sector? This is what the two projects that have been granted funding from the Nordic Gender Equality Fund’s programme call will investigate. In autumn 2020, NIKK conducted a strategic
2021-01-26 From early in 2021, it will be possible to apply for funding from the Nordic Gender Equality Fund again. Activities that want to establish Nordic co-operation projects in the gender equality area can apply for funding for these projects. New for 2021 is the LGBTI Fund to promote Nordic efforts to improve conditions for LGBTI
2020-12-18 Virtual meetings, cancelled conferences and unexpected changes. But gender equality efforts in the Nordic countries have not slowed down – quite the opposite. In 2020 for example, a three-year research effort was initiated to combat sexual harassment, and conditions for LGBTI people has become a separate policy area. The year 2020 is drawing to an
2020-12-03 The population structure in the Nordic region is changing. An ageing population, migration and urbanisation are leading to challenges for both the labour market and the welfare state in general. Many of the problems and solutions highlighted in this area can impact negatively on regional development as well as gender equality if they are implemented
2020-12-01 A new survey of the affiliation of Nordic men with misogynistic internet communities shows that around 850 Nordic young men are active in such forums. The report highlights that the derogatory language about and views on women in these communities are spreading to mainstream social platforms. Based on more than 100,000 misogynistic posts and comments
2020-10-15 It is three years since Metoo started and rapidly spread around the world. We highlight this day by publishing “Sexually harassed at work –A brief overview of the research in the Nordic countries.” The brief publication presents the current knowledge about sexual harassment in the workplace in the Nordic countries, while also making apparent key
2020-09-14 Gender is an important parameter for understanding both demographic and economic development in relatively isolated areas. How is gender equality and equal participation in paid work and care for the family negotiated in communities characterised by geographic isolation? The new report “Equality in Isolated Labour Markets” investigates these issues in places in Denmark, the Faroe
2020-08-31 Sexual harassment in the workplace is a major social problem in the Nordic countries. The many #MeToo calls for action during the autumn of 2017 in particular are testimony to this. Knowledge on this issue in the Nordic countries has been compiled for the first time in the report “Sexual harassment in the workplace –
2020-06-02 This year, the Nordic Council of Ministers will be issuing a call for proposals from actors in the Nordic countries co-operating in projects aimed at combating gender segregation in the labour market. A total of DKK 4 million in funding will be distributed for up to four years to Nordic co-operation projects working for lasting change in this area.
2020-03-31 This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Platform, which is also making its mark in Nordic gender equality efforts. These efforts in the Nordic countries will have a strong international focus throughout the year, making room in particular for young people to get involved and set the agenda for the future. This international
2019-11-21 Young people who have sex for compensation are a vulnerable, particularly preyed-on group, but in the Nordic countries few specifically targeted social initiatives are offered to this group.
2019-11-15 These assignments focus on mapping research and knowledge about sexual harassment, sustainability and gender equality in the high-tech working life, and analysing the LGBTI field in the Nordic region.
2019-10-14 The sixty-third session of the Commission on the Status of Women, CSW63, will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, starting March 11.
2019-10-14 In June, the Nordic region will join forces on gender equality as they meet for two days of events in Tórshavn in the Faeroe Islands.
2019-08-09 What impact has the #MeToo movement had so far and how do we move forward? These are some of the issues discussed at the international conference #MeToo Moving forward in Reykjavik 17-19 of September. The conference is a part of the Icelandic Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2019 and is organised in
2019-02-19 The Future of Work conference to be held in Iceland in April will take up pressing issues concerning the world of work in the future. The Future of Work is a joint conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Icelandic presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers will
2019-02-07 On 1 March, applications will open for funding from the Nordic Gender Equality Fund. Approximately DKK 2 million will be distributed to Nordic gender equality projects in 2019. Would your gender equality work benefit from a Nordic dimension? Or could your Nordic cooperation include gender equality work? Then you can apply for funding from the
2019-01-31 The Nordic countries are taking some fresh new approaches to gender equality with their new cooperation programme, being launched today, which sets the framework for gender equality efforts for the years 2019–2022. The Nordic region is at the forefront in gender equality in the world, but major challenges for gender equality remain. This is particularly
2018-12-19 The MeToo movement had just erupted when Sweden took over the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers one year ago. And its impact has been visible in Nordic cooperation during the year. Sexual harassment has been on the agenda and gender equality has had extra priority. “It’s important now not to lose this momentum,”
2018-12-04 How has the Me Too movement influenced the political agenda in the Nordic countries and the Baltic States? A recent survey by Nordic Information on Gender, NIKK, shows that these countries have taken a number of initiatives to deal with and prevent sexual harassment. These range from tougher legislation and expanding the remit of the
2018-11-06 The #MeToo movement shifted the spotlight from the victims of sexual harassment to the perpetrators. But what does the management of a company do when it happens? This is the question addressed in a new Nordic report on sexual harassment in working life. In recent years, several studies have shown that employees in the hotel
2018-10-22 Several Nordic countries have an ambition to increase the number of male childcare workers. Norway has been more successful than the others. Since 1990, the number of men employed in the childcare sector has increased fivefold. At present, nine per cent of all childcare workers are men, which is a significantly higher share than in
2018-10-11 In Denmark, the right to parental leave is regulated by law. However, the exact design and details are largely up to the trade unions and employer organisations to decide together. All Danish trade unions have negotiated generous terms of parental leave in their collective agreements and continuous efforts are being made to further improve the
2018-09-17 Together the five Nordic countries make up one of the world’s most gender-equal regions. But how did they get there? The most important political reforms and experiences are now summarised in five briefs. The series of briefs is part of an effort to ‘export’ Nordic gender equality, and is intended to serve as a tool
2018-06-14 Greenland has a new gender equality minister after this spring’s early election, and the gender equality issues have been transferred to a new ministry. Yet gender equality did not dominate the pre-election debate, despite substantial needs in the area. Greenland’s left-wing government survived the early election in late April. The two largest political parties, social-democratic
2018-06-14 Increased gender equality between parents, in the workplace and among reindeer-herding Sami. These are the objectives of some of the nine projects granted funding from the Nordic Gender Equality Fund in 2018. Last spring, the Nordic Gender Equality Fund accepted requests for funding of Nordic gender equality projects for a sixth straight year. Nine requests
2018-06-07 In the Nordic countries, part-time work is much more common among women than men. This affects both the gender equality in the labour market and the economic opportunities available to women and men. NIKK, Nordic Information on Gender, has compiled the results of three research reports on part-time work into a factsheet reviewing the causes
2018-05-24 How can the prevailing masculinity norms be changed? This was the central issue discussed at the recent international conference on men and gender equality, ICMEO, arranged in Stockholm. The 2-day conference programme also covered topics such as methods to prevent violence in the Nordic countries. Issues related to men and gender equality are assigned key
2018-05-22 The steady increase of women in the labour market can account for 10–20 per cent of the Nordic region’s GDP per capita growth in the past 40–50 years, according to a new OECD report. Almost three out of four women in the Nordic region work. This does not only make the Nordics the most gender-equal
2018-05-14 ICMEO, an international conference on men and equal opportunities, will be held in Stockholm on May 15-16. The theme is “Masculinity and norm critical approaches: Gender equality work with boys and young men”. NIKK has spoken to one of the Icelandic participants. Hi there, Tryggvi Hallgrímsson from the Centre for Gender Equality in Iceland! You
2018-05-02 The anti-discrimination laws and victims’ opportunities for redress vary among the Nordic countries. Iceland offers the weakest protection against discrimination. ‘We are 15 years behind,’ says Hugrún R. Hjaltadóttir from Iceland’s Centre for Gender Equality, Jafnréttisstofa. Iceland’s lack of anti-discrimination laws that protect minorities sets the country apart from its Nordic neighbours. The possible introduction
2018-04-19 How can the share of foreign-born women be increased in the Nordic labour market? This was the key question discussed when the Swedish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers arranged a conference in mid-April. Several new reports and Nordic collaborations around the theme were also presented. Sweden is heading the Nordic Council of Ministers
2018-04-04 Sweden will arrange the 4th International Conference on Men and Equal Opportunities, ICMEO, in Stockholm on 15-16 May 2018. The Swedish Minister for Gender Equality, Lena Hallengren, will host the conference with international high-level participants also being featured in the programme. The Swedish Gender Equality Agency co-arranges the conference on behalf of the Swedish Minister
2018-03-22 The Nordic countries have come a long way in preventing and combatting men’s violence against women and domestic violence, but the work lacks an intersectional approach. This has been established in the recent report, The Istanbul Convention: the Nordic Way. The document discusses how well different Nordic countries live up to the Istanbul Convention and
2018-03-09 This week marks the start of CSW62, the sixty-second session of United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York, USA. The theme of this year’s meeting is women and girls in rural areas. For ten days, representatives from participating countries are meeting to review the progress being made on gender equality, identify
2018-03-07 The #MeToo revolution has swept the Nordic region in the past half year. An avalanche of testimonies of sexual harassment has put the issue high on the political agenda, yet the impact of the campaign has varied across the countries. In connection with the International Women’s Day, Nordic Information on Gender (NIKK) has discussed the
2018-03-01 Young people with experiences of prostitution form a group that for various reasons is difficult to reach, both for researchers and social workers. Nordic Information on Gender’s (NIKK) new project aims to compile and analyse the available knowledge about young people with experience of prostitution in all Nordic countries. Young people’s experiences of prostitution are often
2018-02-19 The core task of Nordic Information on Gender, which usually goes by its Nordic acronym NIKK, is to gather and disseminate research, policy, knowledge and practice in the area of gender equality in the Nordic region. ‘Over the years, NIKK has proven to be a strong cooperative body with far-reaching expertise in the areas of
2018-02-14 Iceland often places near the top in various gender equality rankings. But when it comes to laws and rights for LGBTQ persons, a European ranking shows that the nation is trailing its Nordic neighbours. The LGBTQ organisation ILGA Europe has ranked the European countries based on laws and policies in various areas with a direct
2018-02-08 Many efforts are being made to encourage young people to break gender norms through their educational choices, but once they have made their choices, they are often left to fend for themselves. What additional support can schools and the actors in the labour market provide? This issue was the central theme of a recent Nordic
2018-01-31 Sexual harassment in the workplace is illegal in all Nordic countries. But despite employers’ far-reaching responsibilities, reports of violations remain disturbingly common. One problem, say experts, is that the laws are not followed. The MeToo campaign shows that sexual harassment is a widespread problem in Nordic workplaces, despite being prohibited. Each Nordic country has several
2018-01-26 Surrogacy, or surrogate parenthood, is an intensely discussed topic in the Nordic region, and the countries are divided on the issue. While Iceland has taken a step to allow the method as a treatment for childless people, Sweden is pulling in the opposite direction. Two years ago, Iceland became the first Nordic country to present
2018-01-16 The Nordic welfare states have in recent decades been challenged by neo-liberal ideals. How does this affect the gender equality and the status of care work? This will be explored in a new Nordic research project. Internationally, the Nordic countries are considered inspiring role models: a strong region that has invested in welfare solutions for
2018-01-09 This year, Sweden takes over the presidency of the Nordic gender equality cooperation. The agenda includes an international conference on how men can be involved in the work against violence.‘It is important that we in the Nordic countries take a close look at ourselves. In light of the MeToo campaign, a lot of work remains,
2017-11-27 The Icelandic Women’s Rights Association, in cooperation with Denmark’s Kvinderådet and KUN in Norway, have led a study regarding online violence against women and available options of support. The study has been made possible by The Nordic Gender Equality Fund, in partnership with the Icelandic Gender Equality Fund and the Icelandic Ministry of Welfare. The
2017-11-16 Organisations that for example want to work against gendered educational choices, promote gender equality in the labour market or perhaps organise an expert conference will soon be invited to apply for funding of Nordic cooperation projects in the area of gender equality. Almost DKK 3 million will be allocated from the Nordic Council of Ministers’
2017-11-06 The contributions of women in the film industry are often marginalised. Therefore, the Swedish Film Institute, Stockholm University, the National Library of Norway and the University of Copenhagen have decided to bring attention to the contributions of female film workers in the Nordic countries by launching a new website titled Nordic Women in Film. The
2017-10-30 After six years of hard work, gender equality prevails among the senior management at Reykjavik Energy. The pay gap is close to zero. Ikea wants to reach the same goal by 2020, and Volvo is tackling fierce global competition with more diversity. At the Barbershop conference in Copenhagen, 200 business leaders, politicians, and researchers came
2017-10-26 Gender equality has been a frequent topic of discussion since the scandal involving a sex offender brought down the Icelandic government.‘After this, I think gender equality issues will receive more attention regardless of who wins the election,’ says Rakel Adolphsdóttir, head of Iceland’sWomen’s History Archives. The country’s feminist movement has participated in the election campaign
2017-10-19 In early October, the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) presented its latest gender equality index. At the same time as the data and the analyses were released, a large gender conference was held in Brussels. One issue discussed at the conference was gender equality and health. ‘Gender equality in health is a tricky subject
2017-10-09 NIKK’s publication of a fact sheet highlighting issues of gender inequality within the public sphere aims to utilise knowledge obtained through Nordic cooperation and shed light on actors and decision makers to achieve the goal of a gender-equal Nordic region. How can the public sphere become a place for everyone? Despite progression in the Nordic
2017-10-04 The gender equality work carried out at various levels of society often lacks a youth perspective. The Swedish municipality of Kalmar will therefore arrange a Nordic conference focusing on young people and gender equality on October 11–12. The Youtheq conference is organised around five themes that are inspired by the goals set for Sweden’s national
2017-09-26 Different groups face different conditions in the public space. Sexist advertising, online hate speech and the invisibility of certain categories of people in the media risk silencing many voices. Now Nordic Information on Gender (NIKK) is releasing three promotional films focusing on Nordic cooperation regarding the public space. A key task of the media is
2017-09-19 How can the integration of migrant women be improved in the labour market? Why are men underrepresented in the health and care sector in the Nordic countries? And how does the design of the parental insurance systems affect the way women and men use them? These are the focus areas of some of the projects
2017-09-05 Nordic women’s organisations are troubled by the increasingly common reports of girls in the Nordic countries being sexually harassed in the school environment and other public places. The project titled Full Rights for Girls in the Nordic Countries aims to increase the awareness of the problem. The Swedish women’s organisation WOCAD is very critical of
2017-08-31 How can the internet be made safer for vulnerable groups? Laws can influence norms, but the problem will not be solved by merely making it easier to take online haters to court. A legislative proposal that the Swedish government is currently working on aims to restore the protection of people’s integrity, which has become weaker
2017-08-24 The Nordic news media have come a long way when it comes to priorities and legislation in the area of gender equality. However, this is not reflected in an acceptable gender balance in the news media, according to a new report from the Nordic Council of Ministers.Heidi Haggrén coordinated the development of the report, titled
2017-08-14 A new Swedish gender equality agency will open on 1 January 2018. The initiative is expected to lead to more efficient management, coordination and evaluation of national gender equality policy. In the fall of 2016, the Swedish government decided to establish a separate gender equality agency. The agency’s main tasks will be to support, coordinate
2017-06-20 A new report assessing the legal regulation of online hate speech in the Nordic countries from a gender equality perspective will be on 21 June. The question of how online hate speech can be stopped is more urgent than ever in the Nordic countries. The rampant online posting of aggressive and sexist remarks poses a
2017-06-12 There is a lot of talk in the Swedish public debate about stopping the marginalisation of people with immigrant background in the labour market. Paulina de los Reyes, professor of economic history at Stockholm University, argues that the discussion has the wrong focus.‘Instead, the focus should be on the conditions in the labour market, as
2017-06-05 In late May, the prime ministers of the Nordic countries launched a joint initiative called Nordic Solutions to Global Challenges. The aim is to spread Nordic experiences related to environmental management, gender equality and social welfare in order to contribute to global sustainable development. The Nordic Council of Ministers, which is coordinating the initiative, has
2017-05-31 Women are largely absent at the managerial level of the Baltic and Nordic police forces. This can partly be attributed to the difficulty of combining family life with a career in the sector. In late May, a seminar on the situation in the Nordic and Baltic countries will be arranged in Riga. The Nordic-Baltic Network
2017-05-18 A large part of the public debate takes place on social media, and the environment can be quite aggressive. The media’s legal responsibility when it comes to hate speech, insults and other violations is unclear. A seminar on moderation of online comments and discussions will be held in late May. The ability to discuss things
2017-05-14 What is the link between gender inequality and human trafficking? This theme will be addressed on 23 May in Reykjavik at a conference titled Mobilizing Men and Boys for Gender Equality in the Baltic Sea Region. The event in Reykjavik is a so-called barbershop conference, which is an Icelandic concept aimed to engage boys and
2017-05-03 Gender-related violence is a widespread and persistent problem in the Nordic countries. What are the best methods to change the behaviour of the perpetrators and thereby end the violence? During the Finnish presidency in 2016, the Nordic Council of Ministers initiated a project to map out the different services available in the Nordic countries and
2017-04-28 The issue of restricting women’s wearing of veils is currently being debated in the Nordic countries. In Denmark, the tone of the debate is rather fierce. In Sweden, many women are reporting verbal attacks and harassment. Nordic Information on Gender (NIKK) talked to one woman from each Nordic country about people’s attitudes to the veil
2017-04-11 The UN member states will work to eliminate the pay gap between women and men in order to redistribute the unpaid domestic work. This promise was made at the United Nations women’s summit, CSW61. But the link between women’s sexual and reproductive rights and their economic independence is too weak in the final document, according
2017-04-04 Feminist political parties are enriching the political environment in an increasing number of Nordic countries. On Sunday, the Finnish Feminist Party will participate in the country’s municipal elections. The asylum issue and basic rights of refugees are high on their agenda. Finland’s Feminist Party started last summer. It will participate in nine of Sunday’s municipal
2017-03-27 Sweden is following Denmark’s example and will no longer consider trans persons mentally ill. ‘This is an important change,’ says Lukas Romson, gender equality consultant and trans expert in Sweden.Other Nordic countries will continue to classify transgender people as mentally ill. According to Lukas Romson, the change is symbolically important and will influence the view
2017-03-20 A commonly raised question is why women are on sick leave from work more than men. But Sara Hultqvist, author of a recent report on sick leave and gender in the Nordic region, thinks that the question is incorrectly formulated.‘What should be focused on instead is that some sectors of the labour market, in which
2017-03-14 Nordic representatives will contribute to the international debate on gender equality in the workplace and the labour market at CSW61, the theme of which is Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Changing World of Work. But how effective are the Nordic solutions? Nordic Information on Gender talked to Lynn Roseberry, one of the experts involved in
2017-03-08 Trump in the White House and growing right-wing populism in Europe. It is easy to feel frustrated with the situation in the world. However, it is important to remember the feminist advances that have been made and the multifaceted struggle that is underway around the globe. Today NIKK (Nordic Information on Gender) talks about reforms
2017-02-27 Only six per cent of all films shown at Icelandic cinemas last year were directed by women, according to a gender equality review of film offerings in Sweden, Denmark and Iceland. The results of the review will be presented at the Stockholm Feminist Film Festival. A vast majority of films shown at cinemas and on
2017-02-21 How can the differences in pay between women and men be eliminated? Icelandic trade unions, employers´ confederation and government officials have developed an Equal pay management system, called “The Equal Pay Standard” that will help employers prevent salary discrimination and enable them to become certified. The country’s new gender equality minister wants to make the
2017-02-16 Young boys are repeatedly exposed to extreme gender ideals in films and advertisements. Men are often portrayed as strong lone wolves with a preference for violence as a means to solve problems. The Nordic MenEngage network wants to initiate a discussion about gender norms, change the stereotypical male norm and stop the violence. Today they
2017-02-09 One focus area of the Norwegian presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2017 is gender equality in the labour market and the workplace. As part of this ambition, a large Nordic conference on the topic was arranged in early February. Nordic Information on Gender (NIKK) attended the event, which was held Oslo. Part
2017-01-31 In Norway and Iceland, gender quota laws have successfully increased the share of women on corporate boards. The issue of introducing a similar law in Sweden has been debated for many years, but so far no legislative changes have been made. However, the very threat of an upcoming gender quota law indeed seems to have
2017-01-23 Nordic females participate in the labour market to almost the same extent as their male counterparts. Yet many gender equality problems remain to be solved, according to Norway’s gender equality minister, who is also the new leader of Nordic gender equality cooperation. On 1 January, Norway took over the presidency of the Nordic Council of
2017-01-18 How can the field of physics become more gender equal, and what can international organisations do to help? These key questions will be addressed when the renowned European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN hosts a Gender in Physics Day (GiPD) on 27 January. Several representatives from Nordic science organisations will participate in the event. Gender
2016-12-19 A Nordic expert panel on online sexism and hate speech at the UN women’s commission meeting in New York and an event focusing on gender equality in the Nordic media. These are two activities that the Finnish Presidency is particularly happy to have accomplished in the past year. The leadership of the Nordic gender equality
2016-12-08 Lagging and inconsistent legislation against online violence. The importance of including an intersectional perspective in the understanding of violence prevention work and sharing of information between non-profit organisations and public entities such as the police and the legal system. These were some of the issues discussed when NIKK arranged a network meeting for projects that
2016-11-30 Gender-related violence is a widespread and persistent problem in the Nordic countries. An international conference that puts the focus on the perpetrators opens today. What are the best methods to change the behaviour of the perpetrators and thereby end the violence? The conference, titled Confronting Gendered Violence: Focus on Perpetrators, held in Helsinki at the House
2016-11-22 The Nordic countries boast several research journals that together help push the field of gender research forward. One example is NORMA: International Journal for Masculinity Studies, which is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year. The current issue of the journal looks for example at how masculinity research can help us understand Donald Trump’s success in
2016-11-14 A new call for applications for funding from the Nordic Gender Equality Fund will be arranged in March 2017. If you are interested in applying, now is a good time to initiate collaborations, contact potential partners and start working on your application! The Nordic Gender Equality Fund was established by the Nordic gender equality ministers
2016-11-10 The Nordic countries often find themselves at the very top of international gender equality rankings. But when it comes to the share of women at the higher levels in academia, the Nordic countries place right around the European average. Nordforsk, an organisation under the Nordic Council of Ministers, has granted NOK 41.8 million to two
2016-10-19 Hate speech and sexism on the internet is a growing problem in the Nordic region. What legal protection can the victims expect? NIKK has launched a new project to review the applicable legislations in the Nordic countries. How can the online violence and harassment be stopped? This is a hot topic in all Nordic countries.
2016-10-15 Human trafficking has taken new forms and is placing new demands on legal systems. This week, experts from the Nordic countries are meeting to learn from each other. ‘We need to get better at solving these crimes,’ says Norwegian prosecutor Rudolf Christoffersen.He is one of the keynote speakers at The Nordic Region – a Single
2016-10-13 The fight against genital mutilation has been successful around the world. However, despite growing resistance against the practice, many girls remain at risk. In Nordic countries, there is a strong need for preventive work and education. A conference titled Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting – a Matter of Human Rights and Gender Equality begins today
2016-10-10 Nordic dads take more parental leave than the world average. What are the reasons for this? A new fact sheet from NIKK explains what the parental insurance systems look like in the Nordic countries, and how the design affects fathers’ use of the right to parental leave. The fact sheet also sheds light on how
2016-10-04 Intersex persons often undergo surgery early in life in order for them to fit into the binary gender norm. The surgeries are standard procedure in all Nordic countries despite the fact that they cannot be justified on medical grounds.‘The doctors think they can decide what a child’s “right” sex is, but they can’t,’ says Kitty
2016-09-26 What can be done to stop hate speech and sexism in the comment fields in social media? What are the best measures to break perpetrators’ patterns of violence? These questions are the focal point of some of the projects that receive funding from the Nordic Gender Equality Fund this year. Each year, NIKK administers funding
2016-09-26 National gender equality objectives cannot be achieved without active contributions by municipalities and county councils, but how do they succeed? As part of a cross-Nordic project, local representatives meet to share successful experiences. Anna Ulveson, gender equality expert at the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, is leading the project, which gathers municipal representatives from
2016-09-21 Sweden is the only Nordic country without a law against sexist advertising. The other countries have legislation in place, but the issue is not receiving enough priority. Iceland is best-in-class when it comes to following up on violations, according to a new Nordic review presented today. The review, published in Swedish and titled “Sexism på
2016-09-19 How do you close the pay gap and create a less gender-divided labour market? The answer does not lie in the past. Gender divisions in the Nordic labour markets have been nearly static since the 1970s and global data from the ILO shows shockingly little movement. So what is needed? That is what the discussion
2016-09-13 Which gender equality issues top the Nordic agenda? Several Nordic countries are updating their guidelines for national gender equality policy. Breaking the gender segregation in the labour market and eliminating the gender wage gap are two prioritised issues in Iceland and Norway. The Icelandic government recently presented a 4-year action plan for gender equality. One
2016-08-31 What norms does Nordic gender equality policy give rise to and how do they affect various groups of young women? This is one of the questions addressed in the field of Nordic girl studies. Last Friday marked the end of a summer school in Helsinki titled Producing Girlish Knowledge. Nordic Summer School on Creative Methods
2016-08-22 For three straight years, the Nordic Council of Ministers has funded Nordic gender equality projects through a special Nordic gender equality fund. To date, more than 120 organisations have embarked on unique collaborations. A database containing information on all projects is now being launched. Nordic gender equality certification in education. Joint campaign against sexist advertising.
2016-08-08 Gender-equal care means that both women and men receive the care they need. It sounds simple, but despite all the high ambitions and goals declared over the years, there are still plenty of medically unjustified gender differences in the quality of care provided in the Nordic countries. At a recent expert seminar in Mariehamn, Åland,
2016-06-07 Now school staff will be able to discuss gender equality issues with colleagues in other Nordic countries. A new online course will help spread knowledge and good examples from schools and preschools across the Nordic region. School staff in the Nordic countries can learn a lot from each other, according to José Cardona López and
2016-05-25 Researchers and activists join forces in a new Nordic project to identify important feminist issues for the future. ‘We’re going to do a check-up on the feminist movements’, says project director Pauline Stoltz, researcher at Aalborg University in Denmark. Tell us about the project! What are you going to do? We are going to hold
2016-05-18 The Finnish government’s new gender equality programme is being criticised by the country’s gender equality experts. The programme, which points out the goals for the next four years, is described as a disappointment.‘The most important issues are not included,’ says gender researcher Hanna Ylöstalo from The Finnish Youth Research Society. The programme was presented last
2016-05-11 Only 18% of the people featured in the Icelandic news media are women. A similar gender imbalance can be found in all Nordic countries, and the latest study on the topic shows that the discrepancies are actually growing. A new project will explore how the trend can be turned around. The Nordic countries have come
2016-04-27 The Nordic countries have long been pioneers and important exporters in the field of gender equality policy, yet they are increasingly affected by decisions made by the EU and other international organs. How does this influence the development in the region? This is investigated in a project titled Nordic Gender Equality Policy in a Europeanisation
2016-04-20 Almost half of all women in the Faroe Islands aged 20-64 work part time. This and more is revealed in a new report titled Part-Time Work in the Nordic Region –An Introductory Study of the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland Islands. The research report maps the connections between part-time work and gender in the Faroe
2016-04-13 Women are strongly underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The positive trend of the past seems to have stalled, according to a study ordered by the Nordic Council of Ministers. ‘In the last 5–10 years, we haven’t seen any positive development,’ says Kristian Mørk Puggaard at DAMVAD Analytics, the company that carried out the
2016-04-05 WIFT Nordic wants to improve the situation of women in the film industry. Today, men are benefiting from a disproportionate share of the available production support and overall space, which affects both the stories told and the characters displayed in the films. How can the situation be improved for women in this sector? When it
2016-03-21 Online violence against women is on the rise and the laws in the Nordic countries are not keeping up. In a new Nordic project, women are interviewed about their attempts to seek justice. ’Most studies on online violence concern only the actual violence, but we have a different goal. We want to look at how
2016-03-08 Today is International Women’s Day. To mark it NIKK and genus.se have asked activists, researchers and debaters from different continents to share their most important feminist issue. Read their responses below. 1. What’s the most important feminist issue right now?2. What needs to be done?3. What role can the Nordic countries play? Julia Gillard, the
2016-03-03 Gender equality is often mentioned as a strength and an important export of the Nordic countries. Yet neither the Research Council of Norway nor Norwegian and Finnish researchers think that enough funding is granted for research in the field.‘There’s an interest, but the money granted for research projects is too limited in relation to the
2016-03-01 Arab gender research has seen a breakthrough and today almost all universities have their own centres for women’s studies or gender studies. An Arab-Nordic project has strengthened the connection between researchers in the two regions. History offers many examples of how women are bundled back to their traditional roles as homemakers after participating in revolutionary
2016-03-01 Does your organisation want to stop sexual harassment in schools, promote gender equality in the film industry or arrange an expert conference on human trafficking? If so, you can apply for support from the Nordic Council of Ministers’ funding scheme for gender equality. A total of DKK 2.7 million will be allocated to successful applicants.
2016-02-23 Gender-related violence among young couples is a widespread problem in the Nordic countries. A Nordic expert conference will be held in April to gather the best examples of how it can be stopped. ‘It’s important to start working with people at a young age,’ says Are Saastad from Reform – Resource Centre for Men in
2016-02-17 A Nordic men’s week to bring attention to men’s health and overall situation, and a project acknowledging different types of families. A new report gives suggestions on how the Nordic Council of Ministers can address social and health issues with a gender equality perspective. The Nordic Council of Ministers is in the process of gender
2016-02-11 Effective practices and breaking the cycle of violence will receive particular focus during the Finnish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2016. Gender discrimination in media and health and gender equality are two other principal themes, says Finland’s gender equality minister in an interview. The Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers rotates
2016-02-01 Nordic men need to start seeing the doctor before it is too late. Nordic women need to become better at talking about their work environment. And the politicians who are crafting tomorrow’s health policy need to put on their gender spectacles. This and more was discussed at a recent conference in Turku appropriately titled How
2016-01-26 The male dominance in top positions in Nordic research seems to persist. A new research programme, focusing on solutions, is now being launched. The Nordic countries have had gender equality in academia on their to-do lists since the 1970s. But it has not turned out to be a quick fix. According to the Nordic Council
2016-01-14 Women move away and men stay. The pattern can be noted in most rural areas in the Nordic countries. But in Greenland it is a matter of national survival. The gigantic island’s population, which amounts to only about 56 000 people, is expected to shrink over the next few decades. Disko Bay on Greenland’s west
2015-12-23 Is your organisation planning to engage in Nordic cooperation in the area of gender equality? If so, you can apply for support from the Nordic Council of Ministers’ funding scheme for gender equality, administered by NIKK. In March 2016, NIKK will once again invite interested organisations to apply for funding for Nordic cooperation in the
2015-12-08 Over 50 per cent of Faroese women work part time. According to Erika Hayfield, one likely reason for this is that many men leave home for extended periods to work in the fishing and offshore oil industries. Hayfield is in charge of the third study on part-time work, which focuses on the situation in the
2015-12-02 Although it may seem obvious that political power should be distributed equally between women and men, the Nordic countries are not there yet. Faroe Island’s new cabinet of ministers boasts a perfect gender balance, but the parliament remains dominated by men. The same can be said after the recent general elections in Åland and municipal
2015-11-19 How does EU legislation affect Nordic gender equality policy? How can we stop sexist advertising, or violence among young couples in the Nordic countries? These are some of the focus areas of this year’s approved funding scheme projects. Once a year, Nordic Information on Gender allocates money to Nordic gender equality projects on behalf of
2015-11-17 Reform, The Norweigen resource centre for men, has launched a new website – genustest.no – to help preschool workers in the Nordic region analyse gender in children’s literature. Do the books promote gender equality? Or do they reinforce destructive gender stereotypes? ‘Everybody knows that Pippi, Albert Åberg, Gummi-Tarzan and the Moomintroll like to challenge traditional
2015-11-11 A new statistics database shows how far the Nordic countries have come in the area of gender equality. Åland stands out by having more women than men in the labour force. Now anybody can go to www.norden.org/and find statistics on how money and power, paid and unpaid work, suicide and smoking are distributed between women and
2015-11-06 The Nordic countries should take the lead in the work against hate speech and sexism on the internet. This is one of the conclusions made after the expert seminar on online hate speech in Copenhagen.‘We have a tradition of using legislation to regulate markets and should do so also in this domain,’ says Emma Holten,
2015-11-02 A new website will teach Nordic upper-secondary students about women’s rights and encourage engagement. The content is based on the UN Women’s Convention and the Beijing Platform for Action.‘It’s important that the students learn about their rights. This is a tool meant to change society,’ says Hanna Björg Vilhjálmsdóttir, upper-secondary teacher in Iceland. The site
2015-10-28 Should healthcare workers be able to refuse carrying out abortions? This question is under debate in several Nordic countries. In Finland, supporters of a citizen initiative have gathered 68 000 signatures, and now the issue is being discussed in the parliament. At the first parliamentary hearing, held in mid-October, Minister of Foreign Affairs Timo Soini
2015-10-23 What does young people’s vulnerability to online hate speech look like in the Nordic countries and what is being done about it? These questions were on the agenda of today’s seminar in Reykjavik. ‘Politically engaged young people are scared silent through online threats and sexist comments. This leads to a major democratic problem,’ says Kai
2015-10-12 Nordic gender equality policy is facing new challenges. What will happen when, or if, the intersectionality perspective takes over? Nordic researchers met in Örebro to discuss the answer. ‘This is a hot topic in Sweden right now,’ said Liisa Husu, professor in gender studies at Örebro University, when she opened the workshop Thursday. The Swedish gender
2015-10-07 Danish researcher Mathias Wullum Nielsen has studied gender equality in the academic world – for example how the discourse, practice and implemented measures differ between the Scandinavian countries. In an article recently published in Nature, he writes about the problem of appointing academics without an open call for applications. Sociologist and organisational researcher Mathias Wullum
2015-10-01 Human trafficking is a crime that transcends national boundaries. The Nordic-Baltic Network of Policewomen wants to expand the cooperation against gender-related violence. Next week they will meet in Riga to discuss strategies. The conference in Riga, scheduled for 7–8 October, will focus on the concrete problems that the Nordic and Baltic countries are currently facing
2015-09-28 Iceland has joined in on the three inter-Nordic web portals GenderKalenderN, GenderJob and GenderFund. ‘We have benefitted a great deal from the Nordic co-operation. At this point we’re hoping to be able to contribute more and show what we do to a larger audience. Another aim is to bring more attention to the Nordic co-operation
2015-09-18 In 2014 the Nordic countries have cooperated in their work for gender equality for 40 years.How far have we really come? What does Nordic gender equality mean to you, and how can we be even better when it comes to gender equality? These questions are asked by the Nordic Council of Ministers, in their presentation
2015-08-29 The feminist progress – and its price – is a hot topic when Nordic gender researchers meet in Roskilde, Denmark. The conference Voices in Nordic Gender Research wants to encourage more cooperation and Nordic research projects. Gender researchers in different countries have a lot to learn from each other, says Jo Krøjer, researcher at Roskilde
2015-08-19 It’s impossible to discuss challenges in the Nordic peripheral areas without including a gender equality perspective. This is a conclusion made in a new Nordic survey on gender, education and migration patterns in the peripheral areas in the Nordic region. The report is produced by researchers Stine Thidemann Faber, Helene Pristed Nielsen and Kathrine Bjerg
2015-06-29 An index presented 25 June shows that the EU countries remain far from gender equal. The Nordic member states top the list, despite their still highly segregated labour markets. Sweden has the highest gender equality index in the EU, followed by Finland and Denmark. The index is presented by the European Institute for Gender Equality
2015-06-23 Greenland’s female population is shrinking. Many women leave to study and never return. This trend is not unique to the world’s largest island but can be found in rural and sparsely populated areas across the Nordic region. What are the solutions? This was the main question discussed at a recent seminar on gender, education and
2015-06-16 Sexual harassment in the hotel and restaurant industry is a widespread problem across the Nordic region. Experts from all Nordic countries recently met in Reykjavik to discuss solutions. In connection with the opening of the Nordic conference on sexism and sexual harassment in the workplace, Eygló Harðardóttir, Iceland’s Minister of Social Affairs and Housing, said
2015-06-09 An international conference on diversity in leadership was held in Reykjavik on 29 May. The Centre for Gender Equality in Iceland organised the conference, at which new studies on the effects of the Icelandic gender quota legislation were presented. In 2008, Iceland became the second country after Norway to introduce a gender quota law. The
2015-06-09 Over 300 visitors from 34 countries participated in the 9th European Feminist Research Conference in Rovaniemi, Finland, held 3–6 June. NIKK talked to Liisa Husu, Örebro University, who attended the event. The large European conference on gender and feminist research was arranged by ATGENDER at the University of Lapland – the farthest north university in
2015-05-28 Getting people interested in gender equality issues isn’t always easy. How can municipalities and county councils increase the involvement in gender mainstreaming work? This was discussed at a Nordic conference in Oslo. Many Nordic municipalities and county councils work with gender mainstreaming, but their results are not widely known. Last week, representatives from eleven municipalities
2015-05-25 ‘We keep getting new ideas. I have worked with mentoring for a long time but will still leave the meeting with some great new input,’ said senior adviser Goro Ree-Lindstad from the Norwegian Centre for Equality at a network meeting in Copenhagen on 11 May. The event was arranged by the Norwegian Centre for Equality,
2015-05-20 It is called the gender equality paradox – that gender-segregated labour markets persist in gender equality-oriented welfare states. This was the topic of discussion when a Nordic network of researchers and scholars met for a seminar in Oslo. ‘We tend to think of gender equality as a one-dimensional phenomenon,’ says Mari Teigen, research director at the
2015-05-13 Individuals applying for publicly subsidised special transport services reserved for individuals with mobility-limiting conditions have to pass an extensive assessment battery. A new doctoral thesis exploring the legal landscapes in Denmark, Norway and Sweden points out that this runs contrary to the purpose of the service – to facilitate people’s autonomy and independence. The purpose
2015-05-08 A growing field with great diversity – this is how the legally oriented gender research in the Nordic countries is described. Read more about some of the research projects presented at last week’s conference. The conference in Umeå 5–6 May included 30 paper presentations on a wide range of topics. Daniela Alaattinoglu talked about her research
2015-05-04 What are the living conditions like for women and men in the Arctic region? This was the focus of Gender Equality in the Arctic: Current Realities and Future Challenges. A new report summarises the discussions at the conference. Among other prominent themes were: the importance of gender mainstreaming into all aspects of Arctic development as
2015-05-01 A new report reveals large gender differences in pensions in most European countries, including Sweden and Finland. Denmark also has a gender gap, but it is much smaller. The report Gender Gap in Pensions in the EU, presented by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), shows that the average European gender gap in pensions was
2015-04-24 Although a majority of undergraduate students are women, higher up in the academic hierarchy is clearly a man’s world. About 80 per cent of all professors at Nordic higher education institutions are men, but efforts to reach gender equality in academia are underway. The problem of unequal gender distributions is widespread among Nordic universities. The
2015-04-21 ‘In order to prevent violence against women with disabilities, we need to increase the status of this group in society,’ says Icelandic researcher Hrafnhildur S. Gunnarsdóttir. A Nordic project is finding the best ways to prevent the violence. Having a norm-breaking functional capacity commonly makes a person highly dependent on others, and victims of violence
2015-04-21 Every time an already vulnerable person is violated, it’s a failure of society, says Maria Montefusco, project manager at the Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues, when asked about the background of the Nordic project Gender-based Violence against People with Disabilities. Persons with norm-breaking functional capacity are victims of violence to a greater extent
2015-04-14 A majority of people with spinal cord injuries are men. As a result, the problems specific to women with these injuries are often overlooked at conferences and in research. Erika Nilsson from the Spinalis Foundation is coordinating a new Nordic project for women with spinal cord injuries. There is a great need for knowledge and
2015-04-09 Concepts and terms in the field of gender studies and gender research are under scrutiny. Projects to standardise the terminology are underway in both Norway and Sweden. What does hen and hin really mean, and is the word genus even needed? The aim of the Norwegian project is to explain gender-related concepts in an online
2015-03-27 ‘Terrible but not surprising’ – a fair description of the results of a Norwegian study on discrimination of pregnant women and parents on parental leave. The report points to problems noted across the Nordic region. Over half of the female employees in the Norwegian study said they had been treated differently in connection with parental
2015-03-26 Women from foreign countries who come to Norway and Sweden to form families with Norwegian and Swedish men lack support if they become victims of domestic violence. This was the theme of the conference Kvinnor och barn i rättens gränslan – women and children in the legal borderland – arranged 17 March in Oslo. The
2015-03-23 Which measures lead to gender equality in entrepreneurship? This is the topic of a report from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth. According to the report, the Nordic countries have a lot to learn from each other. The Nordic countries share many traits. Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Åland have similar value
2015-03-19 A joint Nordic research programme for gender equality aims to improve the gender balance in senior positions in Nordic academia. NIKK contacted Jesper Werdelin Simonsen, executive director at the Research Council of Norway and chair of the programme committee. ‘The share of women in senior academic positions at Nordic universities and other research institutions is
2015-03-12 “Much would be gained by a greater focus on men’s roles and responsibilities in promoting gender equality. When men and women work together, it speeds up progress towards sustainable and gender-equal societies,” the Nordic Council of Ministers for Gender Equality (MR-JÄM) announced at the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York.
2015-03-09 An expanded Swedish government programme will support the gender mainstreaming work in government agencies. Gender mainstreaming is on the agenda in all Nordic countries, but the conditions differ. Gender mainstreaming is used as a strategy to achieve policy objectives for gender equality in all Nordic countries, but the exact design of the work differs. All
2015-03-06 What’s the most important feminist issue right now? And what needs to be done?Since Sunday is International Women’s Day, NIKK asked researchers, politicians, activists and debaters from across the Nordic region. Read their responses below. ‘The most important issue is how we can help liberate minority women. I’m thinking in particular of women who don’t
2015-03-03 Researcher Erika Anne Hayfield just returned from Canada and a conference on sustainable development in the northern and Arctic regions. She was inspired by the conference, but fundamental challenges for indigenous peoples moved the focus away from gender and gender equality issues, she says. Nordic and Canadian politicians, researchers, NGO representatives and people from business
2015-02-26 The Nordic ministers for gender equality will provide a strong Nordic presence in New York during the second week of March. On 11 March the ministers will meet in a panel discussion on men’s role in gender equality. “Men are important supporters in areas where the status of women needs to be strengthened, for example,
2015-02-24 Did you know that no Nordic parents share their parental leave more equally than the Icelandic ones? It will soon become much easier to compare gender equality statistics from the Nordic countries. The statistics offices are working together to put all data in one place. In an international perspective, the Nordic countries have come a
2015-02-19 A new report requests more and better gender equality statistics – statistics that can be used to strengthen the Danish municipalities’ gender mainstreaming efforts. The report points to Norwegian and Swedish experiences with user-friendly targeted statistics. All Danish municipalities are required to gender assess their citizen services and the working conditions of the people they
2015-02-17 The sex purchase legislation is subject to ongoing debate in the Nordic region. Critics in Sweden say that the law has had undesired effects, such as making the sellers of sex more vulnerable. Yet a Norwegian study shows that the sex purchase law overall has had positive results. Sweden adopted its sex purchase law in
2015-02-12 A new Finnish law banning discrimination of transgender persons went into effect 1 January. The country’s LGBT movement welcomes the initiative, but has no time to celebrate. New laws are meant to improve the conditions for trans persons in the Nordic region, but are they successful? NIKK asked activists in Finland, Norway and Sweden. The
2015-02-10 The Nordic countries should use their position to promote a more advanced discussion on gender equality and equal treatment, said Gudrun Schyman at a gender equality seminar in Helsinki last week. Schyman, leader of the Swedish political party Feminist Initiatives, also criticised Finnish politicians for being too consensus-driven, saying it makes for toothless equality policy.
2015-02-05 Gender equality has traditionally been considered a left-wing issue. But things have changed, and today the concept is addressed across the political scale all the way out to the far right. What happens when new groups want to be part of defining gender equality? This is what the researchers, politicians and practitioners in a new
2015-02-02 The police must become better at spotting human trafficking and gender-based violence, according to the Nordic-Baltic Network of Policewomen. Tomorrow they will meet in Copenhagen to discuss new tools for the police work. Detective inspector Berglind Eyjólfsdóttir is chairing the network, which gathers police women from across the region. The network’s project Gendered Violence –
2015-01-29 Getting more girls to break the gender pattern and pursue studies in science, technology, engineering and math. That is one of the focus areas for the Nordic gender equality cooperation under the Danish Presidency. ‘The public space’ and ‘welfare and innovation’ are two central themes for the Nordic gender equality cooperation. Denmark is heading the
2015-01-26 In 2014, the Nordic Council of Ministers marked the 40-year anniversary of the Nordic gender equality cooperation – a fruitful initiative that has played a significant role for the repeated success of the Nordic countries in various international gender equality rankings. The results speak for themselves: Nowhere in the world do men and women live
2015-01-22 Incomes that vary with gender and pensions that are too low to cover a person’s basic needs. That’s the reality people in the Nordic region are facing today. Several women’s organisations are now joining forces to intensify the debate on economic equality between men and women. Women’s economic conditions have changed fundamentally in just a
2015-01-15 In the book Fatherhood in the Nordic Welfare States – Comparing Care Policies and Practice , 25 researchers describe modern fatherhood in the Nordic countries and how Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden support men in taking an active role in the parenting of their children. NIKK has talked to Professor Tine Rostgaard, one of
2015-01-13 Many restaurant workers have to endure inappropriate remarks and unwelcome physical advances in the workplace. The perpetrators include both customers and co-workers. A group of Nordic trade unions are now launching a project to fight sexual harassment in the hotel, restaurant and tourism industry. ‘This is a hidden problem, but we want to start a
2014-12-18 Problems with violence and addictions are often swept under the carpet. Especially in small communities where everybody knows each other. Now Sami and Greenlandic women’s organisations are joining forces to address these troubling issues in their communities. The project is the first collaboration ever between Sami and Greenlandic women’s organisations.‘It’s really exciting. We share so
2014-12-16 How can media promote gender equality? What influence can be achieved by activists? How can research contribute to the knowledge about gender equality? On 4th December in Vilnius, Nordicom, EIGE and Nordic Council of Ministers office in Lithuania hosted the final event of the project Nordic Gender & Media Forum: the launch of the anthology “Making Change. Nordic
2014-12-15 Law and Order in Focus for new Gender Equality Project Swedish and Norwegian politicians have been active in legislating gender equality. Their colleagues in Finland and Denmark have been more hesitant. ‘The Nordic countries differ in this respect,’ says Monica Burman, senior lecturer in criminal law at Umeå University.Burman and her colleagues at Umeå Forum
2014-12-11 Men’s engagement in the gender equality work makes the Nordic countries stand out internationally. ‘Many people see us as more radical,’ says Tomas Agnemo, coordinator of the new Nordic branch of the MenEngage network. The network gathers Nordic organisations focusing on men, masculinities and gender equality. <strong”>Why is this cooperation needed?‘We need to share ideas
2014-12-10 When municipalities in the Nordic countries get together and share experiences about how they work with gender equality, it is to the benefit of the citizens they serve. Municipal representatives have formed a Nordic network that meets regularly. The network receives support from the Nordic Funding Scheme for Gender Equality, which Nordic Information on Gender
2014-12-09 Sex should not be for sale. This is the basic premise of exit prostitution programmes. A new Nordic-Baltic project wants to open the door out of the sex industry. ‘Women in prostitution who want help need somebody to contact,’ says Tanja Auvinen from the Finnish organisation Exit Prostitution.Internationally, many organisations support women in prostitution through
2014-12-05 ‘There’s a conflict in the trade unions about how different occupations are valued and what’s good for the economy,’ said Tapio Bergholm, senior researcher at the Finnish trade union FFC/SAK, at a Nordic conference on equal pay for women and men. The conference was arranged on 13 November in Reykjavik by the Icelandic Presidency of
2014-11-28 ‘We have seen a decreased focus on men as primary breadwinners in recent years. After all, participation of both women and men in the Nordic labour markets is a cornerstone of economic development,’ said Iceland’s gender equality minister Eygló Hardardóttir at the beginning of the conference ‘From Part Time to Full Time?’, which was held
2014-11-27 The Nordic countries have extensive experience with gender equality work and therefore play a central role internationally, says Sweden’s new gender equality minister Åsa Regnér.‘If we in the Nordic region don’t push the important issues related to sexual and reproductive health, nobody else will. It’s that simple.’ Regnér sees the Nordic gender equality cooperation as
2014-11-19 ‘Gender equality is good economic policy,’ said former Finnish president Tarja Halonen at the opening of a conference on gender equality in the cultural centre Hof in Akureyri, Iceland, on 30 October this year. Halonen pointed out that the countries with the highest levels of gender equality are also the ones with the best living
2014-11-19 Many young people are showing strong engagement in the feminist agenda. However, the awareness of women’s rights is often limited, says Stéphanie Thögersen from the Swedish Women’s Lobby. The organisation is leading a Nordic project targeting upper-secondary students. The aim of the project A Gender Equal Nordic Region is to enable students to learn about the Convention
2014-11-19 A gender equality certification for schools and preschools mainstreams gender equality work to education. It will encourage teachers and other school staff in their gender equality work, says researcher Mervi Heikkinen. Heikkinen is leading a new Nordic network of researchers and teachers. Experts from Finland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden will work together to develop criteria
2014-11-17 Many organisations and government agencies have implemented mentorship programmes, but a good forum where the method can be developed further has been lacking. “We want to change that”, says Goro Ree-Lindstad at the Norwegian Centre for Equality. You are starting a Nordic network. Why? ‘Because we have a lot to learn from each other. The network
2014-11-06 Nordic initiatives aimed at increasing the level of male involvement in gender-equality work have made considerable progress in recent years. The ministers for gender equality are now putting together a task force to identify the most successful initiatives. They have also commissioned a “catalogue for the future”, consisting of robust proposals for achieving maximum Nordic
2014-11-04 The Nordic countries have reduced the gender gaps by 84 %, according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2014, published by the World Economic Forum. The Global Gender Gap Report has been presented by the World Economic Forum every year since 2006 and measures gender differences in four categories: economy, political representation, health and education.
2014-10-24 The working group on Men’s Issues in Equality Policy appointed by Paavo Arhinmäki, the Minister for Gender Equality, began its task in January 2013. The working group on Men’s Issues in Equality Policy appointed by Paavo Arhinmäki, the Minister for Gender Equality, began its task in January 2013 and has recently issued a report. When
2014-10-20 Pojkar kan visst skriva! – sure boys can write! – is the title of Katharina Andersson’s doctoral thesis, where she studies what school children actually can do instead of looking for their weaknesses. By analysing only boys’ writing, their abilities could be assessed and interpreted without comparing them with girls. Katharina Andersson’s doctoral thesis in
2014-10-06 “We must ask ourselves whether we can do more together to fight human trafficking”, said the Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Dagfinn Høybråten, at a Nordic-Baltic meeting of the ministers of justice in Copenhagen on 29 August 2014. In an increasingly globalised world, more and more crime is committed across country borders.
2014-10-01 Zero tolerance for gender-based violence is a theme identified by the Nordic Council of Ministers as particularly important in the Nordic gender equality work. As a result, conference participants from across the Nordic region met in late September in Iceland to discuss how men’s violence against women can be prevented. Under the banner Zero Tolerance: Seminar
2014-09-30 The Nordic countries may be world leading in gender equality, but the challenges that caused the Nordic Council of Ministers to start cooperating around gender equality policy in 1974 remain practically the same. This was concluded at a conference celebrating 40 years of Nordic gender equality cooperation. The Icelandic Presidency of the Nordic Council of
2014-09-29 NIKK, Nordic information on Gender, will host a Nordic participative conference in Reykjavik 12 November 2014. The conference aims for change: how do we turn part time into full time in the Nordic labour markets? The Nordic countries share many features. One is that many part-time workers in the different countries would rather work full
2014-09-25 On October 24th, the Ministry of Children, Gender Equality, Integration and Social Affairs will hold a conference on gender mainstreaming of the core services at the municipal level in the Nordic countries. The occasion is the presentation of the results of a cross-Nordic study on good practice and the effects of municipalities’ work with gender
2014-09-23 The Nordic Council of Ministers has made its decision about the Nordic Funding Scheme. Funding has been given to 13 activities. These activities will share a total of 2.7 million Danish Krone from the Nordic Council of Minister’s funding scheme of 2014. These activities are chosen because they aim to further Nordic gender equality. Via
2014-08-20 Family life is not the only reason women choose to work part time. Stress in the workplace also matters. They choose to work part time after having kids, as they prioritise family life over the career ladder. And then they get used to working part time and rarely go back to working full time after
2014-08-11 The sexism in everyday life and internet-based harassment is receiving attention at the Nordic level. If women are scared away from participating in the public debate, society has a democracy problem, says Kira Appel, chair of the Nordic Committee of Senior Officials for Gender Equality. Women are disproportionally affected by sexist comments and hate speech
2014-07-11 The criticism has been widespread after the conference that was supposed to bring the Nordic women’s movement together. The work to create a multifaceted movement is far from over,’ says queer researcher Ulrika Dahl. ‘Criticising one’s context, I want to point out, is not the same as betraying it. It’s a way to express engagement,’
2014-07-11 Girls and boys are still treated differently, and change will not be possible without a political willingness. Researcher Mia Heikkilä’s message was clear during a Nordic Forum seminar on gender equality work in Nordic schools and preschools. ‘This form was sent home to families in Malmö today,’ said Kristina Hultberg, who works with gender in schools, and
2014-07-04 The Nordic co-operation is a strong factor behind the Nordic progress in gender equality, says Eygló Harðardóttir, Nordic co-operation minister and Icelandic minister of gender equality. Harðardóttir is participating in Jämställ.nu’s ‘gender equality party’ during the Almedalen Week and will host Iceland’s jubilee conference Sammen om ligestilling i 40 year in late August. ‘No other
2014-07-04 Maria Grönroos, deputy manager of the Swedish Secretariat for Gender Research and director of NIKK, was elected into the board of Atgender at a conference in Barcelona last week. Grönroos hopes that the organisation will promote cooperation across national boundaries and bring feminist forces in Europe together. How does it feel?‘It feels great! I’ve been
2014-07-04 The gender-segregated labour market is a main reason why women are more likely to work part time in the Nordic countries than elsewhere in Europe. This point was emphasised at a seminar arranged by NIKK during the Nordic Forum conference in Malmö. In a European perspective, Nordic women have a comparatively high employment rate. However,
2014-06-25 The Nordic gender equality ministers received both boos and applause during the panel discussion that preceded the heavily criticised closing ceremony at the Nordic Forum in Malmö, Sweden. The Nordic countries are continuously competing for the top spots on the list of the world’s most gender-equal countries, yet they keep struggling with problems that were
2014-06-13 The work in the Nordic countries to increase gender equality in the area of parental leave is often used internationally as a positive example – but the situation is more complex than it may seem. Differences in the right to parental leave depending on the place of work, resistance from management, the notion of ‘normalcy’
2014-06-13 Nordic cooperation on gender and gender equality is about to become a lot easier! The three unique web portals GenderFund, GenderJob and GenderKalenderN, launched at the Nordic Forum in Malmö, will give you everything you need to navigate in the field of gender and gender equality in the Nordic region. ‘We want to encourage cooperation
2014-06-12 Men with intellectual disabilities are often denied their independence and their right to make their own decisions. This has consequences for their masculinity formation. ‘It’s interesting to see how our perception of independence changes depending on who we’re talking about. Nobody does everything alone! If I, a university researcher, would purchase household services, it would
2014-06-11 Motivational speeches, seminars, concerts and feminist theatre. Conference-goers at the Nordic Forum in Malmö have a lot to look forward to. This Thursday, members of the Nordic women’s movement will gather for the largest conference in 20 years. The conference, which is expected to point out the direction for tomorrow’s gender equality policy is scheduled
2014-06-11 Two giants within masculinity research, Raewyn Connell and Michael Kimmel, opened the Nordic conference on masculinity in Reykjavik last week. Both of them focused on how class, ethnicity and gender interact. Raewyn Connell is an Australian sociologist whose book Masculinities had a large impact in the field of masculinity research in the 1990s. She was particularly interested in
2014-06-10 Sex trade is a major industry that continuous to flourish worldwide. But the Nordic Network against Sex Trade is not discouraged: Prostitution must stop! ‘We don’t think men should have the right to buy a woman’s body,’ says Hanne Størset, network spokesperson and board member of the Norwegian Feminist Group Ottar.At the Nordic Forum in
2014-06-09 Being the only woman in parliament isn’t always easy. This article is about Karin Kjølbros, who shared her story at a Nordic seminar on politics and gender equality in Torshavn. Karin Kjølbro is a former Member of Parliament and women’s movement activist in the Faroe Islands. In 1978, she and a colleague became the first two
2014-06-09 One year after the launching of NIKK’s new website, brand new web overviews are now being published. This is the first time condensed comparative information about Nordic gender equality work is published online. The new web resource provides a Nordic overview with milestones for the Nordic gender equality work, country reports, a list of knowledge
2014-06-05 The Nordic countries are using gender equality to build their national identity internationally. But major challenges remain across the entire region. Gender differences in parental leave and part-time work are two examples discussed at a Nordic conference on gender equality in working life held in Torshavn, Faroe Islands. Johan Dahl, trade and gender equality minister
2014-06-04 The Nordic Forum in Malmö 2014 is set to begin next week. The event is the Nordic women’s movement’s big conference for women’s rights, and NIKK will of course be there. See below for information about all the activities that we and the Nordic Council of Ministers will arrange at the conference. Booth D:27 in
2014-06-04 The UN will reach its goal of cutting the global rate of extreme poverty in half by 2015. However, the reduction is noted mostly for men. Nordic politicians can play a key role in the work for women’s economic rights, says Gro Lindstad, leader of the Norwegian umbrella organisation FOKUS – Forum for Women and
2014-06-02 Women work part time to a much larger extent than men, and this pattern is found in all Nordic countries. The project Part-Time Work in the Nordic Region has provided an arena for discussion about the effects of part-time employment. The results of the initiative are described in two new publications. The causes of part-time
2014-05-27 An art project will help bringing colours to the Nordic Pride festivals. Everyone is invited to take part by hanging out their wash in the colours of the rainbow. “Most people take for granted that you treat everyone equally, but for those who are afraid to face homophobia it can mean a lot to know
2014-05-26 While the Nordic countries are internationally renowned for their progress in gender equality, most top management positions in the media and communication industry are held by men. Printed news media is one example, as 58–100 per cent of all editors-in-chief are men. These and other figures can be found in a new fact sheet from
2014-05-23 The 4 – 6 June there will be a large Nordic conference in the University of Iceland on men and masculinity studies entitled: Emerging ideas in masculinity research – Masculinity studies in the North. The conference is a collaboration between the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Nordic Association for Research on Men and Masculinities,
2014-05-22 Sure, we might be more gender equal than many other countries in the world, but women are still under-represented in the media. Also, men hold most leading positions in the media industry. What can we do about it? This was the topic of the Nordic Gender & Media Forum in Bergen, Norway on 7 May.
2014-05-21 In Interfem’s power handbook, anti-racist feminists share their best tools for fighting sexism and racism. A Finnish edition is underway within the framework of a Nordic cooperation project, and more books may be in the pipeline.‘When the racists organise themselves, we have to do the same thing,’ says Kristin Tran. Kristin Tran is active in the
2014-05-20 Old-fashioned traditions and lack of opportunities make young women leave the countryside. The pattern can be observed all across the Nordic region, but is particularly evident in the Faroe Islands. We need to turn the trend around, says Erika Hayfield, researcher from the Faroe Islands. Many young people in the Faroe Islands leave their home
2014-05-14 The Nordic governments are spending significant resources on improving transport solutions, but who is benefitting? A new network of researchers is focusing on the democratic right to mobility. Women, young people and the elderly use public transport more than men and middle-aged citizens. Politicians need to be aware of this when they choose to spend
2014-05-08 Violence against women, forced sterilisation and family norms. These were some of the topics discussed when Nordic gender and law researchers met in Umeå. The law cannot stop at the front door, but must enter into the home, said UK Professor Rosemary Hunter in her keynote speech.The need to legislate on issues related to the private
2014-05-07 In Lithuania, the work with girls’ and boys’ groups has become an important tool in the fight against trafficking. ‘The basic purpose of the method is to strengthen adolescents and start discussions about gender norms,’ says Justina Donielaite, project coordinator at the Åland Islands Peace Institute. The first girls’ groups were formed in the Åland
2014-04-30 Climate change and growing industries have changed people’s lives in the Nordic and Russian Arctic. What happens to the gender equality when traditional subsistence methods are phased out? This is the focus of a new project involving researchers across the region. The northern parts of the Nordic region are changing rapidly. Traditional livelihoods such as
2014-04-28 How does gender segregation of the labour market and division of labour in the home effect gender equality? Why are there so few men in the fields of care and education? Why do men not take longer paternity leave? Do men participate at home or do women work part-time in order to make things work
2014-04-23 All Nordic national governments have violence against women on the political agenda. However, many women and children who need protection must still turn to voluntary organisations. The network Nordic Women Against Violence wants to spread awareness among decision-makers and stimulate discussion about women’s shelters. ‘To reduce the violence once and for all, we need better
2014-04-15 The Swedish network Allt är möjligt, which is Swedish for ‘everything is possible’, brings together Nordic actors for discussion on the responsibilities of media in the gender equality work. Sexist advertising, media activism and challenges in journalism are some of the topics that will be addressed by the network at the Nordic Forum in Malmö.
2014-04-08 A large number of organisations, government agencies, networks and businesses in the Nordic region work actively to further gender equality. They make assessments, contribute to the debate and promote change. To stimulate the Nordic cooperation, in 2013 the Council of Ministers for Gender Equality began allocating money to organisations wishing to arrange joint activities across
2014-04-08 Women tend to suffer greatly in war and conflict, and men usually set the agenda when rebuilding communities. It is time for the Nordic countries to stand up in the work for a just peace process, says the Swedish organisation Operation 1325. If the aims of the UN resolution on women, peace and security are
2014-04-07 More older and fewer younger citizens. In order for the Nordic welfare societies to respond to the needs of their citizens in the future, they need to utilise women better in the labour market. Imagine it is the year 2030. You are 85 years old and you have a broken leg after falling at home.
2014-04-02 In schools and preschools across the Nordic region, children and adolescents are often treated based on gender stereotypes, and tools to change this pattern are largely lacking. Against this background, the Nordic Council has decided on the possibility of introducing a system for ‘gender equality labelling’ of Nordic schools and preschools. Girls are expected to
2014-03-31 Structured efforts to combat violence in close relationships may save lives, but a lot of work remains to be done in the Nordic countries. The prevention methods that have proved to be successful are often not used, says Helena Ewalds, who has led a Nordic project on risk assessment in domestic violence cases. The average
2014-03-25 The mining industry has long been characterised by macho masculinity and a rough-and-tough jargon. However, change is underway. Thirty-five years ago, only men were allowed to work underground. Today, the mining companies are actively recruiting women. ‘We have finally gained some momentum in this area,’ says Eira Andersson, who has just received a research grant
2014-03-19 The Nordic gender equality cooperation should not be limited to gender, but should also consider aspects such as ethnicity and sexual orientation. This is a recurring view in the questionnaire responses recently submitted to NIKK by 89 organisations and 389 individuals from all Nordic countries. The Nordic gender equality ministers are planning a new cooperation
2014-03-17 The European Institute for Gender Equality, EIGE, has great interest in strengthening relations with the scientific community. Therefore gathered EIGE in February 40 participants from institutions involved in research and research dissemination across Europe. NIKK was one of the participants. ‘As a centre of expertise on gender equality and gender mainstreaming, the Institute relies on
2014-03-14 The role of men in the gender equality work has been discussed for many years, and several Nordic masculinity researchers now agree that the time is ripe for the politicians to act. Political reforms could increase men’s quality of life and change norms around masculinity, they say. I think it’s dawning on most people that
2014-03-13 The incidence of rape and sexual assaults does not seem to be decreasing despite extensive gender equality work, says researcher Siri Thoresen. Studies from Norway and Sweden show that many rape victims never tell anybody about their experience because of the inherent taboo problem. Although the Nordic countries have come a long way in their
2014-02-28 The next Nordic conference on research on men and masculinities is taking place in Iceland this summer. From the 4th to 6th of June, the University of Iceland will be the host of dynamic discussions on topics as varied as global masculinities, men and feminism, confronting sexual violence, masculinity and media, and fatherhood and parental
2014-02-27 EU countries should reduce the demand for prostitution by punishing the clients, not the prostitutes, says Parliament in a non-binding resolution passed on 26 February. It stresses that prostitution violates human dignity and human rights, whether it is forced or voluntary, and calls on member states to find exit strategies and alternative sources of income
2014-02-25 The Nordic media industry – how gender equal is it and where are the good examples? These questions are addressed in the project Nordic Gender and Media Forum.‘We should ask ourselves what kinds of problems media give attention to and who they present as heroes,’ says project leader Maria Edström. Almost 20 years ago, the
2014-02-25 The Nordic Ministers for Gender Equality wish to stimulate Nordic co-operation in the area of gender equality within the framework of the Ministers’ co-operation programme and its prioritised action area. They have therefore appointed NIKK to manage the application process for the Nordic Funding Scheme. Now it´s time to start working on your application. Just
2014-02-21 The first draft of the program for Nordiskt Forum Malmö 2014 is now released – New Action on Women’s Rights. Thousands of people together with star academics, top politicians, everyday heroes, researchers, activists, performers, cultural profiles and business leaders are expected to attend Nordiskt Forum in Malmö on 12-15 June, according to a press release
2014-02-10 The Nordic countries have joined forces on gender equality for 40 years. The Nordic Council of Ministers for Gender Equality are celebrating this with a number of events in conjunction with the annual session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, which opens on 10 March. This year’s priority
2014-02-05 The Nordic film industry is still far from gender equal. New statistics presented at the Gothenburg Film Festival show that among the 98 Nordic films that premiered in 2012, only one had women in all key positions, behind and in front of the camera. The figures presented at the seminar Gender Balance in the Nordic Film
2014-02-05 Income differences and gender equality in the western Nordic region are in focus when Iceland takes on the presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. This year marks the 40-year anniversary of the Nordic cooperation on gender equality.‘We still have a lot to learn from each other,’ says Ingi Valur Jóhannsson. The gender segregation in
2014-01-07 “Women and men leave different ecological footprints. They approach environmental issues and sustainability in different ways. Their preferred means of transport vary, as do their general consumption patterns. Moreover, women in the world’s developing countries are affected more severely by climate change and natural disasters than men. These are some of the reasons why the
2013-08-12 Although the Nordic countries have been good about bringing more women into academic leadership positions, they are only at the EU level when it comes to the percentage of female professors. Are there joint Nordic strategies and measures for improving the gender balance in academia? And are the Nordic countries a step closer to gender
2013-08-06 The Nordic countries are often thought of as an ideal when it comes to gender equality and they are highly ranked in international comparisons. However, this does not reflect the whole truth about equality in the Nordic countries. ‘Sweden, Norway and Finland follow a Nordic model which means that their equality policies are characterised by
2013-07-19 Reserving some of the parental leave period for the father is currently a hot topic in all Nordic countries. The Norwegian right wing has announced that they will do away with the ‘daddy quota’ if they win the election, and in Denmark the government’s promise to introduce the policy was recently put off. Reserving some
2013-07-10 We already know that women work part-time more often than men, but how does it affect them economically? NIKK is determined to find an answer to this question as part of a Nordic project. The results will be presented in October at a conference in Stockholm. Part-time work is common in the Nordic countries, especially
