Government agencies’ gender equality efforts yielding results

“I’m grateful for this large turnout. Government agencies’ gender equality efforts are an important area for the Swedish Government. We also see that gender equality issues have major significance, both in society as a whole and in people’s everyday lives,” says Paulina Brandberg, Minister for Gender Equality and Working Life.

Several ministers took part in the meeting on gender mainstreaming in government agencies on 2 October 2024: Minister for Gender Equality and Working Life Paulina Brandberg, Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer, Minister for Schools Lotta Edholm and Minister for Health Care Acko Ankarberg Johansson. Minister for Defence Pål Jonson also sent a video greeting. 

There was particular focus on the areas prioritised by the Government: organised crime and men’s violence against women, gender equality and total defence, gender-equal education and how to achieve more gender-equal health. Exchange of experience on results, challenges and the way forward were key topics for discussion in these areas, and a number of government agencies shared the results of their efforts.

Organised crime and men’s violence against women

“These issues need to be tackled from many different angles. We’re now ensuring that we raise our awareness about women’s, girls’, men’s and boys’ different roles in criminal networks to enable action with greater impact. In the Government, we’re also examining forms of punishment and penalties to address this problem. As regards men’s violence against women, it’s important to stress prevention to avert crime, but also conditions concerning civil law issues, in order to better assist women subjected to violence,” says Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer.

The Swedish Police Authority describes how women’s role in organised crime is sharply increasing. In many cases, women and girls are drawn in gradually and often exploited. The police are working to increase and spread awareness about this, identify women in organised crime earlier and improve the quality of reports of concern. Combating men’s violence against women is a high priority for the police. Dissemination of knowledge and training within the authority are key here; it is possible, for example, to transfer working methods used to combat organised crime against men’s violence against women as well. Often, men who have killed a woman did not previously have any contact with the police, but with the health care system and social services. Collaboration to gain access to information between operations is moving forward, but it needs to increase in order to reduce the risk of crime. 

The Swedish Enforcement Authority presented its results in the area of economic violence and how it is working with internal trainings to support staff when they conduct home visits, for example. This involves clear routines for what staff should be aware of and how to help people move forward in society.

Gender equality and total defence

“To be able to strengthen Sweden’s security, support is needed from the whole of society. We need a broad palette of skills to fill all positions in the total defence. Work on gender equality makes the total defence stronger, and active efforts for gender equality are key for more women to apply for roles in these workplaces and stay long-term,” says Minister for Defence Pål Jonson in his video greeting to the meeting participants.

The Swedish Armed Forces described gender equality work as important for the whole of society. The most suitable women and men are needed to be able to maintain a strong total defence. Gender-equal armed forces also involves working in a number of fields – everything from trainings to adapted equipment – so that women stay in the Swedish Armed Forces.

The Psychological Defence Agency showed how the increased occurrence of gender-based information influence activities affect women particularly severely. This involves a narrative that increases the risk of self-censorship and decreases women’s participation in public contexts. 

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) described how they develop activities and equipment to be adapted to women. MSB also cites mainstreaming gender equality as an important part of planning civil preparedness.

Gender-equal education

“School is a central place, where children can begin to form the values that lead to a more gender-equal society. It’s also clear that boys and girls should have the same conditions. There are problems, however. We see that girls are denied their rights every day, and we see differences between boys and girls in how they do in school. The perception of school as an unsafe place is also a challenge. What’s important now is that schools get back to basics, that teachers have more authority and that we strengthen the efforts to combat honour-based oppression,” says Minister for Schools, Lotta Edholm.

In its inspections, the Swedish Schools Inspectorate sees that schools lack analyses of gender differences based on the support measures provided to pupils. Pupils also experience a lack of safety and the use of sexist language. In addition, the Inspectorate mentions weaknesses in breaking gendered career choices. These efforts need to be strengthened from an early age. 

The National Agency for Education has identified that skills to achieve the gender equality mandate should be strengthened in the school system and that knowledge regarding honour-based violence, values and harassment must continue to increase. Gender equality efforts are an important part of schools’ work; at the same time, however, reaching the entire school system is a complex task. It remains important to continue addressing gendered career choices, and the Agency also mentions early initiatives to reduce future gendered career choices as an area for development. 

Gender-equal health

“We see large regional differences in the care that people receive as well as shortcomings when it comes to gender-equal care. Health and medical care assistance does not always reach people, even if knowledge exists. We need to rectify this. With better knowledge of the state of health care, we can provide more equal and gender-equal health care throughout the country. We can pay much more attention to women’s and girls’ health – in maternity care, for example – but also with regard to other diseases that disproportionately affect them,” says Minister for Health Care Acko Ankarberg Johansson.

Gender-equal health is an important part of the Health and Social Care Inspectorate’s mandate. In particular, the Inspectorate mentions the supervision of antenatal and maternity care in the country's maternity clinics, as well as supervision of the work of social services and health care to combat men’s violence against women, intimate partner violence, and honour-related violence and oppression. Findings here have included that there are shortcomings in regulatory compliance, processing and collaboration between responsible authorities. These inspections are an important part of improving care and strengthening gender equality efforts, and the Inspectorate provides feedback on shortcomings so that they can be addressed and improved.