Gender equality

The European Commission and the Swedish Presidency will jointly review the progress of the Commission’s Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021–2027 at the Occupational safety and health summit in Stockholm on 15–16 May. The themes include mental health at work, the ‘vision zero’ approach to work-related deaths, and the impact of climate change on occupational safety and health (OSH).

On 20–21 April, the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) will hold a conference in Lund, focusing on institutional protection of human rights in times of crisis.

National Statement delivered by H.E. Ms. Paulina Brandberg, Minister for Gender Equality and Deputy Minister of Employment of Sweden at the 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, New York, 8 March 2023. Check against delivery.

The following is a statement from the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States and the High Representative of the European Union.

This support is intended to strengthen the two countries’ efforts to meet the humanitarian needs of women and girls and promote their opportunities and rights in both the short and the long term. The support will be channelled through the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women.

On 6–9 March, Sweden’s Minister for Gender Equality and Deputy Minister for Employment, Paulina Brandberg, will participate in the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW67) in New York. Ms Brandberg will deliver two keynote speeches – on behalf of Sweden and of the EU.

There is a need to further explore the connections between economic empowerment and preventing men’s violence against women, including economic violence. The Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union will therefore arrange a conference on this theme on 1–2 February. Sweden’s Minister for Gender Equality and Deputy Minister for Employment Paulina Brandberg will open the conference. In addition, European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli and Carlien Scheele, European Institute for Gender Equality Director will participate.

This material provides an overview of Sweden’s work to combat men’s violence against women. Stopping men’s violence against women is a priority issue for the Swedish Government. In 2016, a ten-year national strategy to prevent and counter men’s violence against women was adopted. The strategy applies to the period 2017–2026 and particularly emphasises preventive measures.

The Government is stepping up its efforts to combat honour-related violence and oppression, and has therefore commissioned an ongoing inquiry to draft proposals for legislation to criminalise virginity testing, virginity certification and hymen reconstruction surgery.

The Government will soon begin work on a new action plan to counter and combat men’s violence against women. The action plan will contain concrete measures to ensure that effective steps to combat men's violence against women are taken.

In accordance with a decision of the Riksdag (Swedish Parliament), the Government has, since 1988, published a report on the distribution of economic resources between women and men as part of the Budget Bill.

The strategy will apply in 2022–2026 and provide a total of SEK 3 500 million. The strategy governs the use of funds under appropriation item 1:1.9 ‘Africa’ in the appropriation directions for Sida for each budget year.

The Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) is pleased to join governments and civil society around the world to commemorate the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).

Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde and Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, issued the following joint statement:

Since the early 2000s, Sweden’s Government has worked with gender budgeting. Gender budgeting means that prioritisations, choices of direction and resources in the budget should promote gender equality as far as possible. BUDGe is a Swedish budgeting tool that comprises gender equality, surveying, analysis and conclusions.

Some of the most important reforms for promoting gender equality in Sweden were imposed in the 1970s, such as the individual income taxation, the development and expansion of public childcare and the gender-neutral parental leave benefit.

The Government’s development programme for gender mainstreaming in government agencies (GMGA) aims to strengthen these agencies’ gender mainstreaming to ensure that their activities contribute even more effectively to the achievement of the national gender equality policy objectives.

Sweden’s Government is a feminist government, and the work for equality between women and men is important to the Government. The Government’s budget must be designed so that it may contribute to gender equality. The Government Offices therefore continuously works with gender-responsive budgeting, which means that the gender equality effects of the budget policy are evaluated.

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