Political adviser Anne Marie Bekkelund

Norway - women in political decision making

IDB-conference,
Managua 12. september 1996

First, I would like to thank the IDB for inviting me to this important event. I am here on behalf of the Norwegian Minister of Development Co-operation , Ms. Kari Nordheim-Larsen, who spontaneously supported the Programme for "Women's leadership and representation" when it was presented to her in a meeting with the President of the IDB, Mr. Iglesias.

"It is in the interests of society as a whole that women's values and women's sense of justice be integrated into political life."

These words were spoken by Gro Harlem Brundtland, the Norwegian Prime Minister who attracted international attention in 1986 when she formed a Government in which nearly half the members were women. The proportion of women in subsequent governments has remained at between one third and one half. In the 1993 elections to the Storting, the Norwegian national assembly, all three candidates for prime minister were women.

The electorate found this quite natural - the three women were the leaders of the largest political parties. Two more milestones were reached that same year: 40 per cent of the representatives elected to the Storting were women, and a woman was chosen to be President of the Storting, the second highest position in the Norwegian Constitution next to the King.

Norwegian women have entered the political power structure for good. They have crossed the watershed. A Government Cabinet where much less than half of the members were women should look strange and undemocratic.

How has this come about?

ECUALITY AND DEMOCRACY

From an historical viewpoint Norway is a young nation. For almost 400 years, Norway was a province of the kingdom of Denmark. When Denmark was forced to give Norway up in 1814, the country was ceded to Sweden. Norway and Sweden subsequently formed a union which lasted until 1905. Only then did Norway become a fully independent nation. Norway's constitution of 1814 was one of the most democratic of its time. The time spent under Danish rule had served to strengthen the feeling of unity in the minds of the Norwegian people. In fact, compared with most other European countries, Norway was always a rather egalitarian society with relatively small differences between the classes. The rich are few in number, as are the poor.

After the Second World War, the principles of equality and democracy were further reinforced during the long periode of social democratic governments. Social democratic values are widely shared, including by political parties that consider themselves more conservative.

Characteristic features of Norwegian politics, regardless of which party is in power, has been a strong dynamic public sector, and the considerable influence exercised by empolyers' and employees' organizations. Conflicts between labour and capital are resolved by negotiations which to a great extent are conducted in an atmosphere of consensus and national responsibility.

The position that Norwegian women now enjoy in politics is, to a considerable extent, a result of the new women's movement which emerged towards the end of the 1960s. Feminist ideas had a major impact on public opinion and political parties. The new women's movement also revitalized the traditional women's organizations. Women staged protests and arranged demonstrations. The movement's objective was the liberation of women from their oppressed position in society. Important demands included accessibility to and counselling on contraception and abortion. The right to education and to a job, as well as rights for women working in the home, were also on the agenda. The demand for political representation gained importance. The political parties proved to be receptive.

Women learned to make their way in politics, while gaining self-confidence. Many joined political parties and are now to be found as representatives in the Storting.

WOMEN IN THE WORK FORCE, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

Two important "revolutions" have had a decisive effect on the position of women in Norwegian society today. The first occured in the 1960s and 1970s when large numbers of women entered the work force. In 1965, approximately nine out of ten mothers with small children worked at home. That is they took care of their family. Today, the situation is close to the opposite, with close to eight out of ten mothers with small children employed outside the home. Participation of mothers in the work force increases with the age of the children. In 1993 72 per cent of mothers with small children between the ages of 0 and 2 years were employed outside the home. Let me add that since that same year, the parental leave was extended to 42 weeks with full pay, or 52 weeks on an 80% wage. The fathers are obliged to take a minimum of weeks leave.

The other "revolution" started in the early 1980s as young women poured into the education system. There has been enormous growth at both middle and higher education levels in Norway since 1975, largely due to the rising number of women seeking education. Today, women account for 52 and 55 per cent of the total number of students enrolled at universities and colleges. The education sector and labour market is still rather strongly divided by gender in certain areas. But it is clear that women are gaining a stronger foothold also in the still male dominated areas.

Please allow me to say a few words of how we try to secure equal rights through our sivil service and legislation.

THE EQUAL STATUS COUNCIL

The Equal Status Council was first established in 1972. The council serves as a link between the authorities, organizations and the public on all matters of particular interest to women and equal opportunities.

THE EQUAL STATUS ACT

The Equal Status Act entered into force in 1979. Initially, the purpose of the Act was to prevent discrimination of women in working life with respect to job appointments and wages and these are indeed key elements of the Act. However, the Act was also given the much broader objective of promoting equality between the sexes within all sectors of society, with special emphasis on improving the situation of women. Women and men are to be given equal opportunities with regard to education, work and cultural and professional development. Internal matters in religious communities are excempted from the Act.

A new provision was included in the Equal Status Act in 1988, requiring a 40 per cent representation of both sexes on all public boards, councils and committees. This provision serves not only to increase the percentage of women at all levels of government, but also helps to redress any imbalance in representation on committees where men tend to dominate, such as economics, agriculture, communications, technology and defence, and traditionally women dominated areas such as health and social sector. The "40 per-cent-rule" was also incorporated in the Local Government Act in 1992.

THE PARTY SYSTEM

Egalitarian values hold a strong position in Norwegian society, and as a result the members of the Norwegian national assembly are drawn from all layers of society. This broad recruitment is crucial to the political representation of women, and takes place through the nomination processes in the political parties. The party system is the power base of political life. The political parties control the nomination of candidates to practically all important political appointments. The election system is a proportional list system, rather than single candidate constituencies. The nomination procedure thus becomes important, and this kind of selection process provides a good basis for women seeking political power.

CAMPAIGNS AND QUOTAS

However, experience has shown that the proportion of women in political institutions does not increase unless special measures and methods are employed. Special campaigns and gender quotas have been the methods most commonly used, both in national and local elections.

Quotas have proved perhaps the most effective means of achieving a more equal distribution of women and men in political bodies. The use of quotas in political parties was highly controversial when first introduced in the 1970s and early 1980s by parties of the left and centre. Today, four of the six major Norwegian parties apply a gender quota system in nominations to elections and the composition of governing bodies of the party at all levels. The first time this was put to the test at Cabinet level, was when the Labour Party, headed by Gro Harlem Brundtland, came to power in 1986 and formed what became known as the "women's government". In 1989 a more conservative coalition government took over. None of the three member parties had a quota system, but in practice behaved as if they did. A Cabinet with the traditional low number of women would have been a political liability.

By now, quotas are no longer controversial and indeed less necessary. There has hardly ever been allegations that the quality of representatives has been reduced because of the quota system. On the contrary, a high proportion of woman politicians is considered as much a part of democracy as the representation of various age groups, social classes, and geographic areas.

THE POLITICAL IMPACT OF WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES

To return to Norway:

Has the integration of women into the political arena in Norway had any effect on party policies? In a survey Norwegian politicians point to three main areas: social and welfare policies, environmental policy and policy regarding child care and measures to make it easier for parents with small children to reconcile work outside the home with their family responsibilities.

But to create a society with equal opportunities for both women and men is and ongoing process. And we have still a way to go. In the privat business sector, the number of women in top positions is depressingly low. This is the challenge we're now facing.

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We are quite optimistic about it as the following story, which is true, shows attitudes can change quickly.

Our Prime Minister, Mrs. Gro Harlem Brudtland has held office for nine out of the last ten years. For Norwegian children she is the Prime Minister. It might not be so strange then, that her office once received a phone call from a small boy, who asked if it might be possible even for a boy to grow up to be prime minister.

Thank you for your attention.