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Women Quotas – Norway’s Experience
Norwegian Ambassador to Bulgaria Tove Skarstein
Sofia
5 May 2011
Gender Equality
Norway’s most important political and social
achievement is the fully-fledged welfare society –
economic and social well-being of citizens in focus
Norway has the highest living standard globally,
according to UN’s human development index
rankings
Modern Norwegian welfare state is founded on
women’s participation in the work force
Gender Equality
Nordic welfare model has two milestones: a high
income growth and an even income distribution
Norway achieves both goals owing to the high female
labor participation
 In 2008 Norway had the smallest gender gap in the
world according to the Gender Gap Report of the World
Economic Forum. In 2010 Norway ranked second after
Iceland
 To date approx. 80% of all women aged 25 to 66 are in
the labour force (compared to 52% in the 1970s)
The History Behind
• Societal change has to be backed by profound
policy giving women more equal opportunity
1950s onwards – streamlined state policy to make
women more visible on the labour market and help
them combine work and family life
- improved parent leave rules
- flexible working hours
- more kindergartens
The History Behind
1960s onwards – welfare sector-jobs helped
women move from the informal economy
(household, agriculture etc.) to the formal economy
1970s – introduction of voluntary quotas by some
political parties
2011 – a complete gender balance (50-50%) in
Norwegian political parties and government
The History Behind
1979 – the Gender Equality Act comes into force –
women’s position should be improved
since 1981 – the Gender Equality Act fixes rules on
gender representation (40% since 1988) in publicly
appointed boards, committees, councils,
delegations etc. A milestone towards breaking the
glass ceiling
since 1986 – at least 40% of each sex in the Cabinet.
Today the representation is 50-50
The History Behind
1993 – provisions in the Municipal Act secure
gender balance also in local political committees
2003 – four company laws are amended to secure
40% of both genders on boards of state- and
municipality-owned companies, as well as public
limited companies
2009 – legislative amendments introducing gender
balance requirements also to small municipal
enterprises
Norway was the first country to demand gender
balance on company boards
Quota Regulations of 2003 – the Basics
Cover all state-owned and municipality-owned
companies, as well as public limited companies
Affect the largest companies only
Do not refer to privately owned limited companies
(160 000 mostly family owned small and medium
enterprises with approx. 17-18% women). Spill-over
effect much expected
Quota Regulations of 2003 – the Basics
Do not regulate the daily management of business but
the overall strategic decision-making of enterprises
Regulate the appointment of representatives to
company boards. Do not actually imply positive
discrimination of women
Private business sector was imposed a time limit until
2005 to achieve gender balance. In full force since 2008
The National Business Register investigates the set-up
of company boards
Arguments against Quota Regulation
 Controversial introduction of quota legislation – highly
debated and criticised by the Business Confederations
 Major concerns:
Women are elected to boards because of their gender not
their professional capacity? – No, in Norway it is only
competence which matters.
Qualified women are hard to find? – No, if we look beyond
the old boys’ network and cast our nets wider.
Will women take on such responsibilities? – Yes, if one gives
them the possibility to do so.
The State of Affairs Today
2003 – PLCs recruited only 7% of women to their
boardrooms
The reason: competent women were not seen and
recruited
2010 – 40% of women on the boards of companies
covered by the quota regulations
The State of Affairs Today
2009 – 48% of women in central government
administration
2009 – 42% of women at middle management
level
More and more girls take economic and
administrative courses at the university
Why Quotas?
• Quotas – not a goal in itself but a tool to display women’s
competences. The goal is to achieve and maintain gender
balance
Quotas secure a return on the investments in education and
training
Economic grounds: a competitive economy needs the best
heads and hands, regardless of gender
Women on boards = more diversity, better business, more
transparency, improved organizational climate
Why Quotas?
Moral grounds: equal opportunity for all, regardless of
gender (a key democratic principle)
There is strong global-wide evidence that higher
women employment boosts GDP
 Countries suppressing women’s economic rights are
lagging behind economically
Quotas really work in Norway! Data from the Norwegian
Institute for Social Research show that women on
company boards are “just as qualified as men”
Additional Tools to Promote Gender Equality
• Other instruments to facilitate the smooth
implementation of quota regulations
Job advertisements encourage the
underrepresented gender to apply
Mentor and leadership training programmes open
for women
Expanded job databases and networking platforms,
involving more women
Royal Norwegian Embassy
Platinum Business Centre, 26-30, Bacho Kiro Str.
Tel.: +359 2 981 11 06, e-mail: [email protected]
www.norvegia.bg