Gender Equality in Norway

Norway is consistently ranked among the most equal countries in the world in terms of gender equality. It's laws put men and women on equal footing and protect them equally from wage and hiring discrimination. However, although Norway is one of the world's leaders in gender equality, there are still improvements to be made in this sector.

Women are still under-represented in Norwegian politics, with most positions of power being held by males, and despite laws outlawing wage discrimination men still out-earn women with men's average income being 407,000 Krone to the average women who earns 313,100 Krone (Huffpost). Although this income inequality can be traced to factors other than wage discrimination (men are more likely to work in higher paying private sector jobs while women are more likely to work in lower paying public sector jobs) it still exists. There is also the fact that women are electing to stay at home longer after child birth than men. The Norwegian welfare system allows for paid parental leave up to 2 years, but men are more likely to take this leave for an average of 10 weeks while women are taking the full 2 years about 86% of the time. Even though this is their choice and public day care is available, this is still hampering the careers of these women.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/mona-elisabeth-brother/gender-equality-norway_b_6809300.html

http://www.nordiclabourjournal.org/nyheter/news-2012/article.2012-10-09.2932693655