Equality is fundamental in the Nordic Region.

The core values in the Nordic welfare states are equal opportunities, social solidarity and security for all. The model promotes social rights and the principle that everyone is entitled to equal access to social and health services, education and culture. This also applies to care for social outcasts and vulnerable groups in society. One key objective is to create opportunities for all to take part in civic life and in society's decision-making processes.

The democratic concept of “inclusion for all” is of major importance in Nordic societies. The Nordic countries seek to promote a sense of solidarity with immigrants, who often have different needs and come from different cultural backgrounds, as this will lead to greater equality and inclusion.

At the same time, the Nordic societies prioritise preventative and supportive initiatives for vulnerable groups and their families, particularly for socially vulnerable children and young people. The goal is that everyone should be able to play an active part in society – especially in the education systems, which have for decades been strongly focused on education and training for all and the development of human capital.

Integration and globalisation

Even though the Region is comparatively advanced when it comes to social inclusion, it is essential that we continue to develop and strengthen the work that is already being done.

In recent years, the Council of Ministers has focused on the refinement of the welfare model in response to global challenges, through research, seminars and conferences. Social inclusion and integration are central themes in this work.

Welfare research

The Council of Ministers' welfare-research programme, which was concluded in 2006, focused on marginalisation, immigration and active citizenship. The results show that marginalisation appears to be linked to five conditions in particular: social legacy; health problems; exclusion from the labour market; ethnic discrimination; and peripheral regional locations. Any combination of these conditions further increases the risk of marginalisation.

The project “The Welfare-policy Consequences of Immigration [no]” concludes that the labour market plays a crucial role in the integration of immigrants, and operates as a springboard for social integration as a whole. Conversely, unemployment can also easily lead to marginalisation in other social spheres.

The final report from the welfare-research programme was published in 2006, under the title “The Nordic Council of Ministers' Welfare Research Programme: Concluding Report by the Programme Committee”.

The report concludes that there is a need for more knowledge about integration and immigration, and identifies the need to focus on factors that will keep people in work. Nordic research into the welfare state continues in new research programmes supervised by the Council of Ministers' institution NordForsk.

Important challenges

Issues of integration and inclusion present important challenges that require functional solutions and a collective response. At stake is the social welfare of the many people who are excluded from the labour market because they lack the competences that are currently in demand.

Inclusion and cohesion

Similarly, the inclusion of vulnerable groups was a topical theme during the meeting of the Nordic prime ministers in Riksgränsen in April 2008. Important subjects discussed included the integration of immigrants into the labour market, social cohesion and demographic trends. The meeting also focused on the challenges of balancing the future development of the Nordic welfare model with increasing the Region's competitive position in the global economy.

The prime ministers' roundtable discussion from the Globalisation Forum in Riksgränsen can be viewed on the Swedish Television website [sv].

The report “Global Pressure – Nordic Solutions”, which was published in association with the meeting of prime ministers in April 2008, concludes that most of the Nordic countries have encountered difficulties in integrating immigrants into the labour market.

Nordic co-operation, dialogue and the sharing of experiences can help to tackle these challenges in a positive way, and the countries can learn from each other's positive and negative experiences of different initiatives.

One important theme for Nordic co-operation will be to focus on positive strategies for the mobilisation of labour, preventing exclusion and guaranteeing the inclusion of vulnerable groups on the labour market. It is also important that the results are publicised widely, both in the Nordic Region and beyond. Closer co-operation with European partners is also required.