"Gender Equality – The Nordic Way" Nordic ministers' fringe event with UN Women

A stable economy is essential for any nation in order to develop a sustainable welfare society. Modern societies need to make use of all human resources, regardless of gender, disability, ethnicity, religion, age and sexual orientation. Nordic co-operation has been striving to improve gender equality for more than 30 years and has made great progress. The Nordic region is characterized by a strong welfare state. We became prosperous because we developed the welfare state. Welfare measures such as parental leave, day-care centres and extensive health and care services for everyone are essential for developing job opportunities and to free up the labour force. The Nordic region has also used legislation in order to ensure equal rights for women and men. Women must have equal access to resources and opportunities. This applies to both rural and urban areas. Women are an asset for enhancing productivity and for developing society at large. In order to decrease gender disparities it is essential to have corrective policies that focus on gender gaps. Societal change has to be led by political will and decisions. We will not achieve real equality without acknowledging that gender equality is also about men. Men have to be involved in the gender equality project because it will improve their life and because more men than women are in positions where they have the power to change society. In recent years there have been many changes in the men's role – especially in fatherhood. Research shows that fathers are building up closer relationships with their children. We can also see that the when men take on more responsibility at home there is more equality between the genders in the workplace