Nordic embassies can become an even more important voice for gender equality and equal rights

“It’s extremely important to continue the fight against the backlash on gender equality and LGBTI rights. We have a long and prosperous history of Nordic co-operation on gender equality and LGBTI rights. We have a duty to contribute to the fight where the rights of women and LGBTI people are under threat,” says Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Prime Minister and Minister for Gender Equality in Iceland, which holds presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers this year. 

Already two years ago, the ministers for gender equality took note of the backlash against gender equality in general, and in particular against the rights of girls, women, and LGBTI people.  

For instance, this relates to a deterioration of sexual and reproductive rights in a number of countries, and to growing online violence that is increasingly affecting women all around the globe. It’s also about the violence directed at and worse conditions experienced by LGBTI people. 

In “Pushing back the push-back, a Nordic Roadmap” from 2022, the Nordic ministers for gender equality describe how they want to counter resistance, such as by 
speaking out more often with a united Nordic voice on the issue of gender equality and rights, and in doing so, put on the pressure at international negotiations and venues.  

With the clear message that “the Nordic countries are ready to push back the opposition to gender equality,” the Nordic ministers for gender equality discussed solutions to gender-based online violence at the UN gender equality summit, CSW67, in New York in March. 

At their meeting in Reykjavik on 26 September, the ministers for gender equality decided to continue their efforts within the framework of “Pushing back the push-back”. 

The initiatives adopted by the ministers included an awareness-raising campaign aimed at young people in the Nordics in order to prevent and combat hate speech and harassment.  

The ministers also decided to finance a new study on masculinity and men’s views on gender equality in the Nordic Region. 

Furthermore, the ministers are pursuing strategic efforts together with selected embassies around the world in order to counter the backlash against gender equality. 

This will be achieved by wya of collaboration with organisations that work to promote gender equality and LGBTI rights, or through opinion-building work. 

The initiatives will start next year in 2024, when Sweden will hold the presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

“It is perhaps more important than ever before that the Nordic countries are a driving force in pursuing international efforts relating to gender equality and promoting the equal rights of LGBTQI people. As Sweden’s Minister for Gender Equality and Working Life, I’m very much looking forward to taking over the presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers for Gender Equality next year and working to uphold these Nordic core values,” says Paulina Brandberg, Sweden’s Minister for Gender Equality and Working Life.