ET Women's Forum: One-year parental leave key for gender equality in labour market, says Marianne Hagen

Deputy minister for foreign affairs since 2017, Marianne Hagen is a rising star in the Conservative Party in Norway considered to be one of the most gender-equal countries in the world. In an email interview, Hagen emphasises that female labour market participation is contributing substantially to the Norwegian economy.

She talks about Norway’s gender-equality journey and the challenges that remain. Edited excerpts:

What have been the outcomes of Norway's experience in gender quotas on company boards?

In 1993, only 3% of public limited company board members were women. Ten years later, in 2003, the number was 7%. That’s why Parliament, 16 years ago (in 2003), adopted a new law demanding 40% of either sex on corporate boards. The law entered into force in 2006 and only two years later the number of women was up to 40%. The often-mentioned fear of not finding enough qualified women to fill board seats has been proven unfounded. Women on Norwegian company boards are generally younger than their male colleagues, better educated and represent a more diversified education background.

The stereotype of women not wanting to take on such responsibilities has likewise been proven untrue. At the same time, the law has succeeded in forcing the nominating committees to work more professionally, recruiting new board members.


How has Norway promoted the participation of women in politics? How can India make a bigger case for more women in politics?
Though not established by law, political parties all have gender parity in their lists of delegates for elections so that they all have an equal number of men and women. When it comes to public committees and delegations, it is established by law that there must be gender parity.

What's the SHE index? How are you mobilising key stakeholders to join the new requirements on equality? What is the long-term objective of the initiative?
This is not a public initiative. However, it is a good example of private sector initiatives to improve gender equality. It is a compilation of how 25 of Norway's 50 largest listed companies work with equality in management, how the gender balance looks at the board and top management levels and what they do to ensure equal rights for men and women. In general, good statistics and analysis of the situation in the labour market are key to developing and implementing targeted policies.

Against the background of Norway being a gender-equal country, what are the biggest challenges that remain in achieving gender equality?
We still have a gender-divided labour market, even though women’s participation in the labour market is only 5% less than that of men. There are more women than men in the public sector and less women than men in the private sector. We still have too few women in leadership positions, particularly in the private sector, and there is still a gender pay gap.

What are the policies that have helped Norwegian men play a part in gender equality?
The time reserved for men in parental leave has been very successful in improving men’s involvement with their children. It was often difficult for men to take time off as part of the parental leave before the quota, but now most men do.

The talent pipeline of women in India is perpetually diminishing. Young mothers opt out of the workforce as the social structures are not attuned to dual-career families. What has been the experience of Norway in dealing with this issue?
The key elements ensuring equality in the labour market have been one-year parental leave and the statutory right for all children to get a place in a kindergarten. The time reserved for men in parental leave also promotes gender equality in the household and flexible working life. For example, “sick child” quotas, so that one of the parents may take time off when a child is sick.

What can be done at the level of policy intervention to bring about gender pay parity?
We still have gender pay gaps in Norway, but it is established by law that gender shall not be a part of wage-determination processes.