Background, present situation, laws and enforcement. Information on representation of both sexes on company boards.

The Ministry of Education and Research is requesting the KiF Committee (Committee for Mainstreaming) to prepare models ensuring women employment in academic positions in male dominated fields. This autumn, the Ministry will announce the measures the various institutions can make use of.

This booklet explains the statutory rights of parents in relation to pregnancy, birth and adoption and when the children are small.

The Act relating to Gender Equality (the Gender Equality Act) was adopted by the parliament in 1978. The Act shall promote gender equality and aims in particular at improving the position of women. Women and men shall be given equal opportunities in education, employment and cultural and professional advancement. The law is based on the principle of non-discrimination, which is the cornerstone and basis for promoting gender equality.

Parental leave entitlements for men are six weeks of the total benefit period (44/54 weeks). The weeks reserved for paternity leave are non-transferable, and will be lost if they are not utilized by the father. The original four-week paternity quota was introduced in 1993, and its purpose is to strengthen the father's relationship with the child.

Gender equality features as an integral part of the Act on Education, within the general part of the curriculum, as well as within/ the different aspects of the education curricula.

Brochure on the main general social insurance schemes in Norway, which are the National Insurance Scheme, the Family Allowance Scheme and the Scheme for Cash Benefit for Families with Small Children.

On 20 December 2005, the Storting adopted a penal provision regarding domestic abuse (section 219 of the Penal Code). The provision came into force on 1 January 2006. In the new provision, it is the perpetrator's long-term terrorisation and abuse of the next-of-kin that constitutes the criminal aspect of the act. The penal provision will strengthen the legal status of women since women are the main victims of intimate partner violence.

Press release about 40 % rule on the underrepresented sex on company boards in the private sector in Norway.

The new anti-discrimination regulations added to the Working Environment Act protect against labour market-related discrimination on the basis of gender and ethnic origin etc., as well as on the grounds of disability, sexual orientation, age and political conviction. The act also ensures employees the entitlement to leave of absence during pregnancy and childbirth. 

The advertising and the filling of teaching and research positions are regulated by section 6-3: "If one sex is clearly under-represented in the category of post in the subject area in question, applications from members of that sex shall be specifically invited." For universities and university colleges, section 6-3 (3) says that: "When an expert assessment is conducted, both sexes shall be represented among the experts." Equally, the question of gender equality must be considered when hiring. Section 44 h says "that the learning environment is well adapted for students of both sexes."

An individually adapted introductory programme for newly arrived immigrants provides basic skills in Norwegian and gives insight into Norwegian society. According to the preparatory notes to this law, it shall aim at providing the necessary conditions that will enable women to take part in work life. Economic support is provided on an individual basis, and this measure also stresses the importance of women’s economic independence.

The Gender Equality Act requires that each gender is represented by at least 40 per cent of the members of all official committees, boards, councils, delegations, etc. of four members or more. Committees etc. elected by proportional representation are exempted.

The Act came into force 1 January 2006. The purpose of the Act is: to promote gender equality, ensure equal opportunities and rights and prevent discrimination based on ethnicity, national origin, descent, skin colour, language, religion or believe. The Act shall apply in all areas of society except for family life and personal relationships.

Section 21 fifth paragraph, cf. section 37 sixth paragraph of the immigration regulations.

Victims of human trafficking who are not lawfully resident in Norway may be granted a period of reflection of at least 45 days. This means that any rejection and expulsion order may be suspended. The threshold for granting a period of reflection is intentionally low. It is sufficient that the person in question is presumed to be a victim of human trafficking and must be willing to accept help and information.

In October 2002 the Norwegian government resolved to introduce ethical guidelines for civil servants prohibiting the purchase and acceptance of sexual services. The grounds for this resolution are the increasing problems posed by international prostitution and the trafficking of women and children for sexual purposes.

The Act gives relatives preference with respect to farm property and gives the eldest child, regardless of gender (until 1974 the eldest boy) first choice in taking over the farm. But research shows that parents encourage boys much more frequently than girls to exercise their allodial rights and take over the farm. It is a challenge for agricultural policies to motivate girls to make conscious choices and utilize their allodial rights. The Act is mentioned in Norway’s second national report on the Follow-up to the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing 1995.

All girls and boys have an equal right to education, regardless of social and cultural background, or special needs. Compulsory education lasts until the pupil has completed the tenth year of schooling. Young people who have completed the primary and lower secondary school or equivalent tuition have, on application, the right to three years' full-time upper secondary education.

The Human Rights Act relates to the strengthening of human rights in Norwegian law.

The cash benefit scheme provides a cash remuneration to parents who choose to care for their young children at home, instead of placing them in a kindergarten. The cash benefit arrangement (1998) is a cash grant that is offered to parents of children between 1 and 3 years of age, who do not or only partly use the state-supported kindergartens or day care services. The government maintained that the intention behind the measure has been to give parents a real choice as to the care of their children in the first 3 years - to be able to choose to care for their children at home, if they should so wish. If a child is adopted, the upper limit for receiving cash benefit is from and including the month in which the child starts school.

This arrangement, since its introduction in 1998, has been a much and vehemently debated matter. The questions raised are largely in the area of gender equality, such as, if the measure may hinder progress in achieving gender equality, since it is largely women who make use of this offer. The present Government (2005-2009) has decided to remove the arrangement gradually.

Two persons of the same sex may register their partnership in Norway, in accordance with the Registered Partnerships Act (1993). A registered partnership has the same legal consequences as marriage, with the exception of the right to have the partnership solemnized in a religious institution and the right to adopt children jointly. It is, however, possible for one of the registered partners to adopt the other partner's child.

As a result of regulations issued pursuant to the Local Government Act, the provisions on representation of both sexes on official committees at municipal and county levels are now to be found in the Local Government Act. County chief administrative officers have been given the authority to enforce the provisions. According to § 37 and § 38 in the Act, gender should be a consideration when the body is established. 

This Act regulates the marriage contract in Norway. Some of the central criteria according to this law are: one has to be over 18 years of age; one shall have only one spouse; both spouses are responsible for one another, and they have equal responsibility for their children. Marriage is a voluntary legal partnership entered into two persons of opposite or same sex, that is to say, every person in the country has the right to choose her or his partner in marriage. It is illegal and a punishable offence to force any person into marriage against her or his will. A forced marriage can be annulled.

The Act regulates among another things conditions surrounding maternity and paternity.

The act states that "The advertiser and anyone who creates advertising shall ensure that the advertisement does not conflict with the inherent equality between the sexes and that it does not imply any derogatory judgment or portray a man or a woman in an offensive manner."

Women’s right to choose an abortion is regulated by The Act Relating to the Termination of Pregnancy of 1975. When the act was introduced, the woman had to fill out an application, then a committee of doctors decided if an abortion could be granted or not. In 1978 women themselves were granted the right to decide whether to terminate their pregnancies or not. This right is limited in time, and is valid until the end of the twelfth week of the pregnancy.