For over a year, the Norwegian Government has worked on a Report to the Storting (Parliament) on men and gender equality. A Men’s Panel was appointed and a survey was started in order to trigger debate on the role of men in gender equality work. Jørgen Lorentzen, masculinity researcher at the Centre for Gender Research in Oslo, has been member of the Men’s Panel. He is more or less pleased with the Government’s Report, which contains suggested measures within the fields of working life, family life, school and child care, health and violence.
“It’s important that the Government starts realising the necessity of having an attitude towards men and gender equality. In areas where we have gained knowledge on men, we can now see political initiatives and legislative changes. This concerns, above all, fatherhood and violence.”
However, Jørgen Lorentzen misses measures within the area of health.
“It’s a shortcoming that the Government doesn’t want a study of its own on men and health, similar to the one that has been conducted on women and health. There are acute problems within that area. Men live for a shorter time than women. Men lead a qualitatively poor life, and this has destructive consequences not only for themselves, but also for women and children. Male health has a dramatic impact on other people in their close environment. There is a big gap between the existing problems and the level of knowledge, and that is why a study would be needed.”
On the other hand, Jørgen Lorentzen is happier with the measures suggested to strengthen men’s relationships with their children. The Government wants to extend the current paternity leave quota from six to ten weeks in 2009. In the long run, the Government plans to lengthen the quota to 14 weeks. The total parental leave is to be extended to 48 weeks, if 100 per cent of the leave is used. In this way Norway is now approaching the Icelandic model, which divides the parental leave into three equal parts – one for each parent and one that can be shared freely. It all, however, depends on the current Government winning the next election in 2009, since the extension to14 weeks will not be introduced before the election.
“Time wise, Norway will become the best in the world, if the paternity leave quota is increased to 14 weeks,” Jørgen Lorentzen notes. This means 3.5 months reserved for the father, which is more than in Iceland. Thus Norway will get the best fatherhood policy internationally.”
“14 weeks is a substantial time to spend with the children. It’s not just an extended holiday. This will be an improvement for men, women and children alike.”
When the Norwegian Commission for Equal Pay presented its report at the beginning of 2008, they also wanted to increase the paternity leave quota in order to strengthen women’s position in the labour market.
“A strengthening is needed of both women’s relations to the public sphere and men’s relations to the intimate sphere,” says Jørgen Lorentzen. “By extending the father’s share of the leave, both things are done simultaneously.”
The Norwegian Government also wants to increase the proportion of men working in child care and in schools. The Government opens up the possibility for affirmative action to employ more men. Furthermore, the Government wishes to see more research on why boys do worse than girls in school.
More can be read on the Government’s website.
