(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
Today's power structures are characterized by men. SV, AP and SP will form a majority government because we want a different social development. It's about creating a society where there is real equality and where no one is pushed out. We will work for gender equality through changes in laws and in the organization of working and social life, but also through debate, information and attitude-creating work.
equality in the workplace
Women's financial independence is crucial to the equality of men and women. The government has intensified the economic gap between women and men. Although the government is talking about equal pay, we know that men have received about 80 percent of the tax relief Per-Kristian Foss has given on top tax and dividend during his time as finance minister. A new government will change this trend. The increasing participation of women in working life has been an important step for equality between women and men. Instead of providing tax cuts, we will focus on measures that do not reinforce but offset the economic difference between women and men.
Despite the fact that about as many women as men are employed in Norway, men and women have very different ties to the labor market. Women are more often temporary employed, more often have part-time work and lower pay. Half of the Equality Ombudsman's 300 complaints related to working life last year were about pregnancy. Pregnant women perform worse than most people in the labor market. It is time to strengthen the protection of pregnant workers. Norway needs women's labor, but women receive only 84 per cent of men's wages. In 2001, women earned an average of NOK 183, while men earned an average of NOK 600. We must consider whether the equal pay clause in the law is strong enough to equalize wage differences, or whether we need to take new steps. About 276 women work involuntarily part-time. Full-time should be a right and part-time an opportunity. Working life must be organized so that one has time to both live and work.
We must stop wasting women's resources. Women have a high level of competence and want to lead. More than half of the students at our universities and colleges are women. This is in clear contrast to the low proportion of women in academic positions, which is only 20 percent. The average proportion of women in Norwegian public limited companies is only 11 per cent – far from the target of 40 per cent. In a majority government, the red-green parties will find measures to secure more women in leadership positions both in the state and in business and ensure at least 40 percent of both sexes in public limited companies and public boards and committees.
Safe families, safe upbringing
Omsorg for barn er i Norge fremdeles et svært kjønnsdelt område. Et godt barnehage- og skoletilbud er sammen med foreldrenes omsorg avgjørende for å skape et godt oppvekstmiljø. Omsorgsevne skal være avgjørende for hvem som skal få adoptere barn, og samboere og ektefeller, uavhengig av seksuell orientering, skal ha rett til å bli vurdert som adoptivforeldre. Barnehagene bidrar til sosial utvikling, pedagogisk veiledning og trygghet for barna, og er et ønsket omsorgstilbud for de fleste av foreldrene. Arbeidet med å få full barnehagedekning har gått tregt. Blant annet fordi regjeringen ikke har prioritert barnehageutbygging høyt nok.
Everyone who wants it should get kindergarten space at a reasonable price. Prices must be reduced, and there must be moderation schemes with national minimum standards. Private and public kindergartens must be treated equally. We want to legislate the right to kindergarten space, and introduce a maximum price of NOK 1750.
Equality is also about dividing the unpaid work. This requires changing attitudes, but also changing rights. We want to extend the maternity leave. The target is 12 months with 100 per cent salary and that 3 months is reserved for each parent. Some children have a special need for kindergartens because of the language training provided by the kindergartens during important years of the child's life. Therefore, we will introduce free short-term kindergarten for all children in areas with a large proportion of minority language children. We will review the Children's Act to strengthen the right of children to have contact with both parents after a breakup.
Children who are exposed to neglect, abuse and bullying need special help. There must be good cooperation between family, child welfare, daycare and school in such situations. There should be a wide range of counseling, relief, foster homes and institutions. The child welfare service must be provided with sufficient resources so that rapid and good follow-up of the children in question is carried out. Work on child sexual abuse must be intensified, and the spread of sexual abuse on the Internet must be counteracted.
A life without violence
It is a public responsibility to fight men's violence against women and children in close relationships. Child abuse and violence against women are serious societal problems and violations of fundamental human rights. The police's competence to investigate and secure evidence in family violence cases must be strengthened. We need a family violence coordinator in all police districts. The crisis centers need to be secured financial framework conditions so that they can help anyone who seeks them out. At the same time, we must focus more strongly on the perpetrators' responsibility for their own acts of violence, and have a nationwide treatment offer to persons who commit violence.
We want to legislate the crisis center offer, and ensure rape victims the right to assistance lawyer regardless of whether the case is reported. We will prioritize ensuring accessible rape and violence clinics across the country and that the emergency room / emergency room has the expertise and equipment to secure evidence. We must also expand the system of violence alarms for vulnerable women and put in place a new penal provision that affects physical and mental violence in close relationships.
Women's health must be prioritized.
Many women with so-called undetermined health problems experience being faced with skepticism and lack of interest in the health system. In addition, the same treatment for the same disease may differ in gender. Typical occupational injuries are not recognized as occupational injuries. The social security system thus does not have suitable diagnoses. It is important to gain more knowledge about medical methods in relation to gender. Research studies must also have a gender perspective. The government has no women's health strategy. Five years have passed since the Women's Health Committee in the public inquiry Women's health in Norway proposed the establishment of separate areas for women's health, new professorships in Norway and a network secretariat. Little has happened. This shows that the work for women's health is slow.
We need to have a nationwide program for research on women's health, and a report on gender differences in health care. We also want a project for young women on beauty ideals and media reality.
New give
During the launch of the book Men in between Hege Skjeie stated that "equality is a principle of justice that often gives way". Today, it is mostly about ad hoc policy – a policy that is free of systematic priority. These words from Skjeie are correct. It has been a long time since we have had a majority that can ensure the system that is necessary so that equality does not have a duty to give way. A majority ensures greater impact on gender equality and makes it possible for everyone who is concerned about gender equality to strain mosquitoes and spit out camels – not swallow them.
Karin Yrvin is the women's political secretary in the Labor Party, Oddrun Remvik is the woman politically responsible in the SV and Inger Enger is the leader of the Center women.
