Introduction

1.This report comprises the eighth and ninth periodic reports made by Sweden to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (the Committee). The following presentation takes account of the recommendations received by Sweden from the Committee in its review of Sweden’s sixth and seventh reports at the Committee’s 40th session in January 2008.

2.Recommendations 17, 19, 21 and 42 have been taken into account in this introductory section.

3.The objective of the Government’s action against discrimination is a society free from discrimination. Under the Swedish Discrimination Act no person may be discriminated against or prevented from enjoying their rights on account of sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation or age.

4.The purpose of the Government’s gender equality policy is to counter and change systems that conserve the distribution of power and resources between the sexes. The objective of gender equality policy is for women and men to have the same power to shape society and their own lives. On this basis the Government works towards 4 subsidiary objectives

•An equal distribution of power and influence. Women and men are to have the same right and opportunities to be active citizens and to shape the conditions for decision-making.

•Economic equality between women and men. Women and men are to have the same opportunities and conditions with regard to education and paid work that provide lifelong economic independence.

•An equal distribution of unpaid care and household work. Women and men are to take the same responsibility for household work and have the same opportunities to give and receive care on equal terms.

•Men’s violence against women has to stop. Women and men, girls and boys, are to have the same right to and opportunities for physical integrity.

5.The Government’s subsidiary objectives for gender equality policy largely cover the twelve critical areas of concern in the Beijing Platform for Action. Areas that do not have a direct equivalent in the Government’s gender policy objectives, such as armed conflict and environmental issues, are picked up through the Government’s main strategy for implementing its gender equality policy objectives — gender mainstreaming.

Gender mainstreaming

6.In the government communication The direction of gender equality policy 2011- 2014 (Comm. 2011/12:3) the Government presents a platform for the conduct of work on gender mainstreaming at central, regional and local level. The platform includes work on gender mainstreaming in the Government Offices, a special development programme for government agencies and support for gender mainstreaming in municipalities and county councils.

7.On 1 March 2012 the Government adopted a new strategy for work on gender mainstreaming in the Government Offices. This strategy sets out how work will be conducted in the Government Offices in 2012-2015 and replaces the plan previously in force.

8.In accordance with the use of gender mainstreaming as a strategy each Minister is responsible for gender equality in their policy area. The Minister for Gender Equality is responsible for driving developments and monitoring the full range of measures at an overarching level. All Ministries have designed an organisation and drawn up a plan for this work.

9.The strategy contains 5 separate guidelines that define the direction of the work:

•all statistics concerning individuals are always to be presented, commented and analysed by gender;

•proposals in government bills and communications are to be analysed on the basis of gender;

•gender equality aspects are to be taken into account in agency governance, and terms of reference for government inquiries are to state how a gender equality perspective will be taken into account in the work of the inquiry; and

•a gender equality perspective is to be included at an early stage of the negotiation process when issues that may have impacts on gender equality are prepared in the European Union.

10.Work on gender equality in the Government Offices is monitored each year by Statistics Sweden. This commission includes a quantitative follow-up of the strategy guidelines. In addition to the quantitative follow-up, an annual qualitative follow-up is carried out of ministry plans of work.

11.The work of government agencies on gender mainstreaming is monitored through the regular dialogue with these agencies and the agencies’ annual reports.

12.In order to improve the monitoring of gender equality policy Statistics Sweden has developed gender equality statistics and indicators linked to the 4 subsidiary objectives of gender equality policy as a commission from the government. A monitoring system for gender equality policy that builds on these indicators has been developed in the Government Offices. The result of this work has been presented in a ministerial communication A monitoring system for gender equality policy (Ds 2013:37). The Government intends to use a monitoring system as of 2014.

13.In January 2014 the Government presented a strategy for equal rights and opportunities irrespective of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Differences related to gender are to be made visible in the implementation of the strategy.

14.The Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society (the former National Board for Youth Affairs) has been commissioned by the Government to distribute grants to projects on discrimination, women’s organisations and gender equality. A number of grants have been awarded in order to spread information and knowledge about the CEDAW. In 2009 the Swedish Women’s Lobby was awarded a grant for its project for an Easy-to-read CEDAW manual. In 2008 Unifem in Sweden was awarded a grants for its project Education about the CEDAW and in 2013 UN Women was awarded a grant for its project How can the CEDAW strengthen county council work on gender equality. In addition, information about the CEDAW is spread on the Government’s human rights website, www.manskligarattigheter.se.

Part I

Article 1 — Definitions

15.Nothing to report.

Article 2 — Legislation, legal protection, etc.

16.Recommendations 15, 17 and 39 have been taken into account in the information given below.

Legislation

17.The principle of gender equality is expressed in the Swedish constitution. For more information about the constitution see the presentation under Article 2 in Sweden’s second report and Sweden’s ‘core document’ (HRI/CORE/SWE/2011, 2 September 2011), called the core document below, section III.

18.Discrimination on grounds of sex is mainly regulated in the Discrimination Act (Swedish Code of Statutes (SFS) 2008:567) in addition to in the Constitution. The Discrimination Act entered into force on 1 January 2009 and replaced 7 former laws against discrimination, including the Equal Opportunities Act (1991:433). The purpose of the Discrimination Act is to combat discrimination and in other ways promote equal rights and opportunities regardless of sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation or age.

19.The Discrimination Act provides more comprehensive protection from discrimination than the previous discrimination legislation. Prohibitions against discrimination apply to the following areas of society: working life; education; labour market policy activities and employment services not under public contract; starting or running a business; professional recognition; membership of an employees’ organisation, employers’ organisation or professional organisation; goods, services and housing; meetings or events open to the public; health and medical care; social services; social insurance; unemployment insurance; financial aid for studies; national military service and civilian service; and public employment.

20.In connection with the introduction of the Discrimination Act the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sex was extended to apply to meetings or events open to the public, national military and civilian service and public employment. The prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sex was also extended to apply fully in health and medical care and in social services.

21.A new sanction, compensation for discrimination, was introduced for breaches of the Discrimination Act. The purpose is to provide better prospects of higher levels of compensation. The compensation for discrimination is intended to both be compensation for the violation represented by a breach and act as a deterrent against discrimination.

22.The Discrimination Act introduced a right for a non-profit organisation whose statutes state that it is to look after the interests of its members to bring an action on behalf of an individual.

23.In March 2014 the Government presented a legislative proposal on inadequate accessibility as discrimination to the Riksdag (Swedish parliament). The term inadequate accessibility means that a person with a disability is being disadvantaged because a measure for accessibility has not been taken to enable the person to come into a comparable situation with persons without disabilities. This proposal ought to benefit women who risk being subjected to multiple discrimination.

24.In 2012 the Government appointed an inquiry to review the rules in the Discrimination Act on active measures and propose how to design and clarify requirements concerning active measures so as to make them a more effective instrument in work to prevent discrimination and achieve equal rights and opportunities. The inquiry’s proposals were presented in June 2014. They include the introduction of a regulated working method for systematic work on active measures. The proposals are being processed by the Government Offices.

25.The Committee on the Constitution (Swedish Government Official Report 2008:125) conducted an extensive review of the Instrument of Government that included a gender equality perspective. The Committee on the Constitution proposed introducing gender-neutral language in the Instrument of Government. The Government and the Riksdag followed these parts of the Committee’s proposals and the amendments entered into force on 1 January 2011.

26.In spring 2014 the Government intends to appoint a committee of inquiry whose remit will include further work on the modernisation of the Freedom of the Press Act and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression proposed by the Freedom of Expression Committee (SOU 2012:55). The proposal would make the text of the law gender-neutral.

Minority policy

27.Action for women who belong to the national minorities is also dealt with under Articles 3, 7 and 12. For introductory information about Sweden’s policy for national minorities see points 90-91 and 121 of the core document.

28.The Act on National Minorities and Minority Languages is based on the Council of Europe’s minority conventions and is part of Swedish minority policy. The preliminary works to the Act make explicit reference to the recommendations of the CEDAW committee.

29.The new Minorities Act increases the possibilities of accessing public services in Finnish, Sami and Meänkieli in what are called the administrative districts. Improving access to public services also improves women’s opportunities of shaping their lives in the light of their own needs and circumstances. The introduction of preschool services wholly or partly in Finnish and Sami also enhances the opportunities for minority women to increase their paid work and to thereby reach greater economic equality.

30.In its special gender equality initiative in 2007-2010 the Government had a particular focus on strengthening the position and influence of women who belong to the national minorities. Between 2011 and 2014 the Government has had a particular focus, partly within its Strategy for Roma inclusion, on improving the situation of Roma girls and women and their access to their rights.

31.In 2008-2014 the Government commissioned the former National Board for Youth Affairs to support work on gender equality among the national minorities. This commission includes distributing funds to activities in organisations of the national minorities for gender equality and against discrimination. The Board has also had meetings with the minority groups, as well as network meetings and conferences for exchanging experience and disseminating knowledge. The Board’s assessment is that these activities have contributed to the start of more systematic work on gender equality.

32.In 2008-2010 the Swedish National Council of Adult Education was commissioned to implement measures in adult education to foster women’s entrepreneurship. In 2010 some of the funds for the commission were earmarked for action for women who belong to the national minorities. The background to this was that a study commissioned by the Government from Uppsala University showed that very little adult education was targeted particularly on women belonging to the national minorities. The Council’s report on the results achieved notes that the women who participated improved their entrepreneurship.

33.In September 2013 the Swedish National Council of Adult Education was given funds to carry out a gender equality initiative in adult education targeted particularly on Roma women. The results of the initiative are to be reported in September 2014.

The Government’s Strategy for Roma inclusion

34.In February 2012 the Government adopted a coordinated, long-term Strategy for Roma inclusion in 2012-2032. This twenty-year strategy is a reinforcement of minority policy. The Government has allocated some SEK 60 million in 2012-2015 to action for Roma over and above the regular funds available for the national minorities.

35.The overall goal of the twenty-year strategy is for a Roma who turns 20 years of age in 2032 to have the same opportunities in life as a non-Roma. The primary target group is Roma who are in situations of social and economic exclusion and are subjected to discrimination. Women and children have particular priority.

36.The implementation of the strategy is to be characterised by Roma participation and influence. The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions has been commissioned to provide support for the work of the municipalities to develop forms for consultation and dialogue.

37.The Government Offices has appointed a Roma reference group of 9 women and 11 men to contribute information and views on how the Government can develop governance and action in the strategy.

38.In November 2013 the Government commissioned the Stockholm County Administrative Board to have work carried out in close dialogue with Roma representatives to obtain deeper knowledge about issues of relevance for gender equality between Roma women and men and girls and boys. The commission is to be carried out with Roma women and men and in consultation with the Equality Ombudsman and a report is to be presented in March 2015.

39.There will be continuous monitoring and evaluation of the strategy and of Roma women’s and men’s access to human rights at local, regional and national level focusing on how regular services ensure that Roma have access to their rights. In order to follow up the action taken the Stockholm County Administrative Board is coordinating a baseline study of the situation for Roma women and men in the municipalities taking part in the pilot. An external evaluation of the pilot is also being conducted.

Sami

40.The Sami Parliament is both the Sami’s supreme decision-making body and a government agency. The Government’s special initiative for gender mainstreaming in government agencies in 2013 includes the Sami Parliament as 1 of 18 selected government agencies, and the objective there is to achieve greater gender equality between Sami women and men.

41.The Sami Parliament’s action plan for greater gender equality is to operate horizontally and be a governing document for the distribution of funds by the Sami Parliament along with action plans for the Sami language, Sami youth, Sami business and Sami culture.

42.The Sami political parties have achieved positive results in their work to increase women’s participation in the popularly elected assembly of the Sami Parliament. An exchange of knowledge and experience with Sami women in Norway, Finland and Russia has also been initiated. Sami women have been involved in the action the Government has taken alongside this for women’s entrepreneurship.

The work of the Equality Ombudsman

43.For introductory information about the work of the Equality Ombudsman see paragraphs 83-85 and 133 of the core document.

44.The Equality Ombudsman can apply to the Board against Discrimination for an order imposing a financial penalty on employers and education providers that do not fulfil their obligation to take active measures. The Equality Ombudsman can also impose financial penalties on education providers, business operators, etc. who refuse to provide information about circumstances in their activities that is of importance for the supervision exercised by the Ombudsman.

45.In 2012 the Equality Ombudsman set up an audit unit that is responsible for supervising that employers and education providers comply with the provisions on ‘active measures’ in the Discrimination Act (see point 115 of the core document). More information about this part of the Equality Ombudsman’s activities is given under Article 10 and Article 11.

46.The Equality Ombudsman has both training services and advisory services for the social partners, business, the public sector, civil society and individuals. In addition to arranging its own training courses the Equality Ombudsman cooperates with other parties so that they will then go on to spread knowledge and conduct training in the area. In 2012 the agency set up a special function for coordination, development and quality assurance of its partnership and training services.

47.The courses that focus particularly on gender discrimination are those that deal with pay surveys. The purpose of the courses is for participants to learn what the law says about gender equal pay and how they can go about doing a pay survey. In practice discrimination against women is one of the aspects given most space. The Equality Ombudsman takes up the Parental Leave Act and its prohibition of the disadvantaging of people on parental leave in all courses for the social partners. Experience from groups and individuals who have been victims of discrimination is one important source of knowledge that has been drawn on in work to develop these courses. One result of this development work is that training courses focus more clearly on increasing the ability of participants to do active preventive and promotion work in their own organisations.

48.Annexes to this report give detailed information about the number of complaints to the then Equal Opportunities Ombudsman in the period from 2006 up to and including 2008, as well as information about judgments in the period from 2006 up to and including 2013 in cases concerning gender discrimination etc. Information about the number of complaints to the Equality Ombudsman in the period from 2009 up to and including 2013 is also given in an annex to this report.

49.The Equality Ombudsman has established a clearer structure for work with civil society. A coordination function has been set up and new forms for systematic contacts with civil society have also been developed. In addition to smaller-scale consultations on various issues the Equality Ombudsman also has larger-scale meetings each year with organisations working on gender and other issues. In 2012 and 2013 the Equality Ombudsman had 2 large-scale dialogue meetings to which all women’s policy organisations were invited.

50.Some of the Equality Ombudsman’s cooperation with civil society is carried out by arranging network meetings for trade unions, employer organisations and universities and other higher education institutions. These network meetings are a forum for dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experience between the Equality Ombudsman and these key players on discrimination issues in their specific areas. Discussions with the social partners include gender equal pay.

51.The Equality Ombudsman is carrying out a project in order to develop knowledge about discrimination of Sami and how discrimination can be countered as well as about various ways of working for equal rights and opportunities for Sami. This work will pay particular attention to the situation of Sami women.

52.The work of the Equality Ombudsman on Roma rights has been intended to increase knowledge among Roma about protection from discrimination and to increase knowledge in the agency itself and in society as a whole about the ways in which discrimination is expressed. As a result of the approach taken by the Equality Ombudsman, Roma have asserted their right to non-discrimination to a greater extent than in the past by complaining about discrimination. Not infrequently these complaints relate to discrimination of women together with children in everyday situations in the supply of goods and services, including housing.

53.The report Roma Rights states that almost 70 per cent of the 230 complaints from Roma to the Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination and subsequently to the Equality Ombudsman in the period 2004-2010 were from Roma women. The majority of these complaints, almost 100 of them, related to Roma women stating that they had been discriminated against and harassed in shops when they were going to buy food or clothing, Roma women also report discrimination when they are going to stay at a hotel or when they visit a restaurant. Some 30 of the complaints received have been decided by a court or through a settlement. In all, some 50 people have obtained redress in this way.

Article 3 — Women’s enjoyment of human rights and work on men’s violence against women

National action plans for human rights

54.For information about the Government’s action plans for human rights, see the previous report and points 88-89 of the core document.

55.The Government commissioned an evaluation of the second action plan for human rights. The inquiry submitted recommendations for use in further systematic work on human rights at national level and its proposals included clearer integration of the gender equality perspective in further work on these action plans (Cohesive, coherent and sustainable? An evaluation of the Government ’ s national action plan for human rights 2006-2009 (SOU 2011:29)).

56.The Delegation for Human Rights in Sweden, see the previous report, made proposals for how to provide further support for work for full respect for human rights in Sweden in its final report A new structure for protection of human rights (SOU 2010:70). The report proposed a number of measures to systematise this work on the basis of Sweden’s international commitments.

57.Work is in progress in the Government offices on drafting a third strategy for human rights in Sweden as a follow-up on the 2 previous national action plans in the area. This work focuses on promoting continued systematic work on human rights in Sweden.

Men’s violence against women

58.The Committee’s recommendations 23, 29 and 41 have also been taken into account in the information give below.

59.The implementation of the various action plans in the area of men’s violence against women adopted by the Government since 2007 (at a cost of almost SEK 2 billion (ca EUR 200 million)) has resulted in a substantially higher level of ambition in work to prevent and combat men’s violence against women.

60.The evaluation of the work 2007-2010 to combat men’s violence against women shows that the action taken has contributed to greater awareness and knowledge among the relevant agencies and to a better structure and organisation for work both within and between agencies. In addition, the action taken has resulted in the development of both existing and new services and the production of new working methods. Collaboration between government agencies has been strengthened and attention has been drawn to the risk of violence in particularly vulnerable situations such as exposure to honour-related violence and oppression, violence against women with disabilities and women substance abusers.

61.The number of reports and crimes linked to an individual has increased in the period, but the proportion of reports linked to an individual has remained at about the same level. Nor was it possible to see any clear reduction in the number of women stating that they have been subjected violence, which is assumed to be because not enough time has elapsed for the full effects of the action taken to be seen.

62.In 2011-2014 the Government has followed up the action plans with new actions mainly intended to ensure the sustainability and longtermism of the development work and to work for the integration of methods, knowledge and ways of working in the regular activities of government agencies. More emphasis has also been placed on action aimed at men who use violence. The following highlights some examples from various areas.

63.In April 2012 the Government decided to appoint a national coordinator against violence in close relationships. The coordinator’s remit includes working for better effectiveness, quality and longtermism in work on violence in close relationships. The coordinator is also to work for better collaboration between the parties affected, consider how preventive action can be developed and consider how support to voluntary organisations can be strengthened. A final report on the work of the coordinator is to be presented by 30 June 2014 at the latest.

64.In February 2014 the Government also appointed an inquiry tasked with drawing up a national strategy to achieve the objective of ending men’s violence against women. The remit of the inquiry covers violence that affects women in close relationships and violence exercised against women by men either known or completely unknown to them. As part of its remit the inquiry is to draft a strategy with long- and short-term objectives and propose how they are to be monitored. In addition, the inquiry is also to evaluate the action taken in the present electoral term and analyse and assess the need to spread knowledge and provide consultancy support to agencies and other relevant players in the area within the existing government agency structure. The inquiry is to present its final report on 29 May 2015.

65.The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention) was signed by Sweden in May 2011. Sweden deposited its instrument of ratification of the Convention on 1 July 2014.

Legislation

66.The sexual crimes reform implemented in 2005 has been evaluated. Certain amendments have been made to the legislation in order to reinforce and sharpen the protection of sexual integrity and sexual self-determination. These amendments entered into force on 1 July 2013. For example, the crime of rape has been widened further. More cases of sexual exploitation will be assessed as rape because the term “helpless state” is being replaced by the term “particularly vulnerable situation”. In addition, the term “serious fear” has been added to the list of examples given in the text of the law. This will make it even clearer that situations in which a victim responds passively to an attack are covered by the crime of rape.

67.For a description of the special types of crime called gross violation of integrity and gross violation of a woman’s integrity, see Sweden’s fifth report.

68.Violation of integrity crimes have recently been evaluated. The investigation shows that the introduction of these crimes led to a general increase in the penal value of repeat offending in close relationships. On 1 July 2013 the minimum penalty for these crimes was increased and the scope of their application was widened in order to further strengthen the protection in penal law against repeated violations by closely related persons. Today violation of integrity crimes cover various types of violent crimes, crimes against liberty and peace, sexual crimes, offences of inflicting damage and breaches of non-contact orders.

69.In autumn 2011 amendments to the Non-Contact Orders Act, formerly the Restraining Orders Act, entered into force. The purpose of these amendments is to improve the situation of individuals who have been subjected to or risk being subjected to violence, threats or harassment in various ways, often repeatedly, what is called stalking. In order to enhance the protective effect it should be possible to monitor certain non-contact orders electronically. At the same time a new penal provision, unlawful persecution, was added to the Penal Code. This provision is aimed at persecution that consists of repeated criminal acts against one and the same person. The purpose is to strengthen the protection in penal law against harassment and persecution and to raise the level of penalties for crimes of this kind. The Government has commissioned the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention to monitor and evaluate the reform on improved protection against stalking. A final report on this commission is to be presented by 16 January 2015 at the latest.

70.In January 2014 the possibilities of preventing violence against women were increased further through an additional amendment to the Non-Contact Orders Act. This amendment means that there no longer needs to be a substantial risk of a crime for a non-contact order relating to the common home to be issued.

71.On 1 July 2014 several laws were amended to strengthen the protection against forced marriage and child marriage. For more information see article 16.

72.An amendment to Chapter 5, Section 11 of the Social Services Act (2001:453) that entered into force on 1 July 2007 clarified the responsibility of municipal social welfare committees for crime victims, especially women who are subjected to violence and children who witness violence.

Work of government agencies, etc.

73.Since 2007 the county administrative boards have had a commission from the Government within their area of responsibility to take initiatives for and provide support in various ways to the coordination of issues that are intended to counter men’s violence against women and to counter children being forced to witness violence. This commission includes providing advice, coordination and professional development as well as the distribution of development funds. The Government is providing a total of SEK 40 million each year for these activities. As of 2008 the commission was extended to cover honour-related violence and oppression.

74.The Government has strengthened preventive work and has worked to improve the protection and support for women who are subjected to violence and children who witness violence. The National Board of Health and Welfare and several other government agencies have carried out a series of measures to strengthen and develop the quality of support to women who are subjected to violence and children who have witnessed violence and to develop action targeted at perpetrators of violence that takes account of women’s and children’s need of security and safety. The National Board of Health and Welfare has also drafted general advice and regulations on the work of the municipalities with women who are subjected to violence and children who have witnessed violence. In 2012-2014 the Board produced training material on particularly vulnerable groups of persons subjected to violence such as older women, women with disabilities, women with substance misuse problems, women with foreign backgrounds and people subjected to honour-related violence and oppression. The knowledge developed has been adapted to the target groups and is now going to be spread and followed up.

75.The Government commissioned the Swedish Board of Housing, Building and Planning in cooperation with the county administrative boards to support development work in 2008-2010 to strengthen security in city and urban environments from a gender equality perspective by, for example, providing support for various projects for better lighting and the upgrading of pedestrian tunnels. The Board’s evaluation of this work shows that these activities placed issues concerning security and gender equality on the agenda in services working on urban and regional planning and that knowledge about the issues has increased.

76.In 2014-2016 the Government has allocated funds for development projects intended to contribute to gender equality in public environments. This support can be provided both for physical measures in the form of the integration of a clear gender equality perspective in the design of meeting places and corridors both indoors and outdoors and for more strategic and method development measures.

77.On account of the amendment to Chapter 5, Section 11 of the Social Services Act (2001:453) on the responsibility of the social welfare committee for crime victims, especially women subject to violence and children who witness violence, the National Board of Health and Welfare is carrying out enhanced supervision in this area as a commission from the Government. This led to the development of common assessment criteria for supervision. The result of the supervision shows that extensive development work is now under way in the municipalities in all areas, and that the supervision as such is driving these developments.

78.In order to strengthen the work of the voluntary women’s shelters the Government has increased the funds distributed to voluntary organisations working on combating violence against women. The reinforcement of SEK 10 million previously decided by the Government was increased by a further SEK 13.4 million in 2014. As of 2015 the government grant, which is distributed by the National Board of Health and Welfare, has a permanent reinforcement of SEK 23 million.

79.The National Board of Health and Welfare also has a number of ongoing commissions that relate to support and assistance for crime victims and treatment methods aimed at perpetrators. These commissions consist of producing national guidance for staff in healthcare and social services in order to discover persons subjected to violence, to carry out open comparisons of the municipalities’ work to support women who are subjected to violence and children who have witnessed violence and to develop methods and guidance for work with individuals who use violence in close relationships.

80.The National Board of Health and Welfare also has the task of carrying out an investigation when a child or an adult has died as a result of a crime committed by a person close to the victim or formerly close to the victim. The purpose of these investigations is to provide input for measures that prevent children and adults being subjected to violence from persons close to them and to build up a knowledge base over the long term. The National Board of Health and Welfare reports on this commission every other year. The 2014 report examined 12 cases concerning adult deaths (all women). These investigations show that the social services have deficiencies in assessments of needs and risks for people subjected to violence and in following up action taken and that health care does not have routines for handling violence in close relationships. In order to make an overall assessment of the development needs the Government has commissioned the Swedish Agency for Public Management to evaluate the investigation activities at the National Board of Health and Welfare in the period 2008-2014. The final report from this commission is to be presented in October 2014.

81.In 2008 the Government commissioned the Swedish Public Health Agency (formerly the National Institute of Public Health) to examine how women subjected to violence who belong to the national minorities are treated and supported by public authorities and to take measures. The FHI report showed that there is a need for more knowledge among public authorities about the history and culture of the national minorities, treatment and the mechanisms of violence in general. As part of this commission the Institute produced brochures for staff in the social services, the police and health care who meet women belonging to the national minorities who are subjected to violence in close relationships. The Institute’s commission also included distributing funds to work for gender equality, the protection of women against violence and cooperation among the national minorities.

82.Some of the funds were awarded to Stockholm County Administrative Board in cooperation with a women’s shelter, Roma and Travellers (Romsk och Resande), to set up a national resource point for professionals and volunteers meeting Roma women who have been subjected to violence in close relationships. The activities of the resource point, which included lectures and other dissemination of knowledge, demonstrated that government agencies, municipal departments and women’s shelters needed support in their work. In May 2013 Stockholm County Administrative Board was commissioned to develop and continue to offer this support in cooperation with the Roma and Travellers women’s shelter. A report on this commission is to be presented in April 2015.

83.In its appropriation directions for 2006 the National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå) was commissioned to produce guidance material for young people intended to shed light on issues of sexual harassment and attitudes in collaboration with the then Equal Opportunities Ombudsman. This guidance was published in 2007.

84.In its appropriation directions for 2006 the National Council for Crime Prevention was commissioned to chart violence against people with disabilities in consultation with the former Disability Ombudsman and the Swedish Agency for Disability Policy Coordination. Their report notes that women with intellectual and mental disabilities belong to special risk groups, particularly with regard to sexual abuse. The Council makes concrete proposals for crime prevention measures such as greater transparency in relationships between care recipients and carers, increased knowledge in the justice system about disabilities and guidelines for what care professionals should do if they suspect that a care recipient has been subjected to violence.

85.In order to obtain deeper knowledge about the prevalence of crimes in close relationships the Government commissioned the National Council for Crime Prevention in 2012 to carry out an in-depth national survey of violence in close relationships. The survey, which was reported in May 2014, shows that about 7 per cent of both women and men say that they had been subjected to both mental and physical violence in a close relationship in 2012. Even though the prevalence was distributed evenly, it is more common for women to be subjected to more serious violence in the form of gross assault and sexual crimes, and they have a much greater need of assistance and support. The women say to a much greater extent that they needed medical care as a result of gross assault (29 per cent). The corresponding figure for men was 2 per cent. (Viewed over a lifetime more than 25 per cent of the women say that they have been subjected to a crime in a close relationship on some occasion. The corresponding figure for men is less than 17 per cent.)

86.In 2013 the National Council for Crime Prevention was commissioned to carry out a survey of threats and violations via the internet that have been reported to the police. The Council is to chart the character of the crimes reported to the police and give a description of the individuals who are the victims and the perpetrators, focusing on any gender differences. The Council is also to give a description of the problems in the work of the justice system in investigating and prosecuting the crimes concerned and to propose measures to address these problems.

87.In its appropriation directions for 2014 the National Council for Crime Prevention was commissioned to carry out a follow-up study of how the alarm and protection packages provided by the National Police Board since 2010 are used and function. The purpose of these alarm and protection packages is to reinforce protection for individuals who have been found to be subjected to persecution and threats.

88.During the previous electoral term, the Government carried out the largest programme of investment in the justice system in modern times. The justice system has been reinforced from the police and prosecutors to the courts and the prison and probation service. As part of the investments in the justice system, several changes were also made to reduce crime and increase people’s security. These activities have continued in the present electoral term. The appropriations to the justice system in 2014 are some SEK 11.3 billion higher than in 2006.

89.The National Police Board has had a number of commissions from the Government relating to violence against women. In 2007 the National Police Board was given a special commission to intensify work to combat men’s violence against women, honour-related violence and violence in same sex relationships. As part of this commission the police ran a special information campaign in 2009-2010 that included an information page intended spread knowledge about violence in close relationships and encourage people who have been subjected to violence to report this to the police. This initiative was followed up in 2012-2013 in a second information campaign. To safeguard all women in Sweden, including women with non-Swedish ethnic backgrounds, the police’s information material is available in several languages. The police have also arranged special information meetings with immigrant groups where the statistics have shown that many women are subjected to violence in close relationships. On these occasions the information has been provided by specially trained information officers in the language spoken by the group concerned.

90.The police have crime victim coordinators who work in services to support crime victims. Many police authorities also cooperate with women’s and girls’ refuges, school staff, the social services and staff in sheltered housing. In order to strengthen skills and ability of the police to prevent and investigate violence in close relationships the police have also produced a national manual and interactive training material that describe ways of working and methods to investigate and prevent crimes in close relationships. The National Police Board has also produced a manual for investigating and preventing honour-related crime and every police authority has a special contact person for honour-related crime. The work on being able to combine non-contact orders with electronic surveillance mentioned in point 80 of the Swedish Government’s Sixth and Seventh Periodic Reports has continued. It has been possible to use the equipment since June 2013.

91.Special training initiatives concerning men’s violence against women, honour-related problems and human trafficking are being conducted by a number of agencies in the justice system including the Swedish Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority, the National Police Board, the Swedish Prosecution Authority and the Swedish National Courts Administration.

92.In 2008 and 2009 the Swedish National Courts Administration was given a commission to hold training courses to further enhance the knowledge of staff at the Courts of Sweden regarding men’s violence against women, including honour-related violence and oppression, and violence in same-sex relationships. These measures are intended to improve how crime victims are treated. The Swedish Courts Administration concludes in its final report that the training delivered has increased the interest of staff at the Swedish Courts in matters concerning the treatment of crime victims.

93.The Judicial Training Academy of the Courts of Sweden was set up in 2009 and provides training in integrity crimes that includes risk assessments for violent re-offending, the prerequisites for non-contact orders, protection from violence in close relationships as a human right and the treatment of victims of violence in close relationships. In addition, the Academy provides training in honour-related problems as well as courses on sexual crimes that raise issues about violence in close relationships, men’s violence against women, trafficking and closely related matters. For several years work has also been under way in the Courts of Sweden at both national and local level on trust and treatment issues.

94.All permanent judges have been offered the opportunity to take part in the training programme developed as part of a commission from the Government to the Swedish Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority on the treatment of young victims of sexual crimes. The Courts of Sweden also take part in inter-agency cooperation to protect women against violence.

95.The Swedish Prosecution Authority’s regular basic training includes training for operational prosecutors in the processing of crimes in close relationships. There is also further training for prosecutors on violence in close relationships.

96.In 2009 and 2010 the Swedish Prosecution Authority took part in a large-scale training initiative in cooperation with local police forces as part of a commission from the Government on crime in close relationships. In 2010 the Authority started a project, in collaboration with the police, to develop methods relating to violent and sexual crimes in close relationships and against children. A model for a faster and more legally secure way of working was tested at 2 public prosecution offices. The results showed that this way of working led to shorter processing times and produced gains in effectiveness. The Swedish Prosecution Authority has worked on implementing the way of working advocated by the model in its organisation.

97.The Swedish Prosecution Authority has also worked on treatment issues, in part with researchers from Umeå University. The Authority has also produced and updated a number of methods manuals that provide support in cases concerning non-contact orders, in the treatment of crime victims and concerning gross violations of integrity and gross violations of a woman’s integrity.

98.Since 2006 the Swedish Prosecution Authority has appointed a number of dedicated specialists in violence in relationships that have in-depth knowledge of violence in close relationships. Now there are such specialists in virtually every public prosecution office in Sweden.

99.The Swedish Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority has been given a commission to further develop and implement a training programme aimed at staff in the police, the Swedish Prosecution Authority and the courts system in 2011-2014. Lawyers who are members of the Swedish Bar Association will also be given the opportunity of participating. The purpose of the programme is to increase knowledge about victims of sexual crimes and improve the treatment of these crime victims in connection with reports to the police, preliminary investigations and trials. The report on the commission is to be presented by 15 June 2014 at the latest.

100.In October 2008 the Swedish Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority was commissioned by the Government to distribute funds to research and other studies, systematic method development and similar activities intended to increase knowledge about men’s violence against women, honour-related violence and oppression, violence in same-sex relationships and prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes over a two-year period. This commission also includes the development of methods intended to increase knowledge about men’s violence against women, including sexual violence and other sexual abuse.

101.As a commission from the Government, the National Police Board and the Police Authority in Skåne have designed a model for the investigation of violence against women and the treatment of crime victims in which the crime victims are received in premises that are specially designed and furnished to create a safe and secure atmosphere. The result — the Karin Project — is a model for collaboration between specialist police officers, prosecutors and social services.

Preventing and combating honour-related violence and oppression, including marriage against the will of one of the parties

102.Since the start of the century the Government has taken a range of measures to counter honour-related violence and oppression as well as child marriages and forced marriages. Much of the work on various measures builds on cooperation between county administrative boards, municipalities and civil society organisations. Several agencies have had commissions to chart the prevalence of honour-related violence and oppression. In 2008 the former National Board for Youth Affairs (now the Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society, called the former National Board for Youth Affairs below) reported in a survey of marriages arranged against the will of one party that about 70,000 young people aged 16-25 years felt that they did not have the opportunity to make a free choice of who to marry and about 8,500 of these young people were worried about being married against their will.

103.The Government has commissioned a number of agencies to take preventive action against honour-related violence and oppression, including marriage against the will of one party. Between 2006 and 2007 the former National Board for Youth Affairs was commissioned to support the action taken by girls’ refuges against honour-related violence in consultation with the county administrative boards. Thereafter the agency was also commissioned to provide training on action that can prevent men’s violence against girls and women, including honour-related violence and oppression (2007-2010).

104.A number of school agencies have also had commissions in this area. In 2008 the Swedish National Agency for School Improvement was commissioned to provide in-service training for school managers in compulsory and upper secondary school. In the period 2011-2014 the National Agency for Education was commissioned to provide in-service training to counter honour-related problems for the target groups of school principals, preschool heads, preschool teachers, recreation instructors, teachers and staff in school health services.

105.Since 2005 Östergötland County Administrative Board has been commissioned to provide support for national and cross-county action to address honour-related violence and oppression and to stop and prevent young people being married against their will. In 2012-2014 the County Administrative Board is to develop and spread information for young people and to spread a guide for the support and rehabilitation of young people who risk being, or have been, married against their will or subjected to honour-related violence and oppression. The agency has also delivered a large number of training courses for those who in their profession meet people subjected to honour-related violence and oppression and carried out information work targeted on children and young people. Since 2013 the Östergötland County Administrative Board has had a commission to develop a national skills team to address forced marriage and child marriage as well as honour-related violence and oppression. This commission has been extended until 2015.

106.In 2013 the Östergötland County Administrative Board and the National Board of Health and Welfare were commissioned to do preventive work against female genital mutilation. These commissions include action targeted on healthcare and a study intended to obtain information about how many are at risk of being subjected to female genital mutilation. In addition, proposals are to be developed as to how agencies and services can do preventive work and work with protection and support in cases where a girl or woman risks being subjected to female genital mutilation. Reports on the commissions are to be presented in 2015.

Measures against sexual violence and sexual exploitation

107.Since 2010 the Government has intensified work to prevent and combat rape and other sexual abuse by for instance increasing support for crime victims and by improving and increasing the effectiveness of the handling of rape cases by the justice system.

108.In 2013 the former National Board for Youth Affairs was commissioned to carry out a survey of work by voluntary associations to prevent sexual abuse and violations in the activities of voluntary associations. Based on that survey the Board is to highlight good examples of different ways of working and methods and spread this information in existing networks for government agencies and among civil society organisations. A report on the commission is to be presented in 2015.

109.In 2008 the former National Board for Youth Affairs was commissioned to prevent the sexual exploitation of young women and men from the age of 16 years. The agency had produced material on methods and held training courses on the sexual exploitation of young people and the exposure of young people to sexual harassment, threats, violence and experiences of selling sex. In 2014 the agency has a commission to produce a guide along with a number of municipalities for work on preventing sexual exploitation of children and young people and also for work on providing support for victims. The agency also has a commission to carry out action against violations, harassment and threats via the internet and other interactive media. In addition the Swedish Media Council has been commissioned to conduct the No Hate Speech Movement, a Council of Europe campaign, in Sweden in 2013 and 2014. The purpose of this campaign is to raise awareness of xenophobia, sexism and similar forms of intolerance on the internet and to mobilise to promote human rights, democracy and gender equality on the internet.

110.The Government has also commissioned the National Centre for Knowledge on Men’s Violence Against Women at Uppsala University to develop and improve the national helpline for women, Kvinnofridslinjen, so that it is better able to satisfy the needs of women who have been subjected to threats, violence or sexual abuse. A report from the commission is to be presented on 1 April 2015.

111.The Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority has since 2011 been commissioned to distribute funds to research etc. with the aim of improving knowledge about men’s violence against women, including sexual violence and other sexual abuse. A total of SEK 42 million was distributed in 2011-2014.

Preventive measures aimed at boys and men and the development of measures aimed at perpetrators of violence

112.Measures aimed at perpetrators have, up to now, mainly focused on developing the programmes of the Swedish Prison and Probation Service and action taken by the social services. Since the start of the century the Swedish Prison and Probation Service has worked with knowledge-based and quality-assured national programmes for the treatment of men convicted of sexual crimes and individuals convicted of violence in close relationships. Since 2007 the Government has allocated resources to enhance the treatment of men convicted of sexual crimes and men convicted of violence in close relationships. For instance, in the Government’s Action plan to address men’s violence against women, etc. the Swedish Prison and Probation Service was given a commission to carry out a special initiative in 2008-2010 intended to increase action for this group of male offenders. The results show that the Government’s investment in activities in the Swedish Prison and Probation Service that are aimed at violent men has, for instance, led to an increase in the number of completed treatment programmes for convicted men.

113.In 2013 the Government commissioned the Swedish Prison and Probation Service to intensify its work to prevent re-offending by taking action regarding persons convicted of violent crimes during the enforcement of their sentences. This work is to include enhanced action regarding risk assessments and treatment interventions aimed at various groups of persons convicted of violent crimes as part of the various activities of the Swedish Prison and Probation Service. The focus is to be on planning and preparing the post-release period in collaboration with the relevant actors so as to prevent re-offending. A final report on this commission is to be made to the Government in March 2017 at the latest.

114.In Stockholm County Council the Centre for Andrology and Sexual Medicine (CASM) at Karolinska University Hospital operates a service that receives people who commit, or are at risk of committing, sexual violence, including in the form of telephone activities, and that picks up this group to some extent. The Government has provided support for the telephone helpline, a ‘stop line’ against sexual violence, that is being run by the CASM.

115.The Government has also targeted action on young people who use violence or who may do so. In 2011 the National Board for Youth Affairs was commissioned to produce knowledge-based guidance about boys and young men and attitudes and values relating to gender equality, masculinity and violence. On the basis of the study Young people and violence — an analysis of masculinity and preventive services the agency has been commissioned to carry out action in the period 2012‑2014 focusing on producing knowledge-based guidance from a gender equality perspective that centres on attitudes and values in order to combat men’s violence against women.

Crime statistics

116.The National Council for Crime Prevention is responsible for publishing the official crime statistics, which contain data about the number of crimes reported. Reported crimes cover all the incidents reported and registered as crimes by the Police, the Swedish Prosecution Authority, the Swedish Customs and the Swedish Economic Crime Authority. This means that reported crimes also include incidents that turn out after an investigation not to be a crime or incidents where a crime cannot be proved.

Table 1 Reported crimes 2006-2013

	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Assault of a woman 1	25 491	26 857	25 926	26 261	27 312	27 972	28 360	27 056
Assault of a girl (15-17 years)	–	–	2 389	3 021	2 910	2 633	2 457	2 290
Gross violation of a woman ’ s integrity	2 384	2 514	2 733	2 657	2 501	2 471	2 469	2 136
Rape of a woman (18 years or older) 2	–	–	2 946	2 935	3 245	3 415	3 307	3 224
Rape of a girl (15-17 years) 2	–	–	978	920	770	708	786	710
Unlawful threat against a woman (18 years or older)	18 956	19 524	20 034	20 009	20 558	20 246	19 389	19 547
Unlawful threat against a girl (under 18 years) 3	–	–	–	2 805	2 554	2 557	2 295	2 508

1Includes in 2006 and 2007 women aged 15 years or older, and as of 2008 women aged 18 years or older.

2For 2006 and 2007 there are no sex-disaggregated statistics and no specific statistics for the 15-17 age group either. The number of reported crimes of rape of persons aged 15 years or older (incl. boys/men) was 3,074 in 2006 and 3,535 in 2007. However, reported rapes of men are few in number. In 2008 a total of 101 rapes of boys (aged 15-17 years) and men were reported.

3There are no sex-disaggregated statistics for 2006-2008.

117.Since the statistics on lethal violence (completed murders, manslaughter, infanticide and causing another’s death through assault) give an overestimate of the actual number of cases the Council carries out an annual audit of the lethal violence reported. This is in order to produce corrected data from which incidents that are not lethal violence, incorrect reports and duplicates have been removed. These audits show that women account for about one third of the victims of lethal violence. In 2013 a total of 87 cases of lethal violence were established in Sweden, and in 26 of these cases the victim was a woman.

118.The Swedish Crime Survey (NTU) is a large questionnaire survey conducted by the National Council for Crime Prevention each year. In this survey some 13,000 people aged 16-79 years reply to questions about exposure to crime, insecurity and confidence in the justice system. The survey includes questions about exposure to 10 different types of crimes including assault, sexual crimes, threats and harassment. The results are reported disaggregated by sex, age, type of crime scene and relationship to the perpetrator.

119.The Survey gives disaggregated figures for people born in Sweden with both/one parent born in Sweden and with both parents born abroad and for persons born abroad. However, there is no disaggregation by both sex and Swedish/foreign background since the number of respondents in each group would then be too small for the report to be reliable and usable.

Article 4 — Acceleration of actual equality between men and women

Article 4.1-4.2

120.Recommendation 25 has been taken into account in the information given below.

121.Action to accelerate actual equality between men and women in different areas is reported under the relevant article in this report. See also Sweden’s previous reports.

122.In order to accelerate developments towards gender equality the Government has allocated almost SEK 2.4 billion for special measures in the period 2006-2014, These resources have been distributed to action to achieve the objectives of gender equality policy through a broad effort to develop methods for gender mainstreaming in both central government and local government services and by other means. Research and knowledge development in the area of gender equality have been promoted. Priority has been given to work to prevent men’s violence against women, including prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes.

123.Pregnancy benefit can be paid to a woman at the end of her pregnancy if she has a physically demanding job that reduces her work capacity. A pregnant employee who is prohibited from continuing to work on account of risks in her work environment may also be entitled to pregnancy benefit. As of 1 January 2014 pregnant self-employed persons are also covered by the right to pregnancy benefit on account of risks in their work environment. In 2012 some 20 per cent of all pregnant women received pregnancy benefit. A woman also has the option of using parental leave days at the end of her pregnancy if she wishes to reduce her working hours or to be off work before delivering her baby.

Article 5 — Gender stereotypes, parental leave, etc.

124.Measures intended to make it easier for parents to combine paid work and family life are reported under Article 11. See also information about the promotion of gender equality in the area of education and the area of culture under Articles 10 and 13 and Sweden’s previous reports. Recommendations 23 and 27 have been taken into account in the information given below.

Article 5.a — Countering gender stereotypes

125.The Government Bill Education and accessibility — public service broadcasting 2014-2019 (Govt Bill 2012/13:164) was adopted by the Riksdag in November 2013. In this Bill the Government states that through their special status and their programming the public service broadcasters Sveriges Radio AB (SR), Sveriges Television AB (SVT), and Sveriges Utbildningsradio AB (UR) have more opportunity than other media companies to influence attitudes in society and that it is therefore natural to make higher demands on public service programming. This is why the broadcasting licences of SR, SVT and UR for the period 2014-2019, which were adopted in December 2013, contain a provision that their programming as a whole is to be conducted from a gender equality and diversity perspective.

126.The government agency the Swedish Media Council was formed on 1 January 2011. The Swedish Media Council is to work to strengthen children and young people as aware media users and protect them from harmful media influences. Like other agencies in the area of culture the agency is to have a gender equality and diversity perspective in its activities.

127.In 2008 the Government commissioned Statistics Sweden (SCB) to carry out a time use study. The study makes it possible to describe similarities and differences between the living conditions of women and men concerning the activities and organisation of everyday life. On the basis of the aim that women and men should share unpaid work equally, the statistics indicate that women and men in Sweden are more gender equal today than in the past. Women are reducing their housework while men are devoting at least as much time to housework as in the past. This reduction of housework has, in turn, provided the opportunity for more paid work.

128.The Government has given the former National Board for Youth Affairs a number of commissions aimed at changing attitudes and values in order to combat men’s violence against women and sexual exploitation, see under Article 3 for more information.

Article 5.b — Parental leave etc.

129.To clarify the responsibility of both parents for their child and reduce conflicts between parents, new rules for parental benefit have been introduced for children born on or after 1 January 2014.

•The payment levels of parental benefit (the sickness benefit level and the minimum level) will be shared equally between parents with joint custody of a child. This means that parents will have the right to parental benefit for 195 days at the sickness benefit level or basic level and 45 days at the minimum level. As before, days can be transferred between parents, apart from 60 days at the sickness benefit level for each parent. When parents have joint custody of a child, half of the child allowance is to be paid to each parent, if the parents have not reported who is to be the recipient. If the child resides alternately with both parents, half of the child allowance is paid to each parent, if the parent who wants the benefit to be shared shows that it is probable that there is alternate residence.

130.The Government has set a target for the Swedish Social Insurance Agency concerning information about parental insurance to ensure that both parents are given good knowledge of the rules for parental insurance, thus enabling them to have freedom of choice, gender equal parenthood and power over their life situation. In 2013 the Swedish Social Insurance Agency implemented a range of measures to strengthen information to parents and to further develop and provide self-service services that make it easier to plan parental leave.

131.In 2012 the Government commissioned the Swedish Social Insurance Agency to carry out a study aimed at parents about their deliberations concerning parental leave and claims of parental benefit and the possibilities of combining work and family life. The purpose was to increase knowledge about what is behind parents’ decisions on parental leave with and without claims of parental benefit.

132.The Parental Leave Act contains provisions prohibiting disadvantageous treatment of job applicants and employees for reasons associated with parental leave. Under these provisions the Equality Ombudsman has the right to take legal action in a court of law on behalf of an individual. In 2007 the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman held a national information campaign in cooperation with 6 county administrative boards on the prohibition of disadvantaging. The target groups were the social partners and the general public. An information brochure was produced in the run-up to the campaign and spread around the country. All 6 counties were given the opportunity of arranging consultations with lawyers from the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman. The campaign ended with a national conference. There was a marked increase in the number of complaints and enquiries concerning the prohibition of disadvantaging during the campaign.

133.During the period (2006-2014) the Labour Court has examined questions concerning disadvantaging for reasons associated with parental leave or discrimination that is associated with pregnancy in 8 cases. See Annex 2.

Article 6 — Trafficking in women and exploitation of women in prostitution

134.Recommendations 31 and 33 have been taken into account in the information given below.

Action plan against prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes

135.On 10 July 2008 the Government adopted an Action plan against prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes. The action plan focuses on the needs of the individual and consists of 5 action areas: increased support and protection for victims; stronger preventive work; enhanced quality and effectiveness in the justice system; the development of action targeted at perpetrators; greater national and international collaboration; and increased knowledge. A total of SEK 210 million was allocated to 36 measures in the period 2008-2010. Funding of several of the measures has continued in the period 2011-2014. Commissions to Stockholm County Administrative Board; the National Police Board and the Swedish Prosecution Authority; the Swedish Institute; and the Swedish Prison and Probation Service can be mentioned as examples of these 36 measures. See the next 4 paragraphs for information about these commissions.

136.The Government commissioned the Stockholm County Administrative Board to coordinate at national level the work being done by government agencies against prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes. The work covers stronger collaboration, operational support on methods, work on secure return and support programmes for rehabilitation for individuals who have been subjected to prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes. In April 2013 this commission was extended to cover all forms of human trafficking.

137.The Government commissioned the National Police Board and the Swedish Prosecution Authority to strengthen action against prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes. A total of SEK 30 million was distributed for operational measures and SEK 10 million for the development of methods and professional development. This initiative has contributed to increased skills among police and prosecutors at the same time as there has been an increase in the number of reports to the police concerning, preliminary investigations started on and prosecutions for human trafficking and crimes similar to human trafficking.

138.As part of the action plan against prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes, the Government commissioned the Swedish Prison and Probation Service to identify and offer support, advice and rehabilitation to women who have been subjected to human trafficking or have been in prostitution. According to the agency this action has helped to shed light on the conditions of these women, to increase knowledge in the agency and to changes in working methods.

139.The Government commissioned the National Council for Crime Prevention to monitor the implementation of the Government’s Action plan against prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes. The Council’s report concludes that the action plan has helped to increase awareness of the existence of these problems in Sweden and put the issue on the agenda among those who do or may come into contact with these problems in their work. In that sense the action taken in the action plan has made a clear impression. However, the difficulties are that prostitution and human trafficking are relatively hidden and unresearched problems and that relatively few people seek help on their own initiative to get away from prostitution and human trafficking. Despite these difficulties the Council considers that in the long term the measures in the action plan will be able to contribute to better preventive and crime prevention measures and better support for victims.

Legislation etc.

140.In 2011 the maximum penalty for purchasing sexual services was raised from imprisonment for 6 months to imprisonment for 1 year. The purpose of this tougher penalty is to create greater scope for a more nuanced assessment of penal value in serious cases of purchases of sexual services.

141.In principle Swedish jurisdiction covers all crimes abroad that are committed by Swedish citizens or aliens habitually resident in Sweden. However, there is a requirement of double criminality, which means that the act must not be free from criminal liability under the law where the act was committed for there to be Swedish jurisdiction. Swedish law has made exceptions from the requirement for double criminality for, in principle, all sexual crimes against children. In addition, an amendment to the law in 2013 also exempted the purchase of a sexual act from a child from this requirement.

142.On 1 July 2010 the penal provision on human trafficking was altered in order to increase the effectiveness of the provision and strengthen the protection in penal law against human trafficking. The amendments inter alia removed the control requirement, i.e. the requirement that the perpetrator takes control of the victim though a trafficking act. In addition, the dual criminality requirement was removed so as to give Swedish courts jurisdiction over human trafficking offences committed abroad.

143.As mentioned in Sweden’s previous report, Sweden signed the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings in May 2005. The Convention entered into force on 1 February 2008. When the protection in penal law against human trafficking was strengthened, the legislative amendments needed to ratify the Convention were also made. Sweden deposited its instrument of ratification of the Convention on 31 May 2010. The Convention entered into force for Sweden on 1 September 2010.

144.Sweden has taken the measures necessary to implement Directive 2011/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2011 on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA.

Scale of purchases of sexual services and human trafficking

145.Sweden’s national rapporteur in matters concerning human trafficking at the National Police Board considers that it is difficult to estimate the number of victims of human trafficking in Sweden. In 2012 the police drew up 21 reports on human trafficking for sexual purposes and 48 reports on human trafficking for non-sexual purposes. In all the reports on human trafficking for sexual purposes the victims were women.

146.The official crime statistics do not report sex-disaggregated statistics concerning purchases of sexual services and human trafficking for sexual purposes. However, there are statistics about the number of reported crimes that are not disaggregated by sex. In the period 2008-2011 the number of purchases of sexual services reported to the police was 2581. The majority of the sellers were women aged 18-25 years who were often in a very vulnerable situation. The police authorities in the metropolitan counties cooperate with the prostitution groups of the social services in cases concerning sexual purchases and human trafficking for sexual purposes.

Table Reported crimes 2006-2013 — Not disaggregated by sex

	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013
Purchase of sexual services	163	189	187	352	1 277	765	551	544
Human trafficking for sexual purposes	27	15	15	31	32	35	21	40
Of which with children under 18 years	–	–	–	9	7	10	9	11
Of which with persons 18 years or older	–	–	–	22	25	25	12	29

Source: National Council for Crime Prevention.

147.In 2008 the Government appointed an inquiry to evaluate the application of the prohibition of the purchase of sexual services and the effects that prohibition has had. According to the inquiry the prohibition of the purchase of sexual services has had the intended effect and is an important instrument in the fight against prostitution and human trafficking for sexual purposes. Street prostitution in Sweden has been halved since 1999 when the prohibition was introduced, and this is assumed to be directly related to the prohibition. There is nothing to indicate that there has been a greater increase in prostitution via the Internet in Sweden than in comparable countries. Nor does the volume of indoor prostitution, i.e. prostitution at hotels, restaurants, sex clubs and similar, appear to have increased in recent years. So, according to the inquiry, there is nothing to indicate that street prostitution has shifted to prostitution on the Internet or indoor prostitution.

Table Number of individuals in street prostitution 1998-2008

	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Stockholm	280	170	No data	No data	No data	200	No data	150	200	No data	180
Gothenburg	286	90	No data	No data	No data	100	30	30	No data	No data	64
Malmö	160	80	111	123	135	106	98	92	67	74	52

Sources: National Board of Health and Welfare, information from the prostitution groups in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö and Population Statistics from Statistics Sweden.

148.Moreover, the Inquiry concludes that it is difficult to assess the exact extent of human trafficking for sexual purposes in Sweden. However, there is significantly less human trafficking in Sweden than in comparable countries. According to the National Bureau of Investigation it is clear that the prohibition counters the establishment of human traffickers in Sweden since criminal groups view Sweden as a poor market. The prohibition of purchases of sexual services has also had a normative effect. Today the prohibition is supported by more than 70 per cent of the population. According to the inquiry the prohibition has also had a deterrent effect on sex purchasers. The Inquiry could not find that criminalisation has had a negative effect on people exploited through prostitution. Nor is there anything to suggest that purchasers have become more violent since the prohibition was introduced. This is viewed as a myth by both police and women who have left prostitution. Nor is there any indication that the criminalisation of sex purchases has made it more difficult for the individuals exploited in street prostitution to get in touch with the authorities.

149.The National Board of Health and Welfare has had a commission to monitor the scale of prostitution. Its last report Awareness of prostitution 2007 was presented in 2007. In 2013 the Government commissioned the National Board of Health and Welfare to regularly examine development trends in prostitution and to gather information on this basis about the need for support and assistance as seen by the people who sell and buy sexual services themselves. This commission includes examining the needs of the social services and healthcare for further knowledge‑based guidance so as to be better able to meet the needs of these people and also giving attention to LGBT people who buy and sell sexual services. The next report is to be presented in spring 2014.

150.The Government has commissioned the Stockholm County Administrative Board to map and gather information about the development and scale of prostitution in Sweden. The commission includes analysing the spread, scale and forms of prostitution including new trends, contact paths and who buy and sell sexual services, as well as describing international developments in the area. A report on the commission is to be presented in 2015.

Part II

Article 7 — Political and public life

151.Recommendation 25 has been taken into account in the information given below.

152.In December 2013 the Government presented the communication A policy for a living democracy to the Riksdag. In it the Government sets out the direction of further work to achieve the objective of democracy policy. As mentioned in the introductory section one of the subsidiary objectives of gender equality policy is that women and men are to have the same right and opportunities to be active citizens and to shape the conditions for decision-making.

153.See also the information on minority policy under Article 2.c.

Article 7.a — Voter turnout

154.Voter turnout in general elections has increased in the past 2 elections (2006 and 2010). In the Riksdag election in 2010 voter turnout was 84.6 per cent. Since 1973 voter turnout has been higher for women than for men. At the Riksdag election in 2010 their voter turnout was 1 percentage point higher. Voter turnout for young women aged 18-24 years is 4 percentage points higher than for men in the same age group.

155.In 2014 general elections will be held to the Riksdag and to municipal and county council assemblies as well as to the European Parliament. The Government is going to allocate SEK 61 million to measures to promote voter turnout. Young people and people born abroad are priority target groups. The measures include support to municipalities and civil society for action to promote voter turnout. These activities will primarily be carried out in areas with low voter turnout in previous general elections.

Article 7.b — Elected representatives

156.The Government is working for broader and gender equal participation in elected assemblies. In June 2014 the Government appointed an inquiry on democratic participation and influence. The inquiry’s remit will include reviewing the conditions for elected representatives. It is also to present proposals for measures that can encourage more individuals to choose to become involved as elected representatives, especially as regards under-represented groups such as young people, women and people born abroad, and to give examples of how gender equality can be improved in municipal and county council executive boards, especially regarding more important elected posts. The inquiry is to present its report in December 2016.

157.The Government is implementing several measures to support women’s organisation. Since 2011 the Board for Financial Support to Political Parties has paid support of SEK 15 million each year to the women’s organisations of all the parties represented in the Riksdag on the basis of the applications received.

158.Fewer women than men are members of political parties. In Sweden about 6 per cent of men are members of a political party compared with 4 per cent of women. In contrast more young women than young men are involved in politics. In the 16-25 age group 4.2 per cent of women are members of a political party compared with 3.7 per cent of men.

Distribution of women and men in political assemblies, public and private boards, publicly owned companies and private enterprise

The Riksdag and the Government

159.The Government consists of 24 ministers. 11 of them are men and 13 women.

160.There are 349 seats in the Riksdag and after the 2010 Riksdag election women hold 157 (45 per cent) and men 192 (55 per cent). The share of women in the Riksdag has decreased by 2 percentage points since the 2006 election.

	Women		Men
Party	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	Total
Social Democratic Party	54	48.2	58	51.8	112
Moderate Party	51	47.7	56	52.3	107
Liberal Party	10	41.7	14	58.3	24
Christian Democrats	7	36.8	12	63.2	19
Left Party	11	57.9	8	42.1	19
Centre Party	7	30.4	16	69.6	23
Green Party	14	56.0	11	44.0	25
Sweden Democrats	3	15.0	17	85.0	20
Total	157	45	192	55	349

Source: Sami Parliament.

161.It follows from Section 5 of the Act on National Minorities and Minority Languages that the national minorities shall be given the opportunity to exert influence on issues that concern them and that government agencies shall consult as far as possible with representatives of the minorities in such matters. According to the preliminary works to the Act particular action shall be taken to promote the participation of women.

162.The Sami Parliament in Sweden is both a central government agency and a popularly elected parliament for Sami. As a popularly elected body the Sami Parliament consists of 31 members, 14 of whom are women (45 per cent) and 17 of whom are men (55 per cent) The Board of the Sami Parliament consists of 7 members, 3 of whom are women and 4 men.

163.Between 2008 and 2011 the Sami Parliament was commissioned to carry out a special initiative to strengthen the participation of Sami women in society and their standing in political decision-making and to promote the participation of Sami women in the democratic process. As part of this commission the Sami Parliament has provided training and spread information on gender equality issues, the political parties have been allocated funds for their internal work on gender equality and various types of mapping work on gender equality has been carried out in the Sami community. These activities have been aimed at administration staff and politicians at the Sami Parliament and in Sami villages and Sami associations. A report on the commission was presented in March 2011 with the Sami Parliament reporting increased knowledge and changed attitudes regarding gender equality in the Sami community.

Municipalities and county councils

164.After the election in 2010 the average proportion of women in municipal and county council assemblies is 43 and 48 per cent respectively. The under-representation of women is more pronounced among elected representatives who are over 50, while the gender distribution is more even among younger elected representatives. The proportion of women among candidates to municipal assemblies has increased from 37 per cent in 1991 to 41 per cent in 2010. The chance for a woman candidate to take a high placing on the parties’ lists of candidates has increased in recent years and is now even slightly higher than for men. The proportion of women placed in electable positions on party ballot papers is higher than the proportion of women among the candidates nominated. This suggests that the parties take account of the sex of candidates when ranking their ballot papers in order to improve the gender balance.

165.Even through there have been improvements regarding gender equality on the executive committees of municipalities and county councils, there are still some challenges to be addressed in order to achieve a more even representation of women and men among people who are politically active. Women account for 37 per cent of Sweden’s full-time politicians and 31 per cent of the first names on ballot papers for municipal assemblies. In addition, there are gender-stereotyped differences in the distribution between different policy areas. At municipal level men are over-represented in committees responsible for questions such as infrastructure, business, tourism and building matters, while women are over-represented in committees responsible for childcare and elderly care.

166.The distribution in the more influential decision-making bodies has improved. After the 2010 election 41 per cent of members of municipal executive committees are women, and every third chair of a municipal assembly is a woman. The proportion of women in higher-ranking positions has increased slightly since the previous election. The increase has been most conspicuous at county council level, where 47 per cent of executive committee members and 48 per cent of holders of chair positions are women.

Public boards

167.The work of the Government to have an equal gender distribution on the boards and advisory councils of government agencies has produced results. In recent years the proportion of women on the boards and advisory councils of government agencies has varied between 48 and 49 per cent. In 2012 the proportion of women was 49 per cent and the proportion of men 51 per cent.

168.The work of the Government to achieve an equal gender distribution has also produced results regarding increasing the proportion of women who chair public boards. In 2012 the proportion of female chairs was 41 per cent.

Heads of government agencies

169.In 2012 the Government appointed a total of 34 agency heads, 18 men and 16 women. The proportion of women was 47 per cent. The total proportion of women among agency heads was 46.5 per cent in September 2013, which represents an increase of 1.4 percentage points since 2012. As a result of changes in the government agency structure the total number of agency heads appointed by the Government has decreased from 204 in 2012 to 198 in 2013.

Publicly owned companies

170.The Swedish government holds one of the largest portfolios of companies in Sweden. These companies employ about 175 000 people. There are about 375 people on their boards. To be considered for a board place an individual must have general expertise in either business management, business development, industry knowledge or financial issues or in other relevant areas. The composition must also achieve a balance in terms of expertise, background, age and gender. In 2012, 49 per cent of board members in wholly state-owned companies were women. The results concerning the state-owned companies have been achieved through conscious and active corporate governance.

171.MD posts and management teams are still dominated by men. Men hold 72 per cent of MD posts and 62 per cent of positions in management teams. The state’s ownership policy prescribes that these companies are to be role models in gender equality work, and the Government sees it as an ongoing and important task to make use of the competencies represented by women and men, not least in appointments at management level. These appointments are followed up annually through the companies’ reports to the Government and Riksdag.

Private enterprise

172.Slow progress is being made in private enterprise. In 2005 the proportion of women on company boards was 16.1 per cent. In 2013 the proportion of women was 23.7 per cent. On average there is an increase of a few percentage points per year. Although the number of women who are board chairs and MDs has increased, it has done so from a very low level to 4.8 and 6.1 per cent respectively between 2005 and 2013.

173.In 2005 private enterprise introduced the Swedish Corporate Governance Code (revised in 2010) that all listed companies are required to follow, but a number of other companies have also chosen to follow this Code on a voluntary basis. The Code is intended as self-regulation and is, as such, an alternative to legislation. The Code lays down that companies shall strive for equal gender distribution. The Code follows the comply or explain principle. On a number of occasions the Government has noted that private enterprise is bad at complying with the code when it comes to gender equality.

174.In December 2007 the Government commissioned the Swedish Administrative Development Agency (Verva) to design a career development programme for women in central government. The programme was extended and a final report was made in 2010.

175.In 2009 the Government commissioned Almi to be responsible for the Styrelsekraft (Board Power) programme whose purpose is to increase expertise about board work and the percentage of women in management positions and on boards, both in state-owned companies and government agencies and in private companies. The mentees are primarily to be women who own a company and want their company to grow. The mentors are expected to have broad experience of board work. Most comments from mentors have been positive. The programme is part of a major initiative to promote women’s enterprise. For more information, see under Article 11.

176.Golden Rules of Leadership is a commission from the Government that focuses on women’s leadership and entrepreneurship. See also Article 11.

Composition of the courts

177.The Government has taken several steps to increase the number of women judges and to get more women interested in management positions. The Courts of Sweden has special reporting requirements concerning measures taken to achieve an equal gender distribution. Its reports must also set out the proportion of women and men at management level and what measures have been taken to achieve an equal gender distribution at this level. Work was started in 2007 focusing on employeeship and the importance of a gender equality perspective in day-to-day work and conditions at workplaces. The new management training programme started by the Swedish National Courts Administration in 2008 treats gender equality and diversity issues in one of the sections of the course. The Administration has continued to give support to local networks, particularly women’s networks.

General courts and general administrative courts

178.In 2013 women accounted for 45 per cent and men for 55 per cent of permanent judges in the general courts. This is an increase of 15 percentage points since 2006 in the proportion of women among permanent judges. In 2013 women accounted for 57 per cent and men for 43 per cent of permanent judges in the general administrative courts. This is an increase of 14 percentage points since 2006 in the proportion of women among permanent judges. The share of women among chief judges has also increased in recent years.

Labour Court

179.In 2013, 2 of the chairs of the Labour Court were women and 1 was a man. Out of the 4 vice-chairs 3 are men and 1 is a woman. Women accounted for 47 per cent and men for 53 per cent of the permanent and employee members of the Court.

Article 7.c — Voluntary associations

180.See the report under Article 13.

Article 8 — International representation and international participation

181.Slightly over 1,000 Swedes work in the EU institutions, half of them in the European Commission. In the Commission 62 per cent of Swedes are women and 38 per cent men. The proportion of women has increased by 4 percentage points since the pervious report in 2006.

182.The gender distribution for Swedish citizens in the Commission is as follows:In the category officials and senior officials 51 per cent are women and 49 per cent men. The proportion taken by women has increased by 5 percentage points since the previous report and there is balance in the officials group as a whole. In the category assistants, 78 per cent are women and 22 per cent men and in the category employees with fixed-term contracts 79 per cent are women and 21 per cent are men.

183.As regards Swedish citizens serving at management level in international organisations apart from the EU, i.e. the OECD, the World Bank and other development banks, the OSCE and the Council of Europe, the number of women is estimated at 24 and the number of men at 27. In addition, it can be mentioned that the last 3 Swedish judges at the European Court of Human Rights since 1988 have been women.

184.As regards heads of mission at Swedish embassies, consulates-general, representations and delegations and institutes abroad as well as Stockholm-based ambassadors, in February 2014 about 4 of 10 were women: 42 women and 64 men.

185.Even though there is an equal distribution of women and men among younger employees in EU institutions, women are still underrepresented at management levels. The Government is seeking to have the terms of employment at these institutions framed in a way that benefits gender equality. The aim is to be to benefit career development among women and to give support to women who choose to advance to various management levels.

Article 9 — Citizenship

Article 9.1

186.The acquisition of Swedish citizenship is regulated in the Act on Swedish Citizenship (2001:82), last amended in 2014. As a whole, the rules on acquisition and loss of Swedish citizenship reflect the fundamental idea of a citizenship based on affinity with Sweden. Swedish citizenship can be acquired at birth, through adoption and registration and by application. Citizenship by application (naturalization) can be granted if the individual meets certain criteria such as age, habitual residence and good conduct. The willingness to become a naturalized citizen is high in Sweden and about 60 per cent of foreign-born people resident in Sweden are Swedish citizens. In 2012 more than 50 179 people became Swedish citizens; some 51 per cent were women.

Article 9.2

187.No distinction is made between women and men in the Citizenship Act. The most recent amendment to the Act means that a child one of whose parents is a Swedish citizen always acquires Swedish citizenship on birth. In addition, whether a child’s parents are married is no longer of any importance for the child’s acquisition of citizenship. Under the previous rules children born abroad to unmarried Swedish fathers did not automatically become Swedish citizens and had to register for citizenship.

Article 10 — Education

188.Recommendations 25 and 39 have been taken into account in the information given below.

189.Under the Discrimination Act an education provider shall conduct goal-oriented work to actively promote equal rights and opportunities for the children, pupils or students participating in or applying for the activities, regardless of, sex and other grounds of discrimination. Each year an education provider shall draw up an equal treatment plan containing an overview of the measures needed to promote equal rights and opportunities and to prevent and hinder harassment. A provider who does not fulfil their obligations concerning active measures can be ordered to fulfil them subject to a financial penalty.

190.In 2007 and 2008 the former Equal Opportunities Ombudsman audited a number of equal treatment plans from a gender perspective. One of the audits was conducted in cooperation with the Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination. One finding of these audits is that there is a need for methods and ways of working to counter gender discrimination, sexual harassment and harassment on grounds of sex.

191.Since the formation of its audit unit in 2012 the Equality Ombudsman has conducted several audits. In 2012 an audit was conducted of the work of 35 school organisers on active measures. After the completion of the audit, the majority of these plans had a clear structure presenting objectives and measures for promotion and preventive work. In connection with the audit many schools further developed their pupil questionnaires so as to be able to pick up various forms of harassment. In 2013 an audit was made of the work of 20 higher education institutions on active measures.

192.The Equality Ombudsman arranges network meetings for higher education institutions and other stakeholders. These network meetings are a forum for dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experience between the Equality Ombudsman and these key players on discrimination issues in their specific areas.

Article 10.a

Preschool, compulsory school and upper secondary school

193.As stated in Sweden’s core document primary and secondary school is compulsory for children aged 7-16 and all children resident in Sweden have an obligation to attend school.

194.The proportion of children aged 3-5 years who are enrolled in preschool is slightly more than 94 per cent. Boys account for a marginally higher proportion of children enrolled in preschool than girls.

195.No account is taken of sex when adults apply to upper secondary education and applicants are admitted on the basis of their grades. In school year 2012/13 the women accounted for 48 per cent of pupils at upper secondary school and men for 52 per cent.

196.A new Education Act (2010:800) is in force as of 1 July 2011. Under the Act all children and pupils shall have equal access to education in the school system, and education in the school system shall be of equal quality in each form of school and in each recreation centre irrespective of where in the country the education is organised. The Act also provides that all pupils in all forms of school apart from preschool and preschool classes shall have access to study and vocational guidance.

197.In 2011 the National Agency for Education was commissioned to take action in 2011-2014 to strengthen quality and gender equality perspectives in study and vocational guidance. As part of this action the National Agency for Education is to offer continued professional development for study and career guidance advisers. The purpose of this action is to be able to give pupils broad, balanced and gender-neutral guidance to the labour market. This guidance is to assume that all occupational areas are possible for both girls and boys, women and men.

198.As of the autumn term 2011 new curricula apply to the compulsory forms of school. The Curriculum for the compulsory school, preschool class and the recreation centre, 2011 (Lgr11) states that everyone working in school should help to ensure that the pupil’s educational and occupational choices are not limited by gender, or social or cultural background.

199.In the 2013 Budget Bill the Government has calculated allocating a total of SEK 36 million for the period 2013–2016 for the continued professional development of study and vocational advisers. The purpose is to increase the quality of the guidance and information so that pupils can make better informed choices.

200.According to the new curriculum for upper secondary school, which is to be applied as of 1 July 2011, schools shall inform and guide pupils prior to their choices of courses, further education and occupational activities and counter restrictions in their choices that are based on views about gender and on social or cultural background.

Adult education

201.No account is taken of sex when adults apply to postsecondary education and applicants are admitted on the basis of their grades. In municipal adult education the applicants admitted in the first place to upper secondary and vocational education are those with short previous education.

202.In municipal adult education women still make up the great majority compared to men. But the proportion of women fell from 66 per cent in 2007 to 64.2 per cent in 2012 and in the corresponding period the proportion of men increased from 34 per cent to 35.8 per cent.

203.The Education Act (2010:800) provides that municipalities shall seek to offer education that corresponds to demand and needs. One consequence of this is that it must be possible to combine studies in adult education with other education and also with working life and family situations. At present a review is under way of education in Swedish for immigrants (sfi) and basic adult education to see whether these courses of study can correspond better to the different needs of both women and men.

204.Advanced Vocational Education (AVE) has been replaced by higher vocational education programmes. However the new agency, the Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational Education, which started its activities in July 2009, has the same ambition of countering gender-bound choices. The Instructions for the Swedish National Agency for Higher Vocational Education state that the agency is to integrate a gender equality perspective and a human rights perspective into its activities. Programmes in higher vocational education have a gender mix of 50/50. But women and men choose different programmes. There are still gender-bound choices.

Higher education

205.Under Chapter 1, Section 5 of the Higher Education Act higher education institutions shall always take account of and promote equality between women and men in their activities. As part of this task higher education institutions shall work for a more equal gender distribution and counter harassment among staff and students.

206.Out of those who started higher education in 2012, 58 per cent were women and 42 per cent men. In undergraduate education the proportions of women and men are largely unchanged since 2001, 60 per cent and 40 per cent respectively.

207.In research programmes the gender distribution is largely equal among new students; in 2012 the same number of women and men completed doctoral degrees. Men were in the majority among foreign doctoral students in 2012, 60 per cent were men and 40 per cent were women. These proportions have been largely unchanged since 1997. For Swedish doctoral students the corresponding figures were 48 per cent men and 52 per cent women.

208.Students’ study choices are still gender-related. This is seen most clearly in teaching and healthcare programmes and in certain engineering and natural science programmes. This fact is also reflected in research programmes. The Government’s objective is for the gender distribution in courses and study to be equal and the Government therefore makes annual demands on higher education institutions to report action taken to achieve a more equal gender distribution.

209.The proportion of women among professors has increased by about 1 percentage point per year since 2006, from 17 to 24 per cent in 2012. Among senior lecturers the share of women has increased from 37 per cent in 2006 to 45 per cent in 2012. To promote an increase in the proportion of women among professors the Government set targets for the period 2012-2015 for 34 higher education institutions regarding the recruitment of women professors. These targets are calculated in the light of the recruitment base (senior lecturers and research associates) by research subject. This type of target has existed since 1997, except for the years 2009-2011.

210.In 2011 higher education institutions were given greater freedom and autonomy concerning teaching appointments. Women and men are to have equal representation among participants in the preparation of these matters. There is also to be equal representation among assessors in the appointment of professors. The Swedish Higher Education Authority has had a commission to monitor the development of gender equality at higher education institutions as a result of this. The report on this commission was presented at the end of May 2014. The report showed that the proportion of women among research and teaching staff has increased since 2008 but that the increase has tailed off slightly since 2011, mainly among professors and senior lecturers. However, the change is small and it is too early to decide whether or not it is temporary. The Swedish Higher Education Authority also has the task of continuously following the activities of higher education institutions, and this includes gender equality analyses.

211.The Government has allocated SEK 50 million up until 2016 to finance posts and research funding for prominent young researchers. The Swedish Research Council has been instructed to monitor that women and men are given the same opportunities and conditions to access this funding. The Government has commissioned the Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems (VINNOVA) to distribute, in consultation with the Swedish Research Council, funds for research that is of the highest scientific quality in various scientific disciplines and that is expected to contribute to development and progress for practical gender equality work in the academic world, business and the public sector. The volume of this initiative is SEK 32 million in 2013 and 2014.

212.In 2009 the Government appointed a Delegation for Gender Equality in Higher Education with the overall remit of promoting gender equality in higher education. The Delegation was to pay particular attention to the unequal gender distribution in senior posts and positions within higher education. As a result of the Delegation’s proposals (SOU 2011:1) the recruitment targets for women professors have been reviewed by the Government.

213.The Delegation for Gender Equality in Higher Education distributed some SEK 47 million to 37 different projects for gender equality. Some of the projects financed by the Delegation dealt with gender equality in recruitment and career paths in higher education. The Swedish Council for Higher Education has the task of compiling, analysing and spreading experience of all the projects carried out.

214.The Government has also commissioned the Equality Ombudsman to increase its supervision and promotion activities with respect to the work of higher education institutions on active measures under the Discrimination Act. This commission is for the period 2013-2014 and is to be reported no later than March 2015. See also the information under Article 11.

215.The Government has recently decided to conduct a survey of the distribution of the appropriation for research and postgraduate education from a gender equality perspective.

216.The tasks of the Swedish Research Council include the promotion of equality between women and men in its area of activities and reporting to what extent account has been taken of gender-specific circumstances in the disciplinary areas of the Swedish Research Council. The Swedish Research Council is also to conduct active development work so that its activities contribute to the realization of the objectives of gender equality policy. This means, for example, ensuring that both women and men are given the same opportunities and conditions for accessing research funds. Other research agencies and research councils such as the Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems (VINNOVA) also have the task of promoting gender equality in their area of activities in various ways.

Article 10.b

217.See Article 10.a.

Article 10.c

Preschool, compulsory school and upper secondary school

218.The Education Act (2010:800) lays down that education is to be designed in accordance with fundamental democratic values and human rights such as the inviolability of human life, the freedom and integrity of the individual, the equal worth of all people, gender equality and solidarity between individuals.

219.In 2008 the Government appointed a Delegation for Gender Equality in Schools (DEJA). DEJA operated in 2008-2010 and had the remit of highlighting and developing knowledge about gender equality in schools. The Delegation was to survey the knowledge field of gender equality in schools and produce knowledge overviews about teaching styles and language, reading and writing development. Its remit also included identifying areas where additional knowledge about gender equality and gender is needed. The experience of the Delegation provides input for current gender equality commissions.

220.Since 2006 the Government has given the Swedish National Agency for School Improvement and subsequently the National Agency for Education 3 general commissions on gender equality activities in the school system. These activities have mainly involved producing supporting material, offering supervision in development work and professional development for teachers and school governing bodies.

221.The revised Preschool Curriculum (Lpfö98) gives gender equality as one of the values that preschools are to keep alive in their work with children. Pre-school are to counter traditional gender patterns and roles. In pre-schools girls and boys are to have the same opportunities to test and develop their capacities and interests without constraints based on stereotyped gender roles. Preschools are also to work for girls and boys to have the same influence on and scope in their activities.

222.The new Curriculum for the compulsory school, preschool class and the recreation centres, 2011 (Lgr11) states that schools are to actively and consciously promote the equal rights and opportunities of men and women. It also states that schools have a responsibility to counter traditional gender patterns and shall therefore give pupils scope to test and develop their abilities and interests irrespective of gender.

223.According to the new Curriculum for upper secondary school the teacher shall ensure that the content and organisation of their instruction are characterised by a gender equality perspective.

224.In 2009 the Government commissioned the National Agency for Education to carry out activities in the period 2009-2011 to promote, strengthen and spread knowledge about the fundamental values of schools. The responsibility of schools to work actively to prevent and counter violations in the form of sexism and sex discrimination is highlighted in the commission. As part of this commission the National Agency for Education set up a single website for issues concerning fundamental values and arranged conferences for schools. The Agency also carried out a study on the work of schools on fundamental values and produced supporting material about tools and methods and supporting material about discrimination and degrading treatment.

225.In 2011 the National Agency for Education was given a new commission to strengthen the fundamental values of schools and their work against discrimination and degrading treatment in the period 2011-2014. As part of this commission the National Agency for Education is to offer staff in preschools, compulsory and upper secondary schools and recreation centres as well as school managers further training in order to strengthen the work of schools on fundamental values and in their work against discrimination and victimisation. This commission places particular emphasis on the importance of a gender perspective in the choice of action to address bullying. The final report from the commission is to be presented no later than 20 January 2015.

Higher education

226.See article 10.a.

Article 10.d

227.The study support system is still designed in a gender-neutral way so that all students receive the same amounts. In all parts of the student aid system (regarding upper secondary school, postsecondary studies and studies abroad) more women than men are recipients of student aid in percentage terms.

228.To make it easier for individuals with children to study, student aid in the form of an extra child allowance has been provided since 2006. Following a proposal in the 2013 Budget Bill the extra child allowance has been increased by 10 per cent in order to increase the financial security of parents who are students and their children. With this increase the extra child allowance strengthens the everyday financial situation of, for example, a student with 2 children by SEK 1027 per study month (2012 level). As shown in the table below, the majority of students with extra child allowance are women. In 2012, for example, some 78 000 students with student aid received extra child allowance, and 82 per cent of them were women and 18 per cent men.

Number of students with child allowance, 2008-2013

	2009	2010	2011	2012
Women	65 920	66 414	65 164	63 759
Men	14 072	15 011	14 692	14 263
Total	79 992	81 425	79 856	78 022

Article 10.e

229.See article 10.a.

Article 10.f

Preschool, compulsory school and upper secondary school

230.In 2008 the Swedish National Agency for School Improvement was commissioned to implement action for professional development in the period 2008-2010 in order to promote gender equality generally and to counter dropouts by pupils of the under-represented sex from upper secondary programmes that are dominated by one sex. The Agency was also to support municipalities and schools in their work to counter traditional study choices and promote gender equality. Higher education courses and conferences aimed at school staff were arranged as part of this commission. A number of films and sets of supporting material were also produced to provide information about issues concerning gender equality in educational and vocational choices.

231.In 2011, 12 per cent of young people leaving Year 9 of compulsory school were not eligible for a national programme at upper secondary school. This group contains slightly more boys than girls. Over a ten-year period the proportion who do not have this eligibility has been about 10 per cent on average. Almost 8 per cent of all upper secondary pupils drop out of their upper secondary education. The group contains roughly the same number of men and women.

232.In 2011 the Government commissioned the National Agency for Education to implement measures to improve school health services. This commission covered government grants for staff reinforcements in school health services and special teachers and for offers of training for the staff of school health services. Part of the background to this commission is that schools have to be able to give attention to the needs of support that boys and girls have at different ages in order to strengthen their psychosocial health.

233.As part of the Government’s Strategy for Roma inclusion the National Agency for Education is to ensure that suitable education is made available to train a total of some 20 bridge-builders in 2012-2015 in preschools, preschool classes and compulsory schools in a number of pilot municipalities in order to improve the educational situation of the Roma minority. This education is to focus on issues that deal with children’s and pupils’ learning and development as well as communication and cooperation between children, pupils, parents and other adults. The Roma bridge-builders function as a link between pupils and parents, on the one hand, and school staff and governing bodies, on the other. They are intended to reduce the information and understanding gap between these groups in order to increase the proportion of Roma pupils completing their schooling.

234.Young people who become parents before the age of 20 often need different support from those who become parents later in life. This applies, for example, to being able to complete their education in compulsory or upper secondary school. Young parents are at greater risk than other young people of ending up outside both the labour market and the education system. In 2011 the National Board for Youth Affairs was commissioned to produce supporting material for school governing bodies and other actors in order to improve the support for young parents to complete their education.

Article 10.g

Compulsory school

235.Physical education and health is a compulsory subject in compulsory school. The Education Act (2010:800) states that all children and pupils shall have equal access to education in the school system and that education in the school system shall be of equal quality irrespective of where in the country it is provided.

Article 10.h

Compulsory school and upper secondary school

236.The curricula for the compulsory school system and for upper secondary school state that education in sex and human relationships is an interdisciplinary area of knowledge that is to be treated as part of several different subjects, for example biology, civics, history and religion. According to the curriculum the principal of a compulsory school has a particular responsibility for integrating interdisciplinary areas of knowledge such as sex and human relationships and gender equality in instruction in various subjects. In a corresponding way the principal of an upper secondary school shall ensure that its pupils receive knowledge about sex and human relationships.

237.In 2008 the Swedish National Agency for School Improvement was commissioned to offer staff in compulsory school and upper secondary school further training in the teaching of sex and human relationships in the period 2008-2010 in order to promote gender equality.

238.In 2011 the National Agency for Education was given a continued commission to arrange further training in teaching sex and human relationships in the period 2011-2014. This was to cover training for teachers and other staff in the compulsory school system and upper secondary school in order to support the teaching of sex and human relationships. The Agency is also to develop and spread supporting material for teaching by the staff of sex and human relationships. This material is intended to provide support for school staff in giving young people the opportunity to reflect about their view of sexuality, gender equality and norms.

Article 11 — Labour market and working life

239.Recommendations 25, 27, 39 and 41 have been taken into account in the information given below.

240.Sex discrimination in working life is prohibited under the Discrimination Act. Moreover, under the Discrimination Act employers and employees shall cooperate on active measures to bring about equal rights and opportunities in working life regardless of sex and other grounds of discrimination. Pay surveys, gender equality plans and measures to help enable both women and men to combine employment and parenthood are some of the active measures that employers have to take.

Article 11.1.a-b — Labour force participation, part-time unemployment etc.

241.Viewed from an international perspective the labour force participation of women is high in Sweden. In 2012 it was only Iceland that had higher labour force participation among women in the OECD.

242.Table 1. Labour force participation 20-64 years, percentage of the population

	Men	Women	Total
2005	86.9	80.8	83.9
2006	87.0	80.7	83.9
2007	87.4	81.4	84.4
2008	87.8	81.5	84.7
2009	87.6	81.2	84.5
2010	88.0	81.0	84.5
2011	88.3	82.0	85.2
2012	88.5	82.3	85.5
2013	88.8	82.9	85.9

The statistics are based on the LFS (Labour Force Survey), Statistics Sweden and relate to 15 ‑ 74 years according to the international definition.

243.Table 2. Employment rate 20-64 years, percentage of the population

	Men	Women	Total
2005	80 . 7	75 . 5	78 . 1
2006	81 . 7	75 . 8	78 . 8
2007	83 . 1	77 . 1	80 . 1
2008	83 . 5	77 . 2	80 . 4
2009	80 . 9	75 . 7	78 . 3
2010	81 . 1	75 . 0	78 . 1
2011	82 . 1	76 . 5	79 . 4
2012	81 . 9	76 . 8	79 . 4
2013	82 . 2	77 . 2	79 . 8

The statistics are based on the LFS (Labour Force Survey), Statistics Sweden and relate to 15 ‑ 74 years according to the international definition.

244.Table 3. Unemployment rate 20-64 years, percentage of the labour force

	Men	Women	Total
2005	7.1	6.6	6.8
2006	6.1	6.0	6.1
2007	5.0	5.3	5.1
2008	4.9	5.2	5.1
2009	7.7	6.8	7.3
2010	7.8	7.4	7.6
2011	7.0	6.7	6.9
2012	7.5	6.6	7.1
2013	7.4	6.8	7.1

The statistics are based on the LFS (Labour Force Survey), Statistics Sweden and relate to 15 ‑ 74 years according to the international definition.

Women born abroad

245.The employment rate for women born abroad in Sweden is about 54 per cent, more than 8 percentage points lower than for men born broad and almost 20 percentage points lower than for women born in Sweden. Women born abroad, especially persons in need of protection and close relative immigrants, participate less in introduction activities and take more time than men born abroad to enter the labour market. One major gender equality challenge is therefore to put in place an integration policy that gives men and women the same opportunities.

246.The Introduction Act, which entered into force in 2010, entailed 3 changes that can contribute to promoting gender equality. First, it introduced an individual introduction benefit that is independent of the household’s overall finances. This gives women opportunities to have an income of their own and creates drivers for both spouses to take part in introduction activities. Second, it introduced compulsory civic orientation courses for all new arrivals participating in introduction activities. It is important to get early information about rights and obligations, the fundamental values in society and codes, not least from a gender equality perspective. Third, it introduced the possibility of access to pilots as a link to society. It is often the men who come to Sweden first, as a result of which the women are referred to their husbands as their only link to society. The possibility of choosing an introduction pilot also gives women access to their own network.

People with disabilities

247.Around 26 per cent of the Swedish population aged 16-64 years have some form of disability. This corresponds to about 1.6 million people in Sweden aged 16‑64 years. Some 53 per cent of them, corresponding to more than 800 000 people, say that their work capacity is reduced. The same proportion of men and women have disabilities. But it is more common for women than for men to say that their disability results in reduced work capacity.

248.Cardio-vascular diseases and impaired hearing are disabilities that are more common among men, while gastrointestinal disease and mental disabilities are more common among women.

In work. People with disabilities total, with and without reduced work capacity, remainder of the population and total population. Women and men — Percent. Year 2012

	Men	Women	Sign	Total
Persons with disability, total	64.8 ± 4.3	48.8 ± 4.1	*	57.0 ± 2.9
- with reduced work capacity	51.2 ± 6.8	38.7 ± 5.3	*	44.1 ± 4.2
- without reduced work capacity	75.7 ± 5.4	64.6 ± 6.4	*	71.2 ± 4.2
Rest of the population	78.1 ± 2.1	72.2 ± 2.1	*	75.2 ± 1.4
Population in total	74.6 ± 1.8	66.2 ± 1.8	*	70.5 ± 1.2

* Significant d ifference between women and men.

Source : Swedish Public Employment Service and Statistics Sweden report Conditions in working life .

249.Among people with disabilities and reduced work capacity a larger proportion of men than women are in work, 51 per cent compared with 39 per cent.

250.In 2012 more than every 6 person working part-time said that they wanted to and could work more. In 2012 this involved 193 000 people or 4.1 per cent of all people in employment. In particular, young women and people with fixed-term employment said that they wanted to and could work more. They are called under-employed part-time workers by the Labour Force Survey and the ILO. This group contains more than twice as many women as men. 6 per cent of women in employment work part time and want to and can work more, which can be compared with 2.5 per cent among men.

Population in employment, aged 20-64 years, by full-time and part-time employment

	Women		Men		Total
	Full time	Part time	Full time	Part time	Full time	Part time
2005	65	35	90	10	78	22
2006	65	35	90	10	78	22
2007	66	34	90	10	78	22
2008	66	34	90	10	79	21
2009	66	34	89	11	78	22
2010	67	33	89	11	79	21
2011	68	32	90	10	79	21
2012	69	31	89	11	79	21
2013	70	30	89	11	80	20

Article 11.1.c — The right to free choice of profession and employment, a gender-segregated labour market, enterprise, etc.

251.In June 2009 the Government adopted a cohesive strategy for gender equality in the labour market and the business sector. The more than 60 measures in the strategy include the use of SEK 235 million from the gender equality appropriation to finance special initiatives. The strategy sets out general, long-term directions for policy in 4 areas: countering the gender segregation of the labour market; promoting gender equal conditions for entrepreneurship; gender equal participation in working life; and gender equal working conditions.

252.In autumn 2011 the Government appointed a Delegation for Gender Equality in Working Life. The Delegation is to investigate the different conditions for women and men and to propose action that can promote gender equality in working life and reduce the pay gap between women and men. The Delegation is also to invite debate and spread information. The remit of the Delegation also includes analysing what contribution the Government and the social partners can make to achieving gender equality in working life; gathering and analysing good examples, from both Sweden and elsewhere, of gender equality in working life; giving particular attention to and making proposals for how to increase women’s labour force participation and proposing action that can promote gender equality in working life and reduce the pay gap between women and men. The inquiry is to present its final report in autumn 2014 at the latest.

253.The Government is using a total of SEK 41 million for measures to reduce sickness absence and work-related illnesses among women. SEK 25 million of this amount is going to rehabilitation projects to reduce sick listings for women. See 11.1.e for more information.

254.The Swedish Public Employment Service (AF) has been given a commission to carry out a pilot project intended to produce methods for increasing labour force participation among women born abroad who are not part of the labour force.

255.In order to make it easier for women and men to be able to combine work and family life the Government has introduced a tax reduction for expenditure for household work.

256.The Government has introduced a gender equality bonus intended to improve the conditions for gender equal parenthood and gender equal participation in working life. See article 11.2.

257.The social security systems for self-employed persons are to be reviewed to facilitate the transition from being an employee to running a business. This review is to be completed by 31 January 2015.

258.In 2007 the Government launched a programme to promote women’s entrepreneurship in order to increase new business start-ups among women and to promote growth in more of the businesses run by women. The programme, which has funding of SEK 100 million, is continuing until 2014. The programme has focused on areas including business development and innovation loans, entrepreneurship at universities; mentorship and strategies for enterprise promotion; and creates visibility through facts, statistics and work on role models and attitudes. To increase the visibility of women’s entrepreneurship 880 women have been appointed ambassadors for women’s entrepreneurship. They act as role models and have described their experiences as entrepreneurs to more than 150 000 people, most of them young people. In the period 2006-2010 the numbers of companies run by women increased by 13.2 per cent. The net sales of these companies increased by 38 per cent and the number of employees by 22 per cent. The pay level in the companies has also increased by 44 per cent.

259.In 2013-2014 a special effort is being made to get more women in higher-ranking positions through the government commission Golden Rules of Leadership. This is intended to that more women reach higher positions at all levels and in various sectors and industries with a focus on entrepreneurship and leadership. The initiative includes leadership development and mentorship.

260.The Government is following developments regarding women in leading positions. In order to deepen knowledge about women in leading positions and gender equality work in companies the Government has had a questionnaire survey, Women and men in the business sector 2013, conducted among companies with 200 or more employees. A similar survey was done in 2002, making it possible to see developments over time. The report shows that in general both the board and senior management of companies have become more gender equal, but that progress has been slow. Companies now have organised gender equality work to a slightly higher degree than 10 years ago. The proportion of women in senior management has increased from more than 17 per cent in 2003 to 28 per cent in 2013. Human resources are the most common area of responsibility for women while finance is the most common area of responsibility for men.

261.In March 2012 the Government launched a national action plan for gender equal growth in 2012-2014. The focuses of the action plan include commissions to the counties to produce and implement regional action plans for the gender mainstreaming of work on growth in each county in 2012-2014 and commissions to the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth to support the actors responsible for growth in the regions to gender mainstream regional work on growth in each county. In December 2014 the regions will report on their work to the Government. The Government also provides support for the “resource centres” for women that are now in place in 20 of the 21 counties. They work to make the conditions for women visible and to increase their influence on regional growth work.

262.In 2008 the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman developed a tool called the Greenhouse (Växthuset) together with the Swedish Agency for Disability Policy Coordination, the Ombudsman against Discrimination because of Sexual Orientation and the Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination. The purpose was to produce a method for mapping discrimination in working life. The overall objective of this was to develop an educational tool with the aid of which employers can map or discover where discrimination is taking place in their own organisations, or risks taking place The tool is also intended to encourage work on change.

263.Article 11.1.d — Equal pay

264. Women ’ s pay as a percentage of men ’ s pay after standard weighting

	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	Difference 2005-2012
All sectors	93.2	93.4	93.5	93.4	94.0	94.1	94.1	93.9	0.7
Private sector	91.7	91.9	92.2	92.1	92.7	92.7	92.8	92.6	0.9
Manual workers	94.4	94.9	94.8	95.4	95.5	96.0	96.2	96.3	1.9
White-collar workers	90.2	90.3	90.5	90.0	90.9	90.7	90.8	90.4	0.2
Public sector	96.5	96.6	96.6	96.6	97.0	97.1	97.0	96.9	0.4
Municipalities	99.1	99.0	98.8	99.2	99.4	99.6	99.4	99.3	0.2
County councils	94.7	94.8	95.2	94.6	95.3	95.2	95.4	95.4	0.7
Central government	92.9	93.5	93.7	93.7	93.8	94.2	94.4	94.7	1.8

Sources : National Mediation Office and Statistics Sweden.

265.For information about job evaluation, see the fifth report.

Measures to combat pay discrimination

266.Under the rules of the Discrimination Act on active measures employers shall in particular endeavour to equalise and prevent differences in pay and other conditions of employment between women and men. All employers are required to carry out a pay survey every third year. In addition all employers with at least 25 employees are obliged to draw up an action plan for equal pay every 3 years. The Inquiry on active measures against discrimination, see article 2, proposed that pay surveys should be carried out each year. Its proposals are being processed by the Government Offices.

267.According to its Instructions the National Mediation Office is to analyse the development of pay from a gender equality perspective. A comparison of women’s and men’s average pay for the whole of the labour market in 2012 shows that women had 86.1 per cent of men’s pay. The single most important explanation for this difference in pay is that women and men work in different occupations and that these occupations are associated with different pay levels.

268.With standard weighting the difference is 6.1 per cent instead. This difference is often called an unexplained pay difference and may be due to pay discrimination or other causes that cannot be picked up in measurable variables. The figure below shows that the unexplained pay difference varies from sector to sector. For white collar workers in the private sector the unexplained pay difference between women and men is 9.6 per cent on average, while there is hardly any pay difference in the municipal sector. In both these sectors developments have stagnated in the period 2009-2012. In the other sectors the difference in pay between women and men has decreased gradually. Overall, the pay difference in the whole economy has decreased by 0.7 percentage points in the period 2005-2012.

	2009	2010	2011	2012
Private sector (manual labourers)	95.5	96	96.2	96.3
Private sector (professionals)	90.9	90.7	90.8	90.4
Municipalities	99.4	99.6	99.4	99.3
County councils	95.3	95.2	95.4	95.4
State	93.8	94.2	94.4	94.7

Sources : National Mediation Office and Statistics Sweden .

269.The National Mediation Office has analysed what proportion of women and men worked in the 355 most common occupations between 2005 and 2011. Developments in these years indicate that the labour market as a whole has become slightly less gender segregated. In addition, the proportion of women in the most male-dominated occupations has increased at the same time as the proportion of women in the most female-dominated occupations has decreased.

270.The Delegation for Gender Equality in Working Life, see above in the replies to article 11.1.a-b, is tasked with proposing action that can promote gender equality in working life and reduce the pay gap between women and men. The Delegation is also to give attention to questions concerning life income and how individual choices at one time in life may have consequences later in life. The inquiry is to present its report in autumn 2014.

The work of the Equality Ombudsman to combat pay discrimination

271.In the period 2007-2008 the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman carried out audits of employers’ compliance with demands for active measures. Some examples, in addition to the Million Audit described below, are audits of fire brigades, the food sector, the Church of Sweden and the sport movement.

272.In 2006 the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman was commissioned by the Government to increase action to audit and support the work of employers on pay surveys. The Equal Opportunities Ombudsman audited 1245 state and private employers that together had 1 million employees. The objective of this audit was that more employers would live up to the regulations on pay surveys, analyses and action plans for gender equal pay under the then Equal Opportunities Act and that unjustified pay differences between women and med would be reduced. In this Million Audit as a whole 60 per cent of employers had either made pay adjustments or taken other measures to achieve equal pay for women and men with work that is the same or of equal value. 44 per cent of employers had identified unreasonable pay differences that were going to be corrected. These pay adjustments covered at least 5800 employees, about 90 per cent of whom were women. The conclusion was that there had been a considerable increase in activity in work on pay surveys, that knowledge about how to carry out this work had increased among employers and that compliance with the legislation had increased.

273.Since the audit unit at the Equality Ombudsman was set up in 2012, the following audits have been carried out in working life:

•In 2012 an audit was conducted of the pay surveys of 35 medium-sized companies. About half lived up to the requirements of the Act after a supplementary round. After about a year 90 per cent had been audited.

•In 2013 a follow-up study of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman’s Million Audit was carried out. The action plans of 470 employers for gender equal pay were audited. Most employers were able to report that work for gender equal pay was still in progress. Following supplementary information it was clear that more than 90 per cent of the employers audited were conducting sufficiently good work in the meaning of the Act. The Equality Ombudsman concluded that the regulations on pay surveys, analyses and action plans for gender equal pay lead to positive changes and that supervision by the Equality Ombudsman has effects both in the short and the long term.

274.In 2012 the Equality Ombudsman sent a supervision letter to all employers with 10 or more employees and to all preschools, schools and higher education institutions in the country. The letter contained information about the obligations of employers and education providers to take active measures for equal rights and opportunities in working life and the education system as well as information about material such as guidance. These letters also explained the role of the Equality Ombudsman as a supervisory authority and the sanctions that can be considered in the event of non-compliance with the Act.

275.The Equality Ombudsman cooperates with key actors and representatives of civil society by, for example, arranging network meetings for trade unions and employer organisations. These network meetings are a forum for dialogue and the exchange of knowledge and experience at which the matters discussed include questions concerning gender equal pay.

276.The Government has commissioned the Equality Ombudsman to increase its supervision and promotion activities with respect to the work of employers on pay surveys and the work of higher education institutions on active measures under the Discrimination Act. This commission runs for the period 2013-2014 and a total of SEK 9 million has been allocated for the purpose. The Equality Ombudsman is to report the results of this commission to the Government Offices by 1 March 2015 at the latest.

Article 11.1.e — Social security

277.The Swedish Social Insurance Agency has been working for several years to integrate a gender equality perspective in the application of the social insurance system. The agency is to draft a plan for how its activities will contribute to achieving the objectives of gender equality policy, for example that there should not be any unwarranted gender differences in the processing of matters by the agency and in its decisions.

278.The report Women ’ s and men ’ s sickness absence (Kvinnors och mäns sjukfrånvaro) (IFAU 2011:2) states that women’s sickness absence increases compared with men’s in connection with forming a family with children. In a report to the Government the Swedish Social Insurance Agency has pointed out that women who take a main responsibility for household work while working full time when they form a family with children have an increased risk of sickness absence. See also the information on total sickness absence below and the information under articles 5.b and 11.1.f.

279.In 2012, 42 per cent of applications by women for occupational injury life annuity were granted. The corresponding figure for men was 56 per cent. As a commission from the Government the Swedish Social Insurance Inspectorate (ISF) has analysed this difference considers in its report Decisions on occupational injuries from a gender equality perspective — Life annuity as a result of illness (Beslut om arbetsskada ur ett jämställdhetsperspektiv — Livränta till följd av sjukdom) that the main explanation is the considerable degree of gender segregation in the Swedish labour market. When men and women in the same industry are compared, the differences in granting annuities are small. The Inspectorate makes the assessment that one explanation of the differences in the granting of occupational injury life annuity may be that there has been more work environment research in typically male occupations. In the light of this the Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment (SBU) is to produce up-to-date knowledge overviews on the importance of the work environment for the occurrence of disease and to take particular account of women’s work environments in doing so.

280.In recent years total sickness absence has decreased sharply in Sweden. Women’s sickness absence is 47 per cent higher than men’s. The Government has therefore taken a number of measures. For example, the Government and the county councils have made an agreement in order to ensure than the sick leave process is gender equal. Every county council is to implement an action plan drawn up for a gender equal sick leave process with short- and long-term measures that are then to be monitored using specially developed indicators. The National Board of Health and Welfare has also been commissioned by the Government to analyse the guidelines the agency has issued as support for decisions on sick leave from a gender perspective.

People with disabilities

281.The foundation for disability policy is set out in the national action plan From patient to citizen (Govt Bill 1999/2000:79). In the third and final follow-up of the national action plan for disability policy (Comm. 2009/19:166) the Government made clear that the objectives and direction of disability policy are to remain in place, i.e. a society designed to allow people with disabilities of all ages to participate fully in social life and with equal living conditions for girls and boys, as well as women and men with disabilities. The direction of this work will continue to be to identify and remove barriers to full participation in society for girls, boys, women and men with disabilities, to prevent and combat discrimination, and to enable children, young people and adults with disabilities to achieve independence and self-determination. These principles underline participation for people with disabilities in community life and the demand for gender equality between women and men.

282.The National Board of Health and Welfare found in its Status Report for 2013 that more men than women receive interventions under the Act concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments, and this applies to all interventions. The difference is particularly large concerning short-term stays, relief services and short-term supervision, where two-thirds of the interventions are given to boys and men. In 2010 the National Board of Health and Welfare presented in‑depth analyses of the underlying causes. The results showed that part of the gender differences in the number of interventions can be explained by the fact that the number of boys and men with these diagnoses is greater than the number of girls and women.

283.Women with disabilities have a higher level of education than men with disabilities. Despite this the proportion in paid work is lower for women than for men. Women with disabilities also have poorer finances than men with disabilities. In accordance with the Government’s strategy for the implementation of disability policy in 20112016 a system has been developed to improve the monitoring of the living conditions of women with disabilities.

Article 11.1.f — Work environment etc.

284.In 2011 the Government commissioned the Swedish Work Environment Authority to develop and carry out special activities to prevent women being eliminated from working life on account of problems related to the work environment. This commission, which is to run in the period 2011-2014, is intended to provide greater knowledge of women’s work environment and better methods for noticing risks for musculoskeletal injuries in supervision work. The initiative covers inspection activities, knowledge-gathering, information and the development of methods and expertise. Knowledge overviews were produced in 2011 and 2012 and the first inspection activities were begun in 2012.

285.As mentioned above the Government has appointed a Delegation for Gender Equality in Working Life. One task of the Delegation is to make knowledge about the different conditions of women and men in working life available.

286.In 2009 the Swedish Work Environment Authority was commissioned to carry out a knowledge and information campaign to counter violence and threats in working life. Part of this commission was to apply a gender equality perspective. A total of SEK 14 million was provided in the period 2009-2010. One purpose of the campaign was to spread the knowledge available in the agency in order to prevent threats and violent situations.

Article 11.2 — Abolition of discrimination against women in working life due to marriage or maternity

287.For the report on Article 11.2 a-d see also Sweden’s previous reports and Articles 4, 5.b and 13.a in this report.

288.On 1 July 2008 a gender equality bonus was introduced, and in 2012 simplifications were made to the bonus in order to make it easier to access and understand. This bonus creates better conditions for both mothers and fathers to take active responsibility for their children during parental leave. The Government commissioned the Swedish Social Insurance Agency to report on how the simplified gender equality bonus functioned. The Agency’s report, which is based on a questionnaire survey of new parents, shows that parents do not know enough about the gender equality bonus, but there is not enough information to be able to say with certainty what this low level of knowledge is due to and why parents do not make full use of the information provided by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. In 2013 the Swedish Social Insurance Agency took a range of action to increase the information channels to parents and to make it easier to plan parental leave.

289.In 2009 the Government introduced the possibility of making an income tax deduction for household services, one purpose being to make it easier for women and men to combine working life and family life on equal terms. A tax reduction gives families greater opportunities to buy services that make everyday life easier. This will enable women, in particular, to increase their own time in the labour market.

290.On 1 July 2006 The Parental Leave Act was amended to reinforce the prohibition against an employer disadvantaging a jobseeker or an employee for reasons associated with parental leave. Being disadvantaged means, for example, that a person is treated unfairly in connection with parental leave with respect to matters concerning pay, work duties, training or promotion. The protection applies to both employees and jobseekers.

291.In 2000-2012 the proportion of children whose mother works full time increased by 7 percentage points, even though it is still more common for the children’s father to work full time. Between 2000 and 2012 the proportion of children with a mother in paid work increased by 3 percentage points, from 79 to 82 per cent. For fathers the corresponding increase was from 90 to 92 per cent.

292.In November 2012 the Swedish Social Insurance Agency was commissioned by the Government to carry out a study of parental leave that looked into the opportunities for families with young children to combine work and family life. The results show that, on average, women are on parental leave for 15.3 months, while they claim parental leave days for 9.5 months. Men are, on average, on parental leave for 3.8 months, while they claim parental leave days for 2.2 months. The distribution of parental leave co-varies with the distribution of both paid and unpaid work. When both women and men increase their share of parental leave, they do a greater share of household and care work, and their share of paid work decreases.

293.In the case of children born in 2004, at the age of 8 years (when the right to the benefit ends) 59 per cent had a father who had claimed more than 60 days of parental benefit. In the case of children born in the period 2002-2004, each year about 10 per cent of the children had a father who had not claimed a single day (the corresponding share for women was about 2 per cent).

294.Changes in the parental benefit regulations were implemented as of 1 January 2014. See under article 13 for more information.

295.A woman who is prohibited from continuing her work on account of risks in the work environment may also be entitled to pregnancy benefit, see article 4 for more information.

Article 11.3

296.Nothing to report.

Article 12 — Health and medical services

297.Recommendations 35 and 41 have been taken into account in the information given below.

Article 12.1

298.When the Discrimination Act entered into force in 2009, the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sex was extended to have full effect in health and medical services.

299.The analyses made by the Equality Ombudsman of complaints in 2009 indicated that individuals and groups do not have equal access to care in the area of health and medical services. On account of this the Equality Ombudsman did work focusing on the right to equal access to health and medical services for more than one and a half years. The report The right to equal access to medical care (Rätten till sjukvård på lika villkor) describes the experience of the Equality Ombudsman of how people are adversely affected by inequalities related to one of the grounds of discrimination, including sex. The report concluded that the most common grounds of discrimination in complaints are ethnicity and disability. This applies to both men and women who make complaints. Then come sex and sexual orientation. More women than men and others (persons with a transsexual identity or persons who do not want to define their gender) report discrimination linked to sex or sexual orientation. Most complaints are about county councils, and then come private providers.

300.In 2011 a number of national actors formed a cross-agency and cross-organisation platform for equality in health and medical care. The platform is coordinated by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions and consists of 20 organisations, including the Equality Ombudsman and the National Board of Health and Welfare.

301.The Government notes that in recent years there has been an improvement regarding the differences between men and women in health and medical services. Today evaluations carried out by the National Board of Health and Welfare show that, in general, there are no unwarranted differences between women and men regarding care and treatment, for example in coronary care. But there are still examples of women receiving poorer care than men for the same medical conditions. For example, women have poorer visual acuity than men when they are operated for cataracts, showing that they wait longer for an operation. However, this difference has decreased since the beginning of the 1990s.

302.Since 2006 the Government has supported the development of open comparisons of the quality and effectiveness of health and medical services from various perspectives such as medical outcomes, patient experiences, accessibility and cost. There are a large number of indicators that report regional differences in health and medical services and differences between men and women. The purpose is to make health and medical services transparent, provide information for debate and, primarily, to simulate increased learning and better outcomes in health and medical services. Open comparisons are an effective tool for work to improve healthcare. A comparison with previous measurement periods shows that up until 2013 these indicators show that outcomes for women have been improved by 73 per cent.

303.The Government has adopted a Strategy for quality and more equality in healthcare 2012-2016. The strategy highlights differences between groups, differences in different areas of healthcare and geographical differences that are challenges to achieving more equality in healthcare. For example, the Government has noted that there are deficiencies in the treatment of different groups in health and medical services. Work in the strategy therefore includes the development of a training package for healthcare staff of various aspects of treatment in health and medical services. The training package covers all the grounds of discrimination

304.One important priority is a strong position for the patient. The Government has proposed the introduction of a Patient Act intended to strengthen and clarify the position of the patient and to promote the patient’s integrity, self-determination and participation. The new Act will enter into force on 1 January 2015.

305.In March 2014 the Children’s Ombudsman presented its annual report for 2013 with a special focus on mental ill health, This has led to the Government taking several measures. One is that the National Board of Health and Welfare has been commissioned to analyse why girls are over-represented in the group of patients subjected to compulsory measures.

306.A national website on health and medical services, http://www.1177.se, has been developed and contains readily accessible information in several languages about how health and medical services function and how to find the right care provider, including contacts details of family centres, for example. An internet-based youth clinic — www.umo.se — has also been developed and provides information about the body, love, friendship, sex, living habits, violence, violations and not feeling well. A special initiative to translate both these websites into 12 national minority languages has also been carried out. See below for more information.

Special information about women belonging to the national minorities

307.Sweden does not compile official statistics about people’s ethnicity. The Personal Data Act prohibits the processing of personal data that reveal ethnicity. Consequently it not possible for Sweden to supply complete statistics concerning the health of women who belong to the national minorities. In order to examine the needs and conditions for the collection of data concerning the health situation of the national minorities and what methods could, in that case, be appropriate for each group, the Swedish Public Health Agency (formerly the National Institute of Public Health) was commissioned to hold a consultation forum with representatives of the national minorities. A final report was delivered in spring 2014.

308.In 2010 the National Institute of Public Health presented a study on the health, lifestyles and living conditions of the national minorities. The report How are Sweden ’ s national minorities feeling? states that there is a lack of knowledge among government agencies about the health situation of the national minorities and that there is a need for health-improvement measures among the national minorities at various levels in society. As regards Roma women specifically, the interviewees experience stress that they associate with a high workload in the home. The report makes the assessment that the national minorities are not reached by the health information available today. The 5 municipalities included in the pilot activities as part of the strategy for Roma inclusion have been given the possibility of applying for grants to recruit and train health communicators with Roma language and cultural competence focusing particularly on Roma women and girls. The municipalities that have provided health communicator services report than this work has been of importance for the health of the target group. Through their work the health communicators have helped healthcare professionals to increase their knowledge of Roma’s culture and life situation at the same time as the Roma women and girls who have participated in various activities say than they experience an improvement of their general health and greater confidence in health and medical services.

309.To get a better picture of the life situation and health of Roma women the Swedish Public Health Agency was commissioned in 2012 to have an in-depth study conducted on the life situation and health of Roma women and girls. Part of this study is to identify what support Roma women and girls receive today and what knowledge they have of the support currently available in society. The report on this commission is to be presented in October 2015.

310.There are currently services aimed at all Swedes that offer support concerning sexual and reproductive health. Since these issues are very sensitive in the Roma group, it can be difficult for these services to reach out to Roma women and girls. In accordance with wishes that have emerged in dialogues with Roma girls and women, the Stockholm County Administrative Board has been commissioned to examine during 2012-2014 the conditions for setting up, and then distributing funds for, free telephone advice to Roma girls and women regarding sexual and reproductive health. The report from this commission is to be presented in March 2015.

Article 12.2

311.Nothing to report.

Article 13 — Social and economic benefits, civil society

312.Each year the Government follows up the distribution of economic resources between women and men in an annex to the budget bill.

Article 13.a — The right to family benefits

313.See Sweden’s previous reports and Articles 5 and 11.2 in this report.

314.The right to benefits in financial family policy is regulated in the Social Insurance Code and covers people who reside or work in Sweden and is therefore neutral in terms of sex.

315.The benefits in financial family policy include general benefits such as child allowance, insurance benefits such as parental benefit and temporary parental benefit and needs-tested benefits such as housing allowance and maintenance support.

316.In November 2013 the Riksdag adopted the Government’s proposal of an amendment to the payment rules for child allowance. When parents have joint custody of a child, half of the child allowance is to be paid to each parent, if the parents have not reported who is to be the recipient. If the child resides alternately with both parents, half of the child allowance is paid to each parent, if the parent who wants the benefit to be shared shows that it is probable that there is alternate residence. Today a majority of the benefits are paid to the mother. These provisions entered into force on 1 March 2014.

317.The Riksdag has adopted a reform of parental benefit. For children born on or after 1 January 2014 the rule is that parental benefit is paid out for a total of 480 days per child, 240 days for each parent with joint custody. After the child’s fourth birthday a maximum of 96 days can be claimed for the child. But these days can be claimed until the child reaches 12 years instead of 8 years as under the previous rules. The proposal is intended to make clear that parental benefit is mainly intended for care when the child is young and the need for care is greatest. As of 1 January 2012 it is possible for a child’s parents to obtain parental benefit at the same time for 30 days during the child’s first year of life in order to increase the parents’ freedom of choice. In 2013 a total of 416,476 women and 340,246 men received parental benefit. For children born before 2008 women had used an average of 301 days of parental benefit when the child reached 4 years, the corresponding figure for men was 72 days. Regarding the introduction of a gender equality bonus, see article 11.2.

318.As of 1 January 2013 the basic level of parental benefit was increased for parents who have low or no income. Women claim considerably more days at the basic level than men. In 2013 some 23 per cent of days paid that can correspond to income were paid at the basic level for women; for men the corresponding figure was 6 per cent. The increase in the basic level therefore affects the financial situation of more women than men.

319.Housing allowance for families with children can be paid to families with low incomes. A number of investments have been made in housing allowance since 2012 in order to improve the financial situation of these households, Housing allowance can also be paid to young people without children. More women than men are single parent, which means that more women than men receive housing allowance. Of the households that only had 1 applicant in December 2013, 103,814 were women and 35,858 were men.

320.As of 1 July 2008 it is possible for a parent to receive a municipal child-raising allowance for children aged 1-3 years who are not using publicly financed preschool or educational care provision.

321.The Dignity Reform, which was introduced in 2010, has strengthened the position of the individual by demanding that the interventions offered shall give older people the opportunity of living a dignified life.

322.The requirement in Chapter 5, Section 10 of the Social Services Act that municipalities shall support relatives and close friends, gives women in particular a stronger position and less risk of being left alone with an extensive care commitment.

323.The right introduced in the Social Services Act in 2013 to continue living together even when one spouse must move to special housing increases the possibilities of feeling well-being and dignity.

Article 13.b — The right to bank loans and other credits

324.See Sweden’s previous reports.

325.In 2007 the Government reinforced the possibilities of giving small credits to new and small businesses by raising the maximum level of micro loans to new and small businesses. The demand for small loans is particularly great among women.

Article 13.c — The right to participate in leisure activities, sport and cultural life

326.National sports policy is intended to give women and men and girls and boys the same conditions for participation in sporting activities. The Swedish Sports Confederation, which distributes government support to sports, conducts active gender equality work and adopted new gender equality objectives in 2011. The boards of the specialist sport federations in Sweden have become more gender equal. In 2002 the proportion of men was 73 per cent and in 2012 it was 67 per cent.

327.When public funds for organisations, sport and culture among young people (the 13-25 age group) are distributed, activities in men’s associations receive the largest share.

328.State support for children’s and young people’s sports goes to organised sport, where the activity level is higher among boys than among girls. The latest measurement shows that in 2011 boys accounted for more than 60 per cent of sessions and girls for less than 40 per cent. However, the statistics in this area are inadequate since they only show activity sessions and not how many boys and girls take part in sports in the association. Girls leave sports organised in associations to a greater extent than boys when they get into their teens. Girls with a foreign background are the group that is least represented in sports organised in associations. Statistics from Statistics Sweden show that in the age range 7-70 years more women than men exercise at least twice a week.

329.In the report What is the situation in 2014 – monitoring disability policy (Hur är läget 2014? — uppföljning av funktionshinderspolitiken) from 2014 the Swedish Agency for Participation reports that women with disabilities participate more in sports than men with disabilities. It is also more common for women to visit cultural activities.

330.In 2012 the former National Board for Youth Affairs was commissioned by the Government to carry out a thematic analysis of young people and gender equality. The agency’s report (Focus 13 — National Board for Youth Affairs 2013:4) shows that it is more common for girls and young women aged 16-25 years to feel that they have too little leisure time (42 per cent in 2012) than for boys and young men (28 per cent in 2012) to do so. These levels were relatively stable between 2004 and 2012. The study also shows that when public funds for organisations, sport and culture among young people (the 13-25 age group) are distributed, activities in men’s associations receive the largest share.

Culture

331.A large proportion of state support for the participation of young people in cultural activities goes via the adult education associations. In study circles with a cultural orientation there is an over-representation of boys and young men. In 2012, the participation in such circles was 60 per cent boys and young men and 40 per cent girls and young women (age group 13-24 years).

332.In autumn 2009 the National Board for Youth Affairs was given a commission to increase knowledge about the participation of young people in cultural activities and in practising culture. The analysis When Where How — About young people ’ s culture (National Board for Youth Affairs Report 2011:1) states that the proportion of young people aged 13-25 years who had engaged in at least one form of culture in 2010 was 68 per cent. Girls and young women were particularly active: 76 per cent of them had practised some form of culture compared with 61 per cent of boys and young men. The main forms of culture that young women practise are visual art and writing while men are more active in music and visual art.

333.The Government has decided that all agencies in the cultural area are to integrate a gender equality perspective in their activities. In 2007-2009 the Government provided funding for projects that in the long term stimulate and support work to achieve gender equality in the area of performing arts. In addition, the Government has supported gender equality projects carried out by organisations in the cultural sector.

334.Through a commission to the Swedish Film Institute in the period 2010-2014 the Government has taken a special initiative for film-making by young women. The initiative includes support for networking and talent development.

335.In 2011 the Government commissioned Music Development and Heritage Sweden to support projects intended to increase gender equality in musical life.

336.The National Historical Museums have been commissioned to produce material and develop methods for more gender equal representation in collections and exhibitions. The purpose is to increase the museums’ work on shedding light on and providing new perspectives on their collections and exhibitions in terms of gender equality.

337.As a commission from the Government, the Swedish Media Council has carried out a qualitative study of use by young people of social meeting places on the internet from a gender equality perspective. The purpose of the commission is to contribute to increased knowledge about the conditions for boys and girls on the internet.

338.Reading is an area where gender roles influence behaviour. In 2013 the Government commissioned the Swedish Arts Council to implement a reading promotion initiative so as to improve reading skills and interest in reading among children and young people.

339.The Government has commissioned the Swedish Agency for Cultural Policy Analysis to produce an evaluation of gender equality initiatives taken by the Government in the area of culture between 2011 and 2014. The purpose of the evaluation is to highlight the results that the initiatives have contributed to and to provide instructive and inspiring examples of successful methods for gender equality work in the cultural area. The Agency presented a report on its commission in March 2014 and recommended that the work begun on gender equality be strengthened and conducted in a long-term perspective.

Civil society

340.In February 2010 the Riksdag adopted the Bill A policy for civil society (2009/10:55) that contains objectives and directions for this policy. In Sweden both men and women invest an average of 16 hours a month on voluntary activities — in other words efforts made on a voluntary basis, unpaid or in return for a symbolic fee — in their leisure time. More than 85 per cent of the population (both men and women, 16-84 years of age, 2010) are members of an association (including economic associations). Of the total population, 43 per cent of men and 38 per cent of women are active members of an association. The Government has commissioned Statistics Sweden to produce statistics on civil society. In 2010 the Statistics Sweden database of companies contained some 77,000 economically active organisations that were considered to be civil society organisations. The number of people employed was more than 142,000. Out of these just over 60 per cent were women and just less than 40 per cent men.

341.A research programme on civil society was set up in 2009. Fifteen research projects at higher education institutions have been granted funding until 2015. The projects focus on areas including organisation in cultural life in Sweden, the boundaries between civil society and private life and women and the construction of civil society.

342.The Council on Equality Issues, which was described in Sweden’s second report, is still led by the Minister for Gender Equality and meets about 4 times a year. The Council now consists of more than 50 organisations.

343.In order to stimulate the participation of young people and women, in particular, in voluntary associations in areas characterised by a low level of organisation the former National Board for Youth Affairs was commissioned by the Government in 2010 to work on involvement guides in order to find links between civil society organisations and the women and young people who do not themselves seek to engage in voluntary associations. An evaluation of this initiative will be presented in 2014.

344.The former National Board for Youth Affairs has distributed SEK 28 million to women’s organisations each year between 2006 and 2014. This grant is intended to promote the participation of women in the democratic process and in community life and to enable women to monitor their rights and put forward their demands.

345.The former National Board for Youth Affairs has distributed grants to organisations and foundations to promote gender equality between women and men. Between 2006 and 2014 a total of SEK 65 million has been advanced for this purpose.

Collaboration of the Equality Ombudsman with civil society

346.The Equality Ombudsman has gradually established a clearer structure for work with civil society. A coordination function has been set up and new forms for systematic contacts with civil society have also been developed. In addition to smaller-scale consultations on various issues the Equality Ombudsman also has annual larger-scale meetings with organisations working on issues relating to the various grounds of discrimination. For example, one such large-scale meeting is held each year to which all organisations granted government grants that are working actively in some way on equal rights and opportunities on the basis of sex as grounds of discrimination are invited.

347.The Equality Ombudsman has held 4 thematic meetings with various players in civil society. The purpose has been to discuss the Discrimination Act as a tool but, above all, to exchange experience of methods and work against discrimination. The ambition has been to strengthen the Equality Ombudsman’s collaboration with civil society in the long term. These exchanges of experience have also resulted in an internal seminar for staff at the Equality Ombudsman that has both produced knowledge about other ways of working against discrimination and contact interfaces for further dialogue and knowledge gathering.

348.In 2012 and 2013 the Equality Ombudsman held 2 large-scale dialogue meetings to which all women’s policy organisations were invited. The intention is to hold meetings in this form each year.

349.The collaboration of the Equality Ombudsman with key actors and representatives of civil society is aimed at motivating and supporting other actors to actively counter discrimination. The Equality Ombudsman is to participate and cooperate with other actors in order to contribute a discrimination perspective and knowledge so as to achieve results in relation to the agency’s remit. Some of this cooperation takes the form of holding network meetings for the social partners, for example. See Articles 10 and 11 for more information.

Article 14 — Women in rural areas

Articles 14.1 and 14.2

350.Action intended to ensure gender equality between women and men in the whole country is reported under the relevant Article. For a presentation of gender equality measures in the Sami community, see Article 2.b.

351.Few women are formally active in the fishing industry but women are still linked to it in various ways. The proportion of women in the industry is probably higher than shown by the statistics, but women have an informal role in family businesses, for instance. As part of the Swedish Fisheries Programme in the period 2007-2013 when projects were selected they were asked how the project is expected to impact on gender equality. At the end of 2012, 96 completed cases had been registered as positive for gender equality while 645 had been judged to be neutral and none were negative.

352.In the previous programme period the network of the Rural Development Programme (2007-2013) set up a working group in order to work for as equal a distribution as possible of the funds from the Rural Development Programme between women and men. When the group completed its work at the end of 2011 it had produced training material (Doing it equally) for the continued work of the Programme that has been used and spread around the country.

353.The conference Rural areas on equal terms was held in October 2011. Participants spent 2 days discussing gender equality issues from a rural and enterprise perspective.

354.In the new Rural Development Programme, which covers the period 2014-2020, the gender equality perspective has been strengthened and been given its own objective: Women and men are to have the same conditions, rights and opportunities to work in agriculture and live and work in rural areas. During the programme period a range of action will be taken in order to move towards achievement of this objective.

355.Government Bill Forestry policy in pace with the times (2007/08:108) states that “in practice women do not have the same rights and opportunities in the forestry industry as their male colleagues”. The Government has therefore taken the initiative for a gender equality strategy intended to give women and men the same conditions, rights and opportunities to work in the forestry sector and to be active forest owners. Representatives of the forestry industry, the academic world and forest owner associations took part in the work of drafting the strategy.

356.The responsibility for implementing this strategy rests with the forestry industry, the academic world and forest owner associations. There is considerable commitment and support for this work, but it will take time for the measures to reach their full impact. Each year the Ministry for Rural Affairs monitors the strategy by presenting measurements of indicators. The strategy will be evaluated in 2015.

357.Today many more men than women run businesses in agriculture, but the proportion of women among people starting new businesses in the sector is increasing. The Government has therefore decided to equalise the historical references for farm payments so that the support per hectare will be the same for both established and new businesses. The proposed reform and the more equal conditions for competition will benefit new businesses, and therefore women indirectly.

Transport policy

358.In 2009 the Government adopted a new structure for the objectives of transport policy, replacing the previous subordinate objectives with a functional objective and a consideration objective. The functional objective is formulated in the following way: The design, function and use of the transport system is to be instrumental in giving everyone basic accessibility of good quality and functionality and contribute to development capacity throughout the country. The transport system is to be gender equal, meeting the transport needs of both women and men equally.

359.To fulfil the functional objective for accessibility the Government has adopted a number of more specific objectives. One is for the forms for working, implementation and outcomes of transport policy to contribute to a gender equal society. In the 2011 Budget Bill the Government states that work on gender equality should be developed further through gender mainstreaming and a stronger focus on the implementation and results of transport policy in different activities. The Government is working in dialogue with the relevant agencies in order to develop agency governance and monitoring in the area of gender equality.

360.Since 2006 the Government has followed up the representation of women and men on the boards and management teams of the traffic and transport agencies. The objective is that no gender should have a representation of less than 40 per cent, and this has been achieved as an average on most occasions when reports have been delivered.

Article 15 — Equality before the law and civil issues

Articles 15.1-15.4

361.See Sweden’s previous reports.

Article 16 — Eliminating discrimination in marriage and family relations

362.See Sweden’s previous reports.

363.On 1 July 2006 legislative amendments intended to strengthen the child’s perspective in cases concerning custody, residence and contact entered into force. The best interests of the child shall now be the decisive consideration for all decisions in these cases. The legislative amendments also clarified that particular attention shall be paid to the risk of harm to the child or some other family member when assessing what is best for the child. It was also expressly provided that when assessing whether the parents shall have joint custody, the court shall pay particular attention to the ability of the parents to cooperate in matters concerning the child. In the great majority of cases joint custody is a good form of custody. However, the right of the child to close and good contact with both parents must not mean that the child must live with or have access with a parent in all circumstances.

364.On 1 July 2014 a new crime, coercion to marry, was introduced. It applies to a person who, by unlawful coercion or exploitation of another person’s vulnerable situation, induces a person to enter into marriage or a marriage-like relationship. Even before the new legislation, cases involving coercion were punishable as unlawful coercion. The new crime has a more severe scale of penalties than unlawful coercion. The new regulations also go further than present legislation since attempt and preparation to commit coercion to marry have been made punishable and since cases of coercion to marry may be examined by a Swedish court even when the act is not punishable in the country where it was committed. As of 1 July 2014 it is no longer possible for children under the age of 18 to marry before a Swedish authority.

The recommendations

The recommendations in the committee’s last concluding observations have been taken into account given under each Article. Supplementary information is given below.

Recommendation 15

365.See the reply to Article 2.a and section D, point 72 of the core document.

Recommendation 17

366.See the information in the reply to Article 2.

Recommendation 19

367.See the information in the introduction.

Recommendation 21

368.Monitoring and evaluation are included in the Government’s strategy for work on gender mainstreaming in the Government Offices. The Government has taken several measures to improve the monitoring of work on gender mainstreaming and gender equality policy. However, the Government does not intend to introduce mechanisms for accountability regarding work on gender mainstreaming in the Government Offices. See the introductory section for more information.

Recommendation 23

369.See Articles 3 and 4.

Recommendation 25

370.See Articles 7, 10 and 11.

Recommendation 27

371.See under Article 11.

Recommendation 29

372.See the reply to Article 3.

Recommendation 31 och 33

373.See article 6.

Recommendation 35

374.See Article 12.

Recommendation 37

375.Sweden understands the recommendation to mean that the Committee takes the view that Swedish law does not have a possibility of sufficiently compensating a spouse for unpaid work in the home and with children during the marriage in a division of property in connection with a divorce. The legislation of some countries is based on the view that a spouse who has been at home with children is compensated as a rule for this retrospectively if the spouses divorce. However, Sweden considers that such an approach is based on an outdated view of gender roles and marriage, in which it is assumed that one of the spouses is supported by the other. The Swedish rules are instead based on two independent and equal individuals living together, both with the ability to support themselves and contribute to the maintenance of their family. Swedish law also contains safety valves against unreasonable outcomes. In situations where it is nevertheless the case that one of the spouses after a long marriage is in need of contributions to their maintenance from their former spouse, there is the possibility of such maintenance. There is also the possibility of adjusting unreasonable outcomes of a property division under the main rules. Sweden has no intention of reappraising the Swedish model.

Recommendation 39

376.See also Articles 2, 3, 10 and 11 among others.

377.The Ordinance on ID cards for Persons Registered in Sweden entered into force in 2009 (2009:284). Before this the state did not have overall responsibility for all inhabitants of the country having access to ID cards. The inquiry report that led to the Ordinance on ID cards for Persons Registered in Sweden, SOU 2007:100, states that Swedish Cashier Service (Svensk Kassaservice) previously issued ID cards, known as SIS-marked ID cards. The state has no influence on SIS-marked ID cards. On 1 January 2007 Swedish Cashier Service introduced stricter requirements for ID cards which made it more difficult for certain persons to obtain ID cards. Since it became more difficult for certain persons to obtain ID cards the Government decided in 2007 to appoint an inquiry with the task of ensuring that it is possible for persons who are not Swedish citizens but who are entitled to be resident in Sweden to obtain ID cards. The inquiry led to the above report — which proposed that the Police would be responsible for this — and then to the Ordinance on ID cards for Persons Registered in Sweden (2009:284), where, however, the Swedish Tax Agency was made the agency responsible.

Recommendation 41

378.See also Articles 3, 11 and 12 among others.

379.In its supervision work and its promotion work the Equality Ombudsman seeks to apply an inter-sectional perspective that takes account of how different discrimination grounds can interact. This means that in its work to combat discrimination on, for example, grounds of disability the agency seeks to take note of the situation of women who may be subjected to such discrimination. In several cases the Equality Ombudsman has brought proceedings in court, or reached out-of-court settlements, in matters that have concerned discrimination associated with disability where the complainants were women.

Recommendation 42

380.See the introduction.

Recommendation 44

381.Sweden ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in December 2008.

382.As regards the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, no other Member State in the EU or any traditional recipient country outside the EU has ratified this Convention. In the main the protection provided by the Convention already follows from the other 6 central UN conventions on human rights and from the ILO Convention (143) on migrant workers. Sweden has ratified all of the above-mentioned conventions that create sufficient protection for migrant workers. The effective application of these instruments is an important Swedish priority.

383.Sweden signed the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance on 6 February 2007 but has not yet ratified the Convention. Before ratification of the Convention an analysis must be made of any need for legislation. The matter is currently being processed by the Government Offices.

Annexes 1-3

See separate document.