It was my second day in India. I was presenting my credentials to the Hon’ble President, Droupadi Murmu. As I entered the hall with my all-women Norwegian team to meet her, she looked at us and exclaimed words in Hindi that were translated to me as women's power.
That was my introduction to the world’s largest democracy, one with a woman President, a woman finance minister and a Parliament that had just adopted a Bill reserving two-thirds of the seats in the Lok Sabha for women.
I felt I was in the right place at the right time.
I represent the Norwegian foreign service, which presently has a ratio of 48% women and 52% men posted as ambassadors worldwide. It is important to underline that this is the first year of nearly 50% of women ambassadors, so it has taken us time to get here. In general, 55% of employees in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs are women, which has been the case for much longer, showcasing the extra time it takes for women to climb up the ladder.
The growing number of women in the Indian foreign service is also impressive and shows progress. The Indian ministry of external affairs sets a good example with an increasing number of divisions headed by women, an increasing ratio of women ambassadors posted worldwide and since 2022, the first ever Indian woman permanent representative to the United Nations in New York.
However, having said that, it is 2024, and being a woman ambassador is still noticed, making us continually reflect on what more must be done. Research done by several institutes globally refers to gender inequality among diplomatic corps worldwide, especially when it comes to appointments as ambassadors. The key to solving this challenge is to work at all levels, all the time.
It is no coincidence that we have managed to reach a near 50/50 ratio in our diplomatic service, our government and several businesses. Measures taken in Norway for the last several decades, like parental leave, right to childcare, and 40% reservation for women on boards in public limited companies have given women greater manoeuvrability to work on an equal footing. We celebrated 40 years of legislation promoting gender equality already in 2018. Some studies suggest that Norway would have lost 3300 billion NOKs ($317 billion) in income in the 40 years preceding the law if it had not been applied.
In a historic move in 2023, the government took a step further and proposed that medium-sized and large companies should also have at least a 40% gender balance on the boards of private limited companies. This will be gradually introduced already from 2024 and the aim is to cover around 20,000 companies. Norway is the first country in the world to take this step.
Our new action plan for women’s rights and gender equality in Norway’s foreign and development policy (2023-2030) outlines concrete measures Norway will take both internally and externally. It aims to contribute to achieving the SDGs by 2030, particularly Goal 5, on women’s rights and gender equality.
We will continue to assert ourselves on the global stage to achieve gender equality and safeguard the rights of all girls and women through strategic cooperation with diverse partners, diplomatic efforts in multilateral and bilateral forums, and financial contributions, particularly through development funds. Furthermore, we are committed to our objective of a minimum of 50% of all bilateral aid explicitly prioritising gender equality as a principal or significant target.
Internally, it is our aim that all staff should possess a solid understanding of efforts to combat sexual harassment, aligning with our international obligations. We will also continue to build competence and offer training on gender equality and women’s rights including sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as queer rights across the board. We are living in a post-pandemic era, with raging wars and the dire need for humanitarian assistance in several parts of the world. Therefore, we have also strengthened our existing action plans on women, peace and security (2023-2030) and efforts for women in humanitarian settings covered in Norway’s humanitarian strategy.
Lastly, we are also focusing our efforts on technology and equality. To leave no one behind, all girls and women need access to digital technology, and they need to be taught the skills to use it. If technology is created by men – for men – we risk missing out on innovations that could have improved the lives of half of the planet’s population.
To end with a few more examples, I would like to share that in Norway, Prime Minister Støre’s cabinet has 45% women. At the Norwegian embassy in Delhi, we are 46% men and 54% women. As I attended my first Republic Day celebrations in India this 26 January, India’s focus on Nari Shakti resonated with me deeply.
We are not just breaking the glass ceiling. We are not just breaking patriarchal rules. We are aiming to break generations of habits, and (bad) habits die hard. It’s time they did.
May-Elin Stener is Norway’s ambassador to India. The views expressed are personal
Lessons from Norway in smashing the patriarchy
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08.03.2024
It was my second day in India. I was presenting my credentials to the Hon’ble President, Droupadi Murmu. As I entered the hall with my all-women Norwegian team to meet her, she looked at us and exclaimed words in Hindi that were translated to me as women's power.
That was my introduction to the world’s largest democracy, one with a woman President, a woman finance minister and a Parliament that had just adopted a Bill reserving two-thirds of the seats in the Lok Sabha for women.
I felt I was in the right place at the right time.
I represent the Norwegian foreign service, which presently has a ratio of 48% women and 52% men posted as ambassadors worldwide. It is important to underline that this is the first year of nearly 50% of women ambassadors, so it has taken us time to get here. In general, 55% of employees in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs are women, which has been the case for much longer, showcasing the extra time it takes for women to climb up the ladder.
The growing number of women in the Indian foreign service is also impressive and shows progress. The Indian ministry of external affairs sets a good example with an increasing number of divisions headed by women, an increasing ratio of women ambassadors posted worldwide and since 2022,........
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