Today at the Closing Ceremony, the Nordic Ministers of Equality will be given the Final Document, which contains a number of demands and recommendations.

Through the document, the Nordic women’s movement wants to remind the Nordic governments of the commitments made when the Platform for Action from Beijing was signed. The governments accepted the obligation that all political measures and programmes were to have a gender perspective.

“The Nordic women’s movement is putting forward 63 points that we want our countries to fulfil. It’s time for action… now! But the work on gender equality does not end there,” says Gertrud Åström, Chair of Sweden’s Women’s Lobby.

Five important demands from the Nordisk Forum Final Document:

• The Nordic countries’ national budgets, and municipal and regional budgets integrate a gender equality perspective, so that gender equality is shown in financial documents and decisions, and that the equality policy goals are systematically followed up and used as a basis for new measures, and are included in the Post-2015 agenda.

• The Nordic governments fund the women’s movement organisations and co-operate at Nordic level, at least on the same level as other organisations in civil society, so that feminism makes an impact and genuine gender equality is attained in society.

• Women with family links are to be granted their own residence permits that are not linked to the man. Deportation of women subjected to violence is stopped. Women who are subjected to trafficking in human beings are given protection and help, regardless of whether they can or will witness in criminal proceedings.

• The Nordic governments, employer organisations and trade organisations work to promote working life that considers family life and actual working environment and creates reasonable working conditions. The right to full-time employment is increased by legislation or agreements in the countries where women’s involuntary part-time employment is widespread. Uncertain employment positions in the form of hourly-based work and fixed-term employment positions are regulated so that abuse is stopped.

• Nordic authorities help women to assume roles as players, innovators, organisers, teachers, leaders and ambassadors for sustainable development. Climate- and environment-directed aid must always, where relevant, include a gender perspective.

The final document in SWEDISH

The final document in ENGLISH

In 15 minutes, the Closing Ceremony starts. Entry is free, so no Conference Pass is needed.

Please note that, for security reasons, suitcases are not permitted in the Arena. These may be stored by the Information Desk in the foyer.

A party debate on Sunday morning in the Arena considered the subject of equal pay. The panel comprised Annie Lööf (Centre Party), Ylva Johansson (Social Democrat Party), Jonas Sjöstedt (Left Party), Maria Arnholm (Liberal Party), Åsa Romson (Green Party), Penilla Gunther (Christian Democrat Party) and Jessica Polfjärd (Moderate Party).

Continue reading →

The fourth and final day of the Nordiskt Forum, but there is still plenty to see and do,

In the Arena, there are speeches and discussions as follows:

Arena, 10.00: Watch, read, share, like – the role of media, social media and the Internet for gender equality.

Arena, 11.30: Everyday action – tools and strategies for coping and changing.

And then the Closing Ceremony at 13.00, at which a concluding statement with proposals will be handed over to the UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and the Nordic Ministers for Gender Equality. The group will discuss the themes, goals and results of the conference.

The ceremony will also include a concert, with musical interpretations of the themes of the conference.

There are also a number of events arranged by the organisations in the Exhibition Centre.

If you can’t get here, follow the events via the live transmissions, and keep in touch via Facebook, Twitter, and the articles on the website. Enjoy your day!