Sweden

Sweden believes that women and men should have equal power to shape society and their own lives. Often considered a gender equality role model, Sweden has come a long way. Still, there’s room for improvement. The Swedish government has declared itself a feminist government, devoted to a feminist foreign policy. Even if the idea has been met with both praise and criticism – domestic and international – the word feminism is not as charged in Sweden as in many other countries. The government uses the ‘F word’ to stress that gender equality is vital to society and that more needs to be done to achieve it. It’s no coincidence, then, that 12 of the 24 government ministers are women. Definite progress has been made since Karin Kock became the first woman in the Swedish government in 1947. Nearly half of the members of the current parliament in Sweden are also women. It may be more than most countries, but was still a drop from the 2010 and the 2006 elections.

Gender Equality

The business sector, on the other hand, is a heavily male-dominated field. On the average board of a Swedish stock market company, almost one in three were women in 2015 – a great increase compared with a few years earlier. In fact, if this development continues at the same pace, the boards of listed companies in Sweden will be gender-equal within ten years. However, there’s a hitch: nine out of ten people who appoint the board members are men. Some politicians suggest quotas for women as a quicker way of achieving gender-equal board rooms. Sweden has come a long way in making sure that women and men are treated equally in the workplace. Gender discrimination in the workplace has been illegal since 1980. The Swedish Discrimination Act from 2009 demands that employers not only actively promote equality between men and women, but also take measures against harassment. The act also states that employees and job applicants who have been or will be taking parental leave may not be treated unfairly. 

Cases of discrimination can be reported to the Swedish Equality Ombudsman (Diskrimineringsombudsmannen), a government agency that protects equal rights. ‘Discrimination’ includes cases of unfair treatment by an employer in connection with an employee’s parental leave. Every year, the international organization World Economic Forum ranks more than 140 countries based on the gap between women and men according to indicators within health, education, economy and politics. Since 2006, Sweden has never ranked lower than 4th. But if the Global Gender Gap Report is anything to go by, on a global level the workplace still won’t be truly gender-equal until 2095.

GENDER EQUALITY AT SCHOOL 

Gender equality is strongly emphasized in the Education Act, the law that governs all education in Sweden. It states that gender equality should reach and guide all levels of the Swedish educational system. The principles are increasingly being incorporated into education from preschool level onwards, with the aim of giving children the same opportunities in life, regardless of their gender, by using teaching methods that counteract traditional gender patterns and gender roles. Today, girls generally have better grades in Swedish schools than boys. Girls also perform better in national tests and a greater proportion of girls’ complete upper secondary education. Whereas a few decades ago, the university realm was dominated by men, today nearly two-thirds of all university degrees in Sweden are awarded to women. Equal numbers of women and men now take part in postgraduate and doctoral studies.

PARENTAL LEAVE 

An extensive welfare system that promotes a healthy work-life balance has been an important factor in making Sweden a gender-egalitarian leader. Parents are entitled to share 480 days of Parental leave when a child is born or adopted. This leave can be taken by the month, week, day or even by the hour. Women still use most of the days, with men taking around one fourth of the parental leave on average. For 390 days, parents are entitled to nearly 80 per cent of their pay, up to a maximum of SEK 946 per day. The remaining 90 days are paid at a flat daily rate of SEK 180. Those who are not in employment are also entitled to be paid for parental leave. Sixty days of leave are allocated specifically to each parent, and cannot be transferred to the other. In addition, one of the parents of the new-born baby gets 10 extra days of leave in connection with the birth, or 20 days if they are twins. Parents who share the transferable leave allowance equally get a SEK 50 Tax-free daily bonus for a maximum of 270 days. Adopting parents are entitled to a total of 480 days between them from the day the child comes under their care. A single parent is entitled to the full 480 days.

Swedish Economy

Reforms Oriented Growth Sweden enjoys lowest levels of national debt, low and stable inflation and a healthy banking system in the European Union. There was a time when the Swedish economy used to suffer from low growth and high inflation, and the Swedish Krona was repeatedly devalued. In the early 90s, Sweden was also hit by a serious financial crisis. Banks became unstable and two were nationalized, unemployment rose rapidly, government spending got out of control and so did Sweden’s national debt. The road back to stability and success was not easy for Sweden. But by pursuing inventive and courageous reforms and sticking to them, Sweden has transformed its economy and stayed strong in the face of the new global recession.

A Dynamic Economy 

Sweden today has a diverse, highly competitive and successful economy. The World Economic Forum ranks Sweden the 6th most competitive country in the world. Sweden is also the sixth easiest country in the world to trade with, according to the World Bank. This is unsurprising, since a key feature of the Swedish economy is its openness and liberal approach to trade. Sweden is an export-orientated nation that has a large trade surplus and exports a variety of goods.

In addition to maintaining competitiveness in goods and manufacturing, growth in modern service sectors such as information and communication technology has been strong in Sweden. Internet calling service Skype and online music streaming service Spotify are two examples, but Swedes haven’t stopped there. Since 2008 the ICT sector has grown by 16% and now employs over 4% of the Swedish workforce. The sector is characterized by its many new and small businesses, and Stockholm has become known as one of Europe’s hottest start-up cities for ICT companies. Although Stockholm is the hub of Swedish economic activity, it is far from being the only successful region. In fact, wealth in Sweden is more evenly distributed across regions than anywhere else in the EU. Remarkably, Sweden is the only EU country where each and every region has a higher GDP per capita than the EU average. So dynamic economies and high standards of living are found across the country. Sweden’s present economic and social prosperity was built on the lessons learned from the financial crisis in the early 1990s. Governments pursued reforms and fiscal sustainability became institutionalized. Stable economic policies combine with competitiveness, innovation and an open approach to trade to make Sweden a model for economic success.

Balanced Budget 

Since the crisis of the 1990s, successive Swedish governments have been balancing the budget for over a decade, and have continued to do so even in the wake of the 2007–2008 global financial crisis. How is this possible? Sweden reinvented its economic governance with a series of innovative regulations. First, in 1996 a ceiling for government expenditures (utgiftstak) was introduced. This was accompanied by the addition of the ‘surplus goal’ (överskottsmålet) for the government budget. These reforms have met with broad support from across the political spectrum in Sweden.

They help ensure that high debt doesn’t accumulate and that debt isn’t passed onto future generations. Additionally, in 2007 the Swedish Fiscal Policy Council (Finanspolitiska rådet) was established. This committee of experts audits the government’s policy decisions regarding public finances and aims to ensure that they remain consistent with the goals of growth, employment and long-term financial sustainability. The Swedish government’s credible management of the public finances has meant that Sweden remains in the top league of fiscally responsible countries in Europe. While governments with large budget deficits carry out austerity measures by increasing taxes and cutting public spending, Sweden has avoided these difficulties. In fact, taxes in Sweden have actually been lowered since the crisis began. Sweden has also continued to invest in areas like healthcare, education and research, instead of having to cut heavily in these areas like in some countries. Every September the Swedish finance ministry presents its budget proposal for the following year to the Swedish parliament. In keeping with the tradition of the so-called ‘budget walk’, the finance minister carries the proposal through the streets of Stockholm and delivers it to the parliament personally.

Human Rights

Sweden & UN Security Council 2017– 2018 Membership Sweden aspires to be a clear voice for human rights around the world – not just in words but also in actions. To the Swedish government, the respect of human rights is not just a foreign policy goal in itself, but also a means for global development and security. For the period of 2017–2018, Sweden will be a member of the UN Security Council, promoting international peace and security as well as the Swedish view on democracy, human rights, gender equality and development. Human rights largely begin at home. As Sweden strives to walk its talk, it is important to ensure that the values promoted abroad are upheld at home. Therefore, Sweden’s promotional work on human rights centers mainly on areas where Sweden is at the forefront. The advancing of women’s rights internationally, for example, is rooted in the national plan on gender equality – a field where Sweden has traditionally been strong. During her state visit in 2012, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton applauded Sweden for being ‘not just on the front lines, but leading’ in its commitment to gender equality.

Children’s Rights

Another tenet where Sweden has a strong standing at home and an active agenda abroad is the rights of children. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) explains the under-five mortality rate of a region as ‘a critical indicator of the well-being of children.’ In 2015, Sweden only had three deaths per 1,000 live births, compared with the global average of 42.5, or 6.9 for OECD countries. Sweden was one of the first nations to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1990. Three years later, Sweden introduced the Ombudsman for Children (Barnombudsmannen), a government agency tasked with representing children regarding their rights and interests on the basis of the convention.

Eight Focus Areas 

In 2008, the Swedish government chose eight prioritized areas in its foreign policy work for human rights:

1. Democracy Building: With millions of people still living in dictatorships, Sweden wants to strengthen public opinion in favor of democracy, support the work of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and establish better ties with democratic states.
2. Strengthen Freedom of Expression: Sweden believes freedom of expression is a moral necessity and a practical tool in the fight for human rights.
3. Abolish the Death Penalty: Sweden and the EU have long sought the abolition of the death penalty on the grounds that it is incompatible with human rights.
4. Combat Torture: The Swedish government draws attention to such abuse wherever it occurs and supports organizations that help victims of torture.
5. Combat Summary Executions & Arbitrary Detention: For many years, Sweden has supported a UN resolution concerning summary, extrajudicial and arbitrary executions, and will continue to act to bring this issue to international attention.
6. Protect the Rule of Law: Sweden promotes the principles of the rule of law through organizations such as the UN, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and in talks with other countries.
7. Protect Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law: Sweden works actively with the goal that all states, large and small, should respect international law.
8. Fight Discrimination: In many countries, large groups of people receive far from equal treatment. The Swedish government wants to direct special attention to the rights of women, children and people with disabilities. 

SWEDISH SMART CITY

The term “Smart City” was coined towards the end of the 20th century. It is rooted in the implementation of user-friendly information and communication technologies developed by major industries for urban spaces. Its meaning has since been expanded to relate to the future of cities and their development. Smart cities are forward-looking, progressive and resource-efficient while providing at the same time a high quality of life. They promote social and technological innovations and link existing infrastructures. They incorporate new energy, traffic and transport concepts that go easy on the environment. Their focus is on new forms of governance and public participation. Intelligent decisions need to be taken at the strategic level if cities want to become smart. It takes more than individual projects but careful decisions on long-term implementations. Considering cities as entire systems can help them achieve their ultimate goal of becoming smart. Smart cities forcefully tackle the current global challenges, such as climate change and scarcity of resources. Their claim is also to secure their economic competitiveness and quality of life for urban populations continuously on the rise.

Urbanization

More than half the world’s population already occupies urban spaces. Estimates reckon that number to reach two thirds by 2050. This dramatic development is ultimately due to the many opportunities people are awarded to design their own lives in cities. Rising urbanization, however, also means greater challenges: as cities grow people’s needs and demands must be met in ways that go easy on the environment.

Limited Resources

Resources such as energy, clean water and disposable land are limited as most of us are aware of. We also know that cities consume the lion share of all energy produced worldwide. Food, housing, mobility and waste removal require raw materials and energy. To maintain a high standard of living for the long term, cities must reduce their ecological footprint and seek alternatives to scarce fossil resources.

Climate Change

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues we are currently faced with. CO2 Emissions must be reduced in the decades to come while measures need to be taken to reign in global warming, floods and extended heat waves. Cities are responsible for approximately three quarters of greenhouse gasses worldwide. Being major polluters they are also called upon to provide solutions.

Globalization

Worldwide networking of labor forces, institutions and information has its repercussions on cities too. Economic and social structures are changing and urban politics need to adapt their strategies to these new circumstances. It means positioning cities internationally between cooperation and competition. The measures taken must not serve the sole purpose of appearances but must focus on internal social, economic, spatial and structural aspects as well.

HOW TO MAKE A SMART CITY?

The first step towards becoming a smart city is taken at the strategic level. Main fields of action in this context are energy, mobility, the environment, the economy, society, politics, administration and quality of life. Some of the above are knotted and increasingly networked with the support of IT. Technical, economic and social innovations provide the foundation for such activities. Smart cities build on sustainability but also on resilience in the sense that cities as systems are made more resistant and adaptable to influences from inside and out.

Energy and the Environment 

Reducing energy and raw material consumption and forward looking resource management are among a city’s major concerns. Smart supply and disposal systems are just as important as process driven changes, technological developments and networks for energy, mobility, infrastructure and buildings. Smart grids, for that matter, are a step towards smart energy consumption: intelligent networks and monitoring systems are put in charge of energy generation, storage and consumption. Smart meters are installed to make actual energy consumption more transparent.

Mobility 

Smart mobility means innovative traffic and transport infrastructure that saves resources and builds on new technologies for maximum efficiency. Accessibility, affordability and safety of transport systems, as well as compact urban development are essential factors in this context. New user-friendly facilities will make it easier for people to switch to integrated transport systems focused on environmentally friendly transport modes. Joint utilization, i.e. “car sharing”, instead of private ownership is what counts these days when using motor vehicles.

Economy 

Smart economies actively support education, qualification, research and entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, productivity and flexibility. Continuous knowledge acquisition and transfer, as well as local and global networks are the main ingredients for creative output. Enterprises offering IT, environmental and energy services in particular are considered the driving force for smart economies.

Governance 

Smart Governance promotes both, changes in governance and coordination processes, and planning processes with public participation. The administration encourages cooperation among municipal organization units and is opening itself up to a wide range of players from business, research, civil society and other local authorities. Projects in their implementation stage increasingly rely on cooperation among the above. Public digital data are widely accessible to allow for more transparency and enable people to participate in decision-making processes

Society

Increasing people’s quality of life requires more than technical innovations. Also and above all it is the social dimension that needs to be taken into account. Civil society must be actively involved in making smart cities become reality. Main focus must be on education, lifelong learning, culture, health, safety of individuals, plurality of society and social cohesion. Urban everyday life provides sufficient leeway to promote people’s creativity and competences. Networking and self-management are major pillars of society without which smart cities would be doomed to fail.