The Privileges Of Being A Woman In The Nordic Countries

A take on the progressive feminist outlook in Nordic countries, making it a tempting possibility for relocation.

So which are the Nordic countries? Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland (which are the 4 we will look at here), Denmark, Greenland, Svalbard, Aland Islands, and Faroe Islands.

Being a woman is an amazing experience, but being a woman in a Nordic country makes being a female a privilege. These countries provide women equal representation in parliament, equal rights along with health and child care. These female friendly countries have facilities that are tempting enough to convince you to relocate.

Norway

When it comes to maternal leave, Norwegian women have a whopping 52 weeks! This Nordic country is good for men as well, as they are granted 12 weeks of paternity leave.

Norway was the first country in the world to pass a gender equality law in the 1970s. Organisations are asked to choose women over men while recruiting for managerial posts. That’s not all, more than half of the graduates from universities are female!

Finland

This was the first European country to provide women the right to vote and run for office in 1906.  Finnish women outrun men when it  comes to obtaining high ranking  technical and professional jobs. Finnish schools even provide free meals at school. This country gives free public child care to help working mothers.

Sweden

Nearly 77 per cent of the working population of this country consists of women! When it comes to maternity leave, this country beats Norway by providing 69 weeks.  Nearly half of the ministers in the Swedish parliament are women, and Birgitta Olhsson, the European Union Affairs Minister was pregnant when she was elected! This is quite a rare scenario in most countries.

Iceland

This beautiful country is ranked the highest in economic gender equality in the world. The country also censors pornography and has outlawed strip clubs to promote feminism. The world’s first openly homosexual female Prime Minister, Johanna Sigurdardottir is from Iceland!

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Images courtesy: flickr

Header image source: flickr

Sanjana

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