Is the Swedish Model of Gender Equality in Decline?

Abstract

Abstract Gender equality and women’s rights are being challenged in many Western countries. Sweden is one such country. Although other nations have long admired and tried to emulate Sweden’s gender equality, in recent years the country’s model of gender parity has begun to decline. The decline is a result of complex dynamics with many contributory factors, and some Swedish women even challenge the very notion that Sweden ever reached a higher level of gender parity in the first place; these women believe that the perception of Sweden as a gender utopia is a nice façade but is not representative of reality. In this thesis, the decline of gender equality is discussed through analysis of Sweden’s abandonment of its feminist foreign policy, decreasing rates of male participation in parental leave, low rates of female participation in high-paying managerial or leadership roles, low level of female entrepreneurship, high rates of female employment in low-paying jobs (such as childcare and healthcare), persistent sexist cultural norms, and increased violence against women. Sweden’s government is a large contributing factor in these issues. In 2022, Sweden decided to abandon its feminist foreign policy, which was the first of its kind in the world when it was adopted in 2014. Abandoning a feminist foreign policy contradicts the ambition to challenge gendered institutions and power hierarchies and stands in opposition to the advancement and protection of women’s rights. Sweden’s new government also includes a coalition with the rapidly growing Sweden Democrats (SD)—a right-wing populist party, who have publicly denounced feminism and measures of gender equality over the years—and they currently hold 20% of Sweden’s vote. In addition, Sweden joining the European Union (EU) and adhering to the EU’s laws and regulations has in some ways reversed gender equality in Sweden, although Sweden may have helped to further gender equality for other EU countries. Also, welfare states such as Sweden tend to have female populations that are more likely to work compared to those in non-welfare states. In Sweden’s case, the large female workforce is the result of a government that has encouraged the dual earner/ dual carer model since the 1970s. However, economists have concluded that women are still less likely to end up in high-paying managerial positions in Sweden. Mothers’ careers are thwarted not only by parental leave but also by a gendered workforce, unpaid work, part-time work, and a persistent wage gap. Women have also been impacted by the fact that attention to refugee issues have often taken precedence over gender issues in Swedish politics since 2015. Moreover, most refugees in Sweden are from Muslim countries and patriarchal societies, and they often bring the gender stereotypes of their home countries with them. According to Swedish data, an increase in sexual violence against women has coincided with the increase in immigration. Overall, in the framework of Women, Peace and Security (WPS), it is recognized that women must be critical actors in all facets of society in order for countries to achieve sustainable peace and security; in particular, women must have a voice in government and leadership. Through deeper analysis of these topics, this thesis demonstrates the decrease in gender equality in Sweden and suggests that the dual earner/carer model has not progressed sufficiently to allow women the opportunity to participate in the workforce equally.