The co-operation of the Nordic countries, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland on gender equality is to effectively contribute to the Nordic region becoming a gender-equal region. Achieving a gender-equal society requires an active gender equality policy that not only improves the situation for the individual but also lifts society. Utilising women’s and men’s, girls’ and boys’ competency, experience and ability to exert influence is vital for creating a sustainable future. The Nordic Co-operation Programme on Gender Equality 2019-2022 has four focus areas: Future of work and economic growth; Welfare, health and quality of life; Power and influence; Gender equality with focus on men and masculinities. The programme also promotes an outward-looking and visible collaboration, and puts emphasis on gender mainstreaming within the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2021-712/ In an international perspective the Nordic countries have long been progressive in the LGBTI area, but despite the fact that some legislation is in place, there are still many challenges to address before LGBTI people can obtain equal opportunities and rights. In 2020, the Nordic Ministers for Gender Equality initiated a formal co-operation programme under the Nordic Council of Ministers on equal treatment and equal rights for LGBTI people in the Nordic region. This text is a supplement to the Nordic Co-operation Programme for Gender Equality 2019-2022. The supplement governs the Nordic co-operation in the LGBTI area, and describes the most important priorities until the end of the programme period, 31 December 2022.

Sweden is leading the work of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2018. The Nordic countries have a tradition of cooperating, and our cooperation in the area of gender equality has been under way for over 40 years now. Our countries share many similar experiences, meaning that we can learn from each other. In support of this cooperation, we have the four-year cooperation programme ‘Together for gender equality’. For 2018, Sweden has chosen to prioritise issues concerning men and gender equality, efforts to prevent men’s violence against women, and gender mainstreaming; we will conduct several Nordic activities on these themes. The programme of activities for the 2018 Swedish Presidency also supports the efforts of the Nordic countries and the Nordic Council of Ministers to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda.

The terms ‘Nordic’ and ‘Scandinavian’ are widely used to refer to the politics, society and culture of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. But why have people felt the need to frame things as Nordic and why has the adjective Nordic become so prominent? This book adopts a rhetorical approach, analysing the speech acts which have shaped the meanings of the term. What do the different terms Nordic and Scandinavian have in common, and how have the uses of these terms changed in different historical periods? What accounts for the apparent upsurge in uses of the rhetoric of Nordicness in the 2010s? Drawing on eight case studies of the uses of Nordic and Scandinavian from the nineteenth century to the present day, the book explores the appeal and the flexibility of the rhetoric of Nordicness, in relation to race, openness, gender equality, food, crime fiction, Nordic co-operation and the Nordic model. Arguing that ‘Nordic’ and ‘Scandinavian’ are flexible and contested concepts that have been used in different, often contradictory and inherently political ways, the book suggests that the usage of the term has evolved from a means of creating a cultural community, to forging political co-operation and further to marketing models in politics and popular culture. The rhetorical approach also shows how many of the hallmarks of Nordic political culture, such as the Nordic model, Nordic gender equality or Nordic openness are more recent conceptualisations than usually assumed. As such, the book argues for the need to turn attention away from analysing the different components of Nordicness into studying how, when, and for what purpose different features were made Nordic.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2021-731/ The Nordic energy ministers present a new Nordic energy policy co-operation programme for the period 2022–2024. The Nordic Region wants to be the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030, and that is also the overall vision for co-operation on energy. A green transition of the Nordic societies will not be possible without a substantial green energy transition. As the Nordic energy systems are closely linked, working together on joint initiatives will lead to a green transition that is more cost-effective and socially sustainable than if the countries were each to achieve the goals individually. In 2020, the Nordic Council of Ministers for Energy Policy (MR-E) adopted seven focus areas as input into the action plan for Our Vision 2030. These will structure Nordic energy co-operation during the period covered by the programme and be at the heart of all of the work: - The green transition of the energy sector - Closer collaboration on research to aid the green transition - Nordic co-operation in the electricity market - Energy efficiency, technology and behavioural change - Working together on EU/EEA-related energy questions - Social acceptance of new energy plants and the green transition - The green transition of the transport sector.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/nord2024-004/ For most of the Nordic countries, fisheries and aquaculture are important economic sectors. Their labour markets are however male-dominated, and strongly gender-segregated. This report serves as a critical resource for understanding the current state of gender equality in the maritime sector. It offers actionable recommendations for policymakers, industry leaders, and educational institutions to promote gender equality and harness the potential and value of women in this field.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2022-709/ The co-operation programme fleshes out the Nordic Council of Ministers’ action plan for Vision 2030 and its 12 goals and describes what Nordic co-operation on working life will seek to achieve by 2024. The Nordic Council of Ministers is committed to labour markets that match the requirements of the green transition and progress toward digitalisation and that support freedom of movement in the Nordic Region. The Nordic models for working life are based to a large extent on gender equality, social security and dialogue between the social partners. However, the Nordic labour markets also face significant changes as a result of, for example, new technology and the digitalisation of workplaces, demographic trends and new forms of employment. The co-operation programme identifies the challenges faced and looks at how best Nordic co-operation can help address them.

Online publication: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2020-521/ Abstract [en] Sexual harassment is a major social problem in working life in the Nordic countries, which the Me Too movement of autumn 2017 demonstrated in particular. This research overview has been compiled on behalf of the Nordic Council of Ministers for Gender Equality with the purpose to provide an account of current knowledge about sexual harassment in the workplace in the Nordic countries and to identify the knowledge gaps to form the basis for a Nordic research initiative. The work is based on a survey of the research into the various ways in which sexual harassment is expressed in people’s working lives based on occupations of varying nature, in professional situations, in peer relations, and in meetings with customers, patients and clients. The overview is based on a systematic review of the research and other relevant literature from the Nordic countries between the years 2014–2019.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/temanord2024-512/ During the project Achieving the World’s Smoothest Cross-Border Mobility and Daily Life through Digitalisation, the Finnish institute for Health and Welfare in cooperation of Norwegian Directorate of e-Health conducted a study on the status of maternity card development in Nordic and Baltic countries. The aim of this report is to share knowledge between the Nordic and Baltic countries on the stage of development, aims and content of digital maternity cards.

Available online: https://pub.norden.org/politiknord2022-719/ The Nordic Council of Ministers for Health and Social Affairs’ (MR-S) co-operation programme for 2022–2024 will generate knowledge and exchange information about shared challenges in the field of health and welfare throughout the Nordic Region. The main purpose is to generate initiatives and solutions that will contribute to the development of policy and guarantee the sustainability of the Nordic welfare societies at local, regional, national and Nordic levels at a time of limited resources.