Article based on a recorded intervention by President of the Storting, Ms. Tone Wilhelmsen Trøen, at the digital meeting on Women Leading Politics and Development, under the auspices of the World Bank, IMF and Women Political Leaders (WPL), Tuesday 13th October 16h00 – 17h30
COVID-19 has changed our lives and societies dramatically. When a global pandemic strikes as hard as this one, it demonstrates how vulnerable we are.
The Corona pandemic and the lockdown that followed constituted the biggest challenge to our society since the Second World War. Our lives and our health are at risk and our basic democratic principles have been put to the test.
My priority as President of Parliament was to make sure that the Norwegian Parliament’s core business and duties could carry on. It was vital that legislation and budget allocations were dealt with and adopted, in line with the Constitution and the rule of law.
In Norway, public trust in our institutions is high. In fact, this trust seems to have risen during the Corona crisis.
Public trust relies on people’s continuing belief that they are being seen and heard. That we as politicians actually represent them, even in times of crisis.
The Corona pandemic has affected everyone. But women are being hit extra hard, even though a higher proportion of men are catching the virus. Women are on the front line of healthcare. Women are more likely than men to be carertakers at home.
As an educated nurse and a mother, this is something I can relate to.
Yet, I still believe that my gender isn’t the defining factor in how I’ve dealt with this crisis. I’d rather propose that the nations that have female leaders also have positive and balanced representation in politics in general. That both men and women are represented at all levels. And that the people in power have all sorts of different backgrounds.
Measures against the pandemic must appear reasonable and fair to the population in general. The wider our representation, the better our chances are that we will make the right decisions.
I believe that we are in sore need of coming together in our efforts to reach Sustainable Development Goal number 5: achieving full gender equality between women and men.
2020 marked the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration. We have much to celebrate.
- Women now play a greater role in political and economic life
- More girls go to school than ever before
- Fewer women die in childbirth
But, there is still an alarming rise in female poverty. Violence against women and girls seems to have increased worldwide, especially during the Corona crisis. This worries me!
It worries me that some states are considering withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention in times when we need more international collaboration in this field, not less.
One of my priorities as President of the Storting is gender equality.
Half the people in the world are women. It’s crucial that we take part in the decision-making. Representation gives women the chance to be heard and respected.
The Beijing Declaration raised the importance of equal participation in decision-making processes. This is not simply about justice and democracy; it’s also a necessary precondition for being able to take women’s interests into account.
Women are a vital resource in every country; equality is a precondition for economic growth. Cheering on equality isn’t simply about gender and justice. It’s about building a healthy and sustainable economy. One of the building blocks of Norwegian prosperity is the opportunities and rights that women have to work. In short, equality pays!
As President of Parliament and as a female politician I do my best to put equality on the agenda. I’m convinced that our societies would be better equipped to cope with the challenges of the future if men and women had equal opportunities and rights.
Abuse, bullying and sexual harassment in the workplace and on social media mean that many people, especially young women, hesitate to go into politics or take part in the public debate. As presidents of parliament, we have a particular duty to counteract this, to be positive role models.
It’s now, together, that we can lay the foundations of equal opportunities and decision making for the next generation of women.