ABSTRACT

Norway represents a country with groundbreaking legislation and unsurpassed gender equality yet inequities, discrimination and gender segregation in both education and the labour market still exist. Norwegian culture prioritizes family life and children, which is reflected in working hours and national holidays. Women's participation in the labour market has been shown to increase as their children get older, although it is the number rather than the age of the children that has the largest impact. Trends in higher education in Norway send a mixed message. The good news is that women have entered higher education in droves. In Norway, postgraduate education is often funded through scholarships. Statistics on women in management positions are usually reported separately for the political, public, and private sectors. Women's enterprises in Norway tend to be small with one or two employees, and tend to be concentrated in two commercial sectors. Norway has shown that gender balance can be achieved through quotas, legislation and political pressure.