Sharing with the press about gender equality and women's rights, Ambassador Hilde Solbakken told the story of Norway and her personal experiences as a female diplomat.
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| Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Hilde Solbakken is always mindful of promoting gender equality in her diplomatic life. (Photo: KT) |
One of the "world's most generous" policies
Norwegian Ambassador Hilde Solbakken shared that for a long time, Norway had a very strong opinion that women should stay at home and take care of the family and men should go out to work and be the breadwinners. international. And part of the change comes from: Society realizing Norway's economy is growing and the need to bring women into the workforce.
Therefore, thanks to the strong feminist movement of the 1960s and the Gender Equality Law passed in 1978, political organizations began to become more aware of gender equality.
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Ambassador Hilde Solbakken: “Norway also has a long way to go to achieve its current achievements in gender equality. Hopefully Vietnam can also do this in the near future." |
According to Ambassador Hilde Solbakken, Norway has many policies to support the promotion of gender equality, such as granting student loans to help women have higher education opportunities; Build new affordable childcare facilities, increase paid maternity leave for both husband and wife so that women can work with peace of mind, so that both women and men can ensure balance. with time for work and family...
The female Ambassador analyzed: "In my opinion, Norway's maternity leave for parents is one of the most generous policies in the world. You may choose to enjoy a slightly lower salary rate in exchange for extended part-time hours to take care of your children.
Personally, I find that this is truly a humane economic policy. Because when the Government brings women into the workforce, the country's human resources are utilized better than if only men worked. On the other hand, the Government can collect more taxes to pay for maternity leave, paternity leave and better benefits."
Not only that, Norway has a very clear approach to education: Right from kindergarten or elementary school, children are taught that boys and girls can do the same things. Children have the right to choose and develop according to their interests and abilities, not because they are boys or girls.
"It is this perspective that has followed me throughout my life, helping me form a unique identity for my growing up process," Ambassador Hilde Solbakken shared.
Currently, Vietnam has a surplus of about 1,5 million boys. So in the coming time, what will these boys have to do when they want to find a partner or start a family? How will Vietnam's socio-economy be affected?
Therefore, the Norwegian Ambassador hopes that policies to promote gender equality will become one of the top priorities of the Vietnamese Government. Norway also has a long way to go to achieve current achievements in gender equality, she hopes Vietnam can also do this in the near future.
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| Norwegian Ambassador to Vietnam Hilde Solbakken personally and chefs prepare delicious dishes at Norwegian Seafood Festival. (Photo: KT) |
The struggle has gone quite far
Women's participation in Norway's political system is also an inspiring story. According to Ambassador Hilde Solbakken, in her country, although not perfect, the fight for gender equality has gone quite far. "It is women's political participation that will help prevent those issues from being forgotten, such as reproductive health and girls' educational rights," the female Ambassador emphasized.
“Since I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1997, the recruitment quota for both genders has been 50-50,” she said. However, for women to be appointed to the highest positions, Norway also takes a quite long time."
Over time, many political parties in the Nordic country began to emphasize gender balance in their leadership and candidate lists in elections, as Norwegian women increasingly held positions of responsibility. more important. Furthermore, the Government is also very proactive with a policy requiring committees, delegations or delegations attending conferences and events to ensure at least 40% of members represent each gender.
A very important step is that Norway requires members of the Board of Directors of large companies listed on the stock exchange to consist of at least 40% of each gender. This not only ensures more gender balance but also has a very positive impact on businesses' revenue.
Another aspect, according to Ambassador Hilde Solbakken, Norway has a lot of experience supporting peace processes around the world. The country recognizes that, to achieve a sustainable peace, the participation of women at all levels is extremely important. In many conflicts, women and children are often the victims. Women's participation in politics is a prerequisite to ensuring that their voices are heard.
According to the female diplomat, in Vietnam, women make up a very high proportion of government agencies and the political system, but it seems that there is still a "glass ceiling". This is a metaphorical image that describes an invisible, informal barrier that hinders women's advancement to top positions in a company or organization.
| Ambassador Hilde Solbakken: "You know, there are people who can dominate the space as soon as they appear and Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan is one of them." |
Sharing about the Vietnamese female politicians she is most impressed with, the Norwegian Ambassador mentioned Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan. In November 11, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan paid an official visit to Norway. Ambassador Hilde Solbakken had the opportunity to meet and was very impressed with the Vice President.
Ambassador Hilde Solbakken expressed: “Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan has truly profound knowledge about all the issues exchanged and discussed. You know, there are people who can dominate the space as soon as they appear and Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan is one of them.
In working sessions with the Crown Prince, Prime Minister, Chairman of the National Assembly and Minister of Culture and Gender Equality as well as key Norwegian businesses, Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan left a lasting impression. Very good impression for attendees."
Ms. Solbakken hopes that Vietnamese women will take on more leadership positions because they truly deserve it.
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| The G4 group includes the Embassies of Canada, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in collaboration with the Women Journalists Club of the Vietnam Journalists Association to organize the discussion "Gender and Journalism”, October 10. (Photo: KT) |
“I represent my country, not myself”
So, as a female diplomat, what advantages and disadvantages does Ambassador Hilde Solbakken encounter in her work? The female Ambassador from Northern Europe sincerely shared: "Whether we are male or female, our job requirements are the same. I am an Ambassador, I need to represent the country, not myself."
“Norway is very lucky to have a generation of strong women who courageously paved the way for us to be equal and on par with men,” she said. Currently, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has an equal number of male and female ambassadors.
We have come so far that women also hold the country's most prestigious positions. In 1945, Norway had its first female minister, the Minister of Social Affairs. By 2017, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had its first female Minister, and now we have 2 female ministers."
Ms. Solbakken said that how people perceive female ambassadors may depend on the country in which they work. This difference depends on gender roles and the roles of women in that country.
“Sometimes, I will be expected to attend more fashion shows than security policy seminars. People might think I'm more interested in issues that are considered lighter in diplomacy, like culture, for example. However, my job is to cover all areas of diplomatic relations, whether it is security, business promotion or culture.
The first time I went on a business trip abroad, I felt like I wasn't taken seriously because I was female and young. But this gradually lessens. It doesn't really matter that I'm a woman. I work with my skills and experience. What I can bring to society is what is truly important," Ambassador Hilde Solbakken expressed.
