[2025 Women Leaders Forum] "93% of Men Take Parental Leave, Even Ministers Are No Exception" Norway Earns Respect!

by Kim Heeyun

Pubilshed 06 Nov.2025 12:04(KST)

Updated 06 Nov.2025 16:39(KST)

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Anne Kari Hansen Ovind, the Norwegian Ambassador to South Korea, attended the "2025 Women Leaders Forum" hosted by The Asia Business Daily at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 6th, delivering a keynote speech titled "Beyond the Wave of Great Transformation: Norway's Inclusive Leadership Opening a Sustainable Future." 2025.11.6 Photo by Cho Yongjun

On the morning of November 6, at the Crystal Ballroom of Lotte Hotel Sogong-dong, Seoul, Anne Kari Ovind, Norwegian Ambassador to South Korea, began her speech at the 2025 Women Leaders Forum hosted by The Asia Business Daily with a strong tone. She referenced the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing, "Ensuring women's rights and opportunities is the heart that makes all other goals possible."

"Gender equality is not a peripheral goal, but a core value that drives the center of society. Women, who make up half the population, represent half the world's potential. A nation's potential depends on this very fact."

A Small but Strong Country: Competitiveness Built on Inclusion

Ambassador Ovind presented Norway's achievements one by one. "We are a small country with a population of 5.5 million, yet we rank fourth in the world in GDP per capita, second in the Human Development Index, and share second place in the Gender Equality Index." She explained, "These results are the product of cultural innovation that goes beyond policy."

Norway has made 'Inclusive Leadership' the foundation of its national governance. "Gender equality is not just a part of policy; it is the root that supports all policies."

During the Brundtland government in the 1970s, Norway defined health and welfare as core elements of human rights and as the basis for national competitiveness. "It was a change that even contrasted with my own childhood," she recalled. "From that time, Norway has settled cultural equality into daily life, going beyond legal equality."

Currently, the female labor force participation rate in Norway is about 70%, and the gender wage gap is among the lowest in the world.

Norway ensures that both parents equally use parental leave. Ambassador Ovin stated, "93% of all fathers take parental leave. When a minister takes leave, a substitute minister is appointed. The Minister of Climate and Environment was no exception." Photo by Getty Image

"Childcare Is Not Just a Woman's Responsibility": Equality in Everyday Life

"Gender equality starts at home."

Showing a photo of a father walking with a stroller, Ambassador Ovind explained, "This is a common sight in Norway's major cities. It is evidence of equality permeating daily life, not just policy."

She then introduced a system that ensures both parents can equally take parental leave. "Ninety-three percent of all fathers take parental leave. When a minister goes on leave, a substitute minister is appointed. The Minister of Climate and Environment was no exception." The audience expressed admiration, and she smiled calmly.

The burden of childcare costs has also been reduced. Parents pay no more than 6% of their income for kindergarten fees, with the government covering the rest. "Every child can attend kindergarten regardless of their parents' economic situation. The state invests in each child. This is not just a welfare policy, but a future strategy."

From Legal Equality to Structural Equality: The 40% Female Board Member Quota

Ambassador Ovind also introduced the '40% Female Board Member Quota,' implemented in 2003, as a key example of gender equality. "Publicly listed companies must appoint at least 40% women to their boards of directors. Failure to comply can result in corporate registration being canceled or board decisions being invalidated."

She added, "Since last year, this requirement has been expanded. Starting in 2028, it will apply not only to listed companies but also to general corporations, partnerships, and foundations."

"It is not enough to advocate gender equality as an ideology. Social norms change when regulations and incentives work together. This system is not a sanction, but a driving force for change."

Anne Kari Hansen Ovind, the Norwegian Ambassador to South Korea, attended the "2025 Women Leaders Forum" hosted by The Asia Business Daily at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 6th, delivering a keynote speech titled "Beyond the Wave of Great Transformation: Norway's Inclusive Leadership Opening a Sustainable Future." 2025.11.6 Photo by Cho Yongjun

Educational Equality Creates Women's Economic Independence

Norway systematically supports 'economic independence' beyond free education. University students receive loans and grants regardless of income, with about 40% of the support coming from the government.

Ambassador Ovind explained, "People should be able to choose their career paths according to their interests, not their parents' financial status. Securing decision-making power is especially important for women." She continued, "A society where women can independently design their studies and careers strengthens the self-determination of all citizens."

For students who give birth during their studies, part of their loan is converted into parental support grants. "Mothers are guaranteed 49 weeks of parental leave, and fathers 40 weeks. Norway has a national system that enables the compatibility of education, childbirth, and caregiving."

Norway has implemented female conscription since 2016, and currently, 30% of conscripts are women. Photo by Forsvaret

Equality on the Battlefield: Ten Years of Female Conscription

"Gender equality is no exception even on the battlefield."

She stated that Norway introduced female conscription in 2015 and has been implementing it for ten years. Currently, 30% of conscripts are women, and among them, 80% are voluntary applicants.

"The nature of future warfare is shifting toward cyber and hybrid warfare. The military needs diverse capabilities and expertise. Excluding women, who make up half of the talented and knowledgeable population, is inefficient."

In Norway, there are female fighter pilots, female naval commanders, and female generals dispatched to NATO. "Currently, the head of the army is also a woman. She visited Korea last year. This is a symbolic case proving that women can serve in the highest military positions."

Ambassador Ovind added, "Most female soldiers recommend enlistment to their friends," and "They participate in international peace operations and experience an organizational culture free of gender discrimination."

Aerial view of the Hywind Tampen offshore wind farm in the North Sea, Norway.<br>Led by Equinor, the Norwegian state-owned energy company, it is the world's largest floating offshore wind farm and is regarded as a symbol of Norway's green transition by replacing the power demand of North Sea oil and gas fields with renewable energy. Photo by Equinor.

Aerial view of the Hywind Tampen offshore wind farm in the North Sea, Norway.
Led by Equinor, the Norwegian state-owned energy company, it is the world's largest floating offshore wind farm and is regarded as a symbol of Norway's green transition by replacing the power demand of North Sea oil and gas fields with renewable energy. Photo by Equinor.

Inclusive Leadership Spreads to Industry

Ambassador Ovind explained, "The principle of equality is expanding from the military to industry," noting the strengthening of female leadership in the maritime, energy, and financial sectors. She also mentioned that DNB, Norway's largest bank, has both a female CEO and a female chair of the board.

She also introduced the challenges Norway faces. "Intensified labor market competition, responding to climate change, increased defense spending, and the advent of the AI era are all emerging as challenges." Norway aims for carbon neutrality by 2050 and has announced, "We will reduce carbon emissions by 70-75% by 2030."

"Inclusion Is a Strategy": A Message for Korea

Concluding her speech, Ambassador Ovind stated, "The world now stands at the center of green transition, digital transformation, and demographic change. The success of all these transitions depends on how many people can demonstrate their capabilities in an inclusive environment."

This year, the Norwegian government announced the '2025-2030 Gender Equality Strategy.' Ten ministers from departments such as labor, education, culture, and defense jointly signed this strategy, which includes four key tasks: ▲Recruitment and discovery of role models ▲Creating a work environment that benefits everyone ▲Building an adaptable workforce ▲Creating a workplace free of harassment.

"I hope Norway's experience can serve as a guide for Korea as well. Inclusion is not just a moral value, but a strategy. Gender equality is the core driving force of sustainable development."

2012 Equality Commission panel discussion in Norway. On the left is Hege Skjeie, Professor of Political Science at the University of Oslo, and on the right is Mari Teigen, Director of the Oslo Metropolitan Institute for Social Research. The two jointly led the 2012 publication of the "Policy for Gender Equality" report, establishing the theoretical foundation of the "Norwegian Model," which expanded gender equality beyond welfare policy to a national growth strategy. Photo by NLJ

'From Equality to Strategy': The Meaning of the Norwegian Model

This keynote speech was significant in that it reinterpreted gender equality not as a human rights discourse but as a core national strategy. Ambassador Ovind presented Norway's step-by-step transformation: 'policy implementation → social culturalization → industrial efficiency.' In other words, gender equality is not just a moral cause but a comprehensive growth engine encompassing the economy, welfare, and security.

Currently, women make up 40.2% of the Norwegian parliament and the female labor force participation rate is 70%. The government maintains a fully gender-equal cabinet, with ten men and ten women. This was not achieved overnight. Legal and institutional changes that began in the 1970s have accumulated over 50 years and have now settled as 'culture.'

The secret behind how Norway, a small country of 5.5 million people, achieved both fourth place in GDP per capita and second place in gender equality is clear: gender equality was designed not as welfare, but as a 'growth engine.' For Korea, facing low birth rates, an aging population, and the climate crisis, Norway's experience is a living textbook proving that 'inclusion is competitiveness.'

This year's Women Leaders Forum expanded these messages into practical discourse. The theme of this year's forum is "Women Leading the Great Transition."

The forum was organized to explore new roles and directions for women's leadership amid the great transitions of artificial intelligence and technological innovation, demographic change, and environmental crises. Women leaders from various fields, including Yoo Myunghee, Visiting Professor at Seoul National University Graduate School of International Studies, Moon Aeri, Chairperson of the Korea Foundation for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology, and Lee Yeonsu, CEO of NC AI, participated as speakers. More than 300 people from industry, academia, and public institutions attended the event, reaffirming that women's leadership is a key driving force for national competitiveness.