EO Files (February 2008)
Things We Do, People We Meet -- Reflections in Brief

Sweden Study Tour (3) - Observations about Gender Equality

Sweden is well known worldwide for its gender equality policies and practices. The following statistics are worth noting :

• 79% of women are in employment 1. (In Hong Kong 52.1 2 of women are employed.)
• Women's average income is 92% of men's. (This compares with 73% 3 in Hong Kong.)
• Women make up 47% of Parliamentary Members. (In Hong Kong 20% 4 of Legislative Councilors are women.)
• Women constitute 60% of undergraduate students. (In Hong Kong 53% 5 of undergraduate students are women.)
• The Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman was set up in 1980. (In Hong Kong the Equal Opportunities Commission was set up in 1996.)

For more information on gender equality in Sweden, please visit the official website : http://www.sweden.se.

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1. Information source : "Gender Equality in Sweden" (October 2007)
2. 2006 figures
3. 2005 figures
4. January 2008 figures
5. 2006/07 figures