1. Gender equality in transport in Sweden
Hearing on Women in Transport
Brussels, Tuesday the 11th of April 2017
Åsa Webber
Permanent Representation of Sweden to the EU

2. Sweden has a feminist government
Gender equality is a fundamental human right
Equal numbers of women and men in the government
Gender mainstreaming, including gender budgeting, is the tool
All decisions and priorities must aim to increase gender equality
… and it should be done in the regular processes.

3. The objective of gender equality policy
Women and men are to have the same power to shape society and their own lives.
Gender equal division of power and influence
Economic gender equality
Gender equal education
Equal distribution of unpaid housework and provision of care
Gender equal health
Men's violence against women must stop.

4. Gender equality - a precondition
.. for sustainable development and for growth and employment.
Participation on the labour market on equal terms.
Social infrastructure needed:
affordable day care for children and dependants
equal rights to parental leave
same conditions for unpaid household and caring duties

5. Strategic reforms in the 70:ies creating families with dual earners
Abolition of the joint taxation system
but also:
Public, affordable, high quality care for children
Parental insurance
Transformative agendas for women’s economic empowerment

6. State-owned companies and agencies work as role models
The boards, including chairs, of state-owned companies are made up of close to 50 % women.
Executive boards of the transport agencies consist of, on average, 50 % women.
36 % women are board members in the largest, listed Swedish companies.
Proposal for quotas but no decision made.
The Swedish Government is of the opinion that power and influence should be more equally distributed between women and men. As a result the government promotes an equal balance of women and men in leadership positions in central government positions and in state-owned companies. The state-owned companies are role models in terms of having a high proportion of female board members and now also in terms of the number of female chairs. The boards, including chairs, of wholly state-owned companies are made up of close to 50 per cent women.
In order to achieve a more equal distribution of women and men on leadership positions in the workforce in general, the government has revised the Discrimination Act. According to the bill (prop. 2015/16:135), employers are to promote an equal distribution of women and men in various kinds of jobs and positions via education, capacity building activities and other initiatives. The suggested proposal implies a strengthening of the current legislation, explicitly stressing that the special measures introduced by employers should comprise leadership positions. The proposed revisions entered into force 1 January 2017.

7. Sweden top 5 in share of women on boards
Per cent
Source: EU Commission

8. Transport policy objectives
The overall goal for Swedish transport policy is to ensure the economic efficiency and long-term sustainability of transport provision for citizens and enterprise throughout Sweden. A functional goal – accessibility – and a consideration goal – safety, environment and health. The functional goal states that the transport system should be gender equal, i.e. meet the transport needs of women and men in an equivalent manner.

9. Following up transport policy objectives
The governmental authority Transport Analysis is commissioned to follow up the transport policy objectives on a yearly basis.
Travel pattern - Official statistics.
Attitudes and road safety - Yearly survey.
Local labour markets - Official statistics.
Opportunity for car usage - Official statistics.
Security - Official statistics.
Share of women and men in executive boards, management in public agencies and companies in the transport sector - Specially collected survey.
divided for women
and men

10. Men do more worktrips
Source: Statistics Sweden,

11. Women and men use about the same time travelling
Source: Statistics Sweden,

12. But, men drive longer distances by car than women
Source: Statistics Sweden,

13. Women’s and men’s travel behaviour and values differ
Men travel longer distances to work than women.
Men drive cars more than women do, while women are more likely to be the passenger in the car.
Women and men have different values especially concerning environmental issues and travel safety.

14. The gender equality objective has led to better analyses
Better understanding of how women and men use the transport system
Better understanding of how the transport system is adopted to women and men
and how it affects women and men differently
Analyses like this, should be done in all policy areas and in all countries.

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