In Focus
Angela Davis in Reykjavik: We must see the structural powers that support the violence
“If we don’t challenge the structures in society, we risk getting into a situation where we end up fighting for women’s rights to be as violent as men,” warned Angela Davis when she addressed the large #metoo conference in Reykjavik on 17-19 September.
The male role in Finland is changing
One ended up in prison for refusing to do his military service. Another did his military service and ended up working for the armed forces. Today both are on the board of the new feminist association for men, saying they have a lot to learn from the Finnish women’s movement.
Sweden to strengthen preventative work against discrimination
Many employers are not aware that they must work on active measures to promote equal rights and opportunities for their employees. So says the Swedish government, which has appointed a commissioner tasked with coming up with proposals for how to make the monitoring of the discrimination act more effective.
How have the Nordic countries reacted to #metoo?
The Nordic countries have put the questions raised by the metoo-movement high on the agenda, not only for the ministers of gender equality, but for all ministers.
Alarm bells ring after many fatal workplace accidents in Sweden
Men working high up in construction and men loading and unloading trucks. Two risk-filled jobs that have claimed lives 2019 in Sweden. But the initial increase in fatal accidents earlier in 2019 has subsided. 44 persons died, which is 11 less than the year before.
Finnish safety training park makes workplace risks more visible
Everyone should return home in the evening. That is the motto for construction workers. But you need more than theoretical knowledge in order to eliminate the risks of accidents. Like bringing routines closer to people’s hearts. A visit to a safety training park speeds things up.
Closing down the Faroes to attract more tourists
The Faroe Islands are closing down. Damaged nature will be fixed. The Prime Minister for the 18 green islands in the North Atlantic is being very clear: No tourists for an entire weekend. But the Faroes were not closed down. It was all a well-prepared PR stunt to attract more tourists to the country.
Iceland’s tourism becomes a hot environmental topic
Tourists drowning at sea. Tourists dying in bus accidents. Tourists driving illegally off road and getting stuck in the middle of an active geothermal area. They do serious damage to nature just to post pictures of themselves and their tyre tracks on social media.
Sustainable tourism in Åland – no Coca-Cola or Norwegian salmon
Åland was first to implement the Green Key certification scheme for restaurants in Finland. Among the pioneers was Pub Stallhagen, where chef Johanna Dahlgren has done a huge job both as an inspirator and educator.
Åland: many travellers, far fewer overnighters
Åland has just under 30 000 citizens, and more than two million annual visitors. This must mean the place is literally swarming with travellers, right?
Is overtourism a threat to the Nordics, or can the sector become sustainable?
We have all seen the pictures of the queue to get to the top of Mount Everest, gigantic cruise ships docking in Venice and anti-tourist protests in Barcelona. Mass tourism has taken a step towards becoming “overtourism”.
How to get Danes to retire later – like Norwegians and Swedes do
Norwegians and Swedes retire later than their Danish neighbours, partly because their pensions keep growing with each extra year they spend in the labour market. This is one of the 11 good reasons a new report highlights for Denmark to learn from what Sweden and Norway do.
A tough tone between EU and national courts
Right now, Nordic labour ministries are busy working with two EU directives. The directive on the posting of workers is being expanded, while a new directive on transparent and predictable working conditions is to be implemented.
“It is our environments which make us handicapped”
Kristine Ronæss Årdal has cerebral palsy, and certain environments make integration difficult. In her experience, positive attitudes combined with physical facilitation is often easier to achieve than many think.
Inclusion on a labour market with ever increasing demands
Inclusion is something which all the Nordic countries treasure. Yet while they agree on the goal, they often use different measures and have different ideas for how the labour market should work. How, for instance, does an education system using a lot of workplace training impact on those who do not finish their education? Does strong employment protection help youths?
Torstein Lerhol is responsible for 700 staff. Now he wants to become mayor.
Torstein Lerhol can only move one finger, but feels he can contribute to society just like anybody else thanks to the support he gets from his home municipality of Vang in Oppland, Norway. He wants to give something back. That is why he will run for mayor this autumn.
ILO and the Nordics: At the frontline in fight for the future of work
There was a positive atmosphere as the ILO Director-General and representatives from the Nordic ministries of labour gathered in Iceland to discuss the challenges around the future of work. The Nordic model has proved to be adaptable to rapid and major change before, and the development of new technology is something people can actually control.
Equal pay: a fight between genders or between the rich and poor?
Society treasures resources and power more than anything. If we do not deal with economic inequality we will get nowhere, said the leader of the Icelandic trade union Efling, Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir, during a panel debate at the Nordic conference The Future of Work, held in Reykjavik between 4th-5th April.
Parental leave in Iceland gives dad a strong position
Since Iceland introduced nine months parental leave with three months earmarked fathers, their participation in childcare has changed radically – in a good way. Mothers return to work earlier, and get back to working ordinary hours faster. Daddy leave has been the main driver in this development.
ILO's DG Guy Ryder finds inspiration from problem-solving Iceland
Why does the Director-General of ILO choose Iceland as one of his last stops before the organisation’s centenary celebrations kick off? Why Reykjavík and not Paris or Rome?
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