Sweden: More money to promote gender equality
Minister for Gender Equality Åsa Lindhagen
Photo: Kristian Pohl/Government Offices of Sweden
The Swedish government has previously planned SEK 290 million ($ 29.8m) for the implementation of gender equality policy in 2020, of which the majority will go to measures to prevent and combat men’s violence against women and honour-related violence and oppression.
The government is now proposing an extra SEK 155 million ($15.9m). The investment is part of an agreement between the government parties, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party.
Of the new investment of SEK 155 million, SEK 45 million ($4.6m) is earmarked for the work to combat honour-related violence and oppression. SEK 10 million ($1.02m) will go to the work to combat men’s violence against women and SEK 100 million ($10.2m) to non-profit women’s and girls’ shelters.
The funds will strengthen initiatives within the framework of the government’s national strategy to prevent and combat men’s violence against women and honour-related violence and oppression.
It is important that the work to combat men’s violence against women and honour-related violence and oppression, and the support provided to victims of sexual offences continue and are developed.
The violence prevention work needs to continue to be developed, not least measures for young men and boys. The same applies to relapse prevention work to stop violence being repeated. Government agencies, municipalities and health and medical care need better access to methods and support to increase the detection of exposure to violence.
The funds are expected to contribute to effective measures to counter the occurrence and re-occurrence of violence, with the aim of stopping men’s violence against women and honour-related violence and oppression. SEK 100 million of the government’s investment will go to non-profit women’s and girls’ shelters. Non-profit women’s and girls’ shelters do important work for very vulnerable groups. The government wants to support civil society while also contributing to functioning support to victims of crime in municipalities’ and regions’ areas of responsibility.
“Stopping men’s violence against women is a priority objective for the Government. We will redouble our efforts to combat honour-related violence and oppression, through increased knowledge, better support measures and tougher sentences. Women and men and girls and boys must have the same rights and opportunities to bodily integrity. It is unacceptable that a large proportion of women and girls are subjected to sexual or physical violence or psychological abuse. With the Government’s investment, we are now redoubling our efforts against violence and oppression,” says Minister for Gender Equality Åsa Lindhagen.
Swedish Government
