How will we contribute to change?

The Action Plan extends Norway’s enduring commitment to promoting women’s rights and gender equality in its foreign and development policy. Our efforts are rooted in human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Norway, maintaining its role as a steadfast advocate, will continue to assert itself on the global stage to achieve gender equality and safeguard the rights of all girls and women. We are resolute in our commitment to combat all forms of discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. We will and must work broadly to promote women’s rights and gender equality across the breadth of Norway’s foreign and development policy.

Our most significant opportunities for influencing global developments in gender equality are through strategic cooperation with diverse partners, diplomatic efforts in multilateral forums and at national level, and financial contributions, particularly through development funds. Political dialogue and diplomatic endeavours often concentrate on global norms, whether in global forums or through engagement in dialogue with and influencing the national authorities in implementing global conventions, resolutions and international agreements to which they have acceded. We aim to forge alliances across regions and seek collaboration with countries that may not align with us on every issue.

Human rights-based approach

Realising human rights is not only an inherent objective, but also a driver for sustainable development, poverty eradication, democracy and attainment of lasting peace. The primary responsibility for this lies with countries’ respective governments. To contribute to enduring transformation, efforts must be inclusive and grounded in human rights. This involves working to ensure that those entitled to rights can assert them, while duty-bearers uphold these rights. Aside from being intrinsically important, gender equality may serve as strategic entry point for initiating discussions on human rights issues with decision-makers and authorities at large.

The international normative framework serves as the cornerstone for both Norway’s engagement in multilateral forums and its bilateral efforts to combat discrimination and exclusion, while fostering gender equality. Norway commits to working throughout all levels of its foreign service to champion, instigate, change and implement global norms.

Active participation and shared responsibility are imperative

Girls and women cannot solely bear responsibility for transforming our societies. Achieving gender equality is a collective endeavour that involves everyone. Attitudes and practices are acquired and transmitted from adults to children, across generations. It is important to involve individuals of all ages – children, young people and the elderly – in efforts to raise awareness and change norms. Individuals and organisations with power and influence, such as political leaders, academia, faith communities, private business, and interest groups such as trade unions and civil society, bear the responsibility of working for gender equality. Religious and traditional institutions play a central role in mobilising efforts to change discriminatory gender roles and norms. National authorities are fundamental to ensuring that equality and non-discrimination are anchored in legislation.

More boys and men must be involved in the achievement of gender equality. Boys and men have and should strengthen their roles in fostering improved gender relations and promoting a more equitable distribution of power. Both boys and girls, as well as men and women, may encounter limitations in their opportunities as a result of traditional gender roles. Quality education stands as a pivotal component in the initiatives aimed at transforming gender relations.

Involving young people is essential. They represent the entrepreneurs, leaders and researchers of the future. Simultaneously, they are contemporary users of systems and services, serving as activists, drivers and agents of change. Ensuring their meaningful participation is therefore indispensable.

A comprehensive approach to combatting multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination

Women can face discrimination on multiple grounds, with these factors reinforcing each other. For instance, women with disabilities often experience multidimensional discrimination. Women may encounter a range of complex, structural and institutional barriers. LGBT+ rights are an integral component of the gender equality agenda and an integral part of the Action Plan. Efforts for gender equality, especially to those subjected to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, require comprehensive strategies across multiple sectors and involve diverse actors to effectively combat multiple and complex forms of discrimination.

Alliances and partnerships

Norway will forge extensive alliances to achieve our goals. The effectiveness of international norms and conventions for gender equality is amplified when robust and independent women’s movements actively engage for political change. We will strengthen our cooperation with and support for women’s and youth organisations, social movements and groups advocating for gender equality, including those representing marginalised communities, such as queer people, indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities.

Women’s organisations and other civil society organisations working to improve women’s rights and gender equality within their own countries will be key partners. Norwegian civil society organisations are important partners for facilitating cooperation with local organisations. Change agents within national government structures may also serve as valuable partners.

We will seek cooperation with other Norwegian ministries and strengthen professional cooperation between Norwegian institutions and countries that seek knowledge and draw on Norway’s experiences. In these partnerships, Norway aims to contribute to the exchange of expertise between Norwegian and partner country authorities in the field of gender equality. This includes initiatives such as the Gender Equality for Development knowledge program and integrating gender equality in other knowledge programmes.

We will also operate as a driving force for women’s rights and gender equality through multilateral and regional forums. The normative arenas of the UN system are pivotal to Norway’s efforts to reinforce and safeguard global norms on girls’ and women’s rights. Through building alliances with other countries and participating in UN organisations, development banks and global funds, we will be a key instigator for women’s rights and gender equality, including the advancement of LHBT+ rights. Key arenas include the UN Human Rights Council, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Commission on Population and Development, and the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, all of which address social, cultural and human rights issues. These bodies set a global standard and specify obligations for policies formulated at national level. Norwegian and international civil society organisations are key partners in this work.

Our endeavours to promote gender equality globally involves engaging in dialogue with our partners, including UN Women, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). We will base our efforts on knowledge and support change agents who demonstrate tangible results. In addition to employing both local and multilateral approaches, establishing partnerships and fostering institutional cooperation with national authorities is necessary to realising the goals of the Action Plan. The Action Plan will demonstrate our priorities to our partners and the global community.

Local, national, and multinational businesses are also important partners. The business community plays a vital role in job creation and technology development, and in adherence to the UN Guiding Principles for Responsible Business Conduct and the Norwegian Transparency Act. It is important to integrate a gender perspective in due diligence assessments, work plans and reporting from entities receiving Norwegian business support. The integration is essential to ensuring a meaningful contribution to global gender equality.

Locally led development

We must contribute to shifting and balancing decision-making and agency more equitably for genders. This requires an understanding of the context and adaptability through locally led development, aimed at understanding the reasons behind discrimination faced by girls and women. It is essential to identify those not represented, the upholders of existing structures and the catalysts for change. Fostering diversity among girls and women who organise themselves and build social movements is imperative. This diversity helps in gaining influence in local and national decision-making processes, as well as global negotiations and decision-making forums. Norwegian foreign service missions play a significant role in enhancing our contextual understanding for the implementation of the Action Plan.

The integration of women’s rights and gender equality in all key initiatives

Norway funds both targeted and integrated initiatives for gender equality in foreign and development policy. We remain committed to our objective of a minimum of 50 percent of all bilateral aid explicitly prioritising gender equality as a principal or significant target. Efforts will be made to integrate a gender perspective in all major initiatives, spanning areas such as climate, renewable energy, food security, health, education, peace and humanitarian efforts, and decent work.

Through EEA and Norway grants, Norway contributes to reducing economic and social disparities in 15 European countries, and to strengthening bilateral relations. Cooperation is guided by principles rooted in respect for fundamental rights, the rule of law and democracy. In the current period, two programme areas directly advance gender equality, “Domestic and Gender-based Violence”, and “Work-life Balance”. Several other programme areas also include gender equality components, these span justice, business and innovation, research and health, local development, civil society, including rights for LHBT+ people, the inclusion of Roma people and migration. The emphasis on addressing gender-based violence and domestic violence will be reinforced in the upcoming funding period, alongside a strong commitment to integrating efforts to promote gender equality across all programmatic areas.

Norway must persist in implementing targeted measures advancing the rights, participation, and position of girls, women, and queer people in society. Efforts will be intensified to facilitate their meaningful participation and influence in decisions related to policy formulation and social development, particularly in key development cooperation initiatives.

Gender equality and human rights as cross-cutting issues

Gender equality and human rights are among four cross-cutting issues in Norwegian development co-operation. These considerations aim at preventing Norwegian development aid from causing harm or having unintended negative effects on human rights and gender equality. They serve as mandatory minimum requirements that apply irrespective of sector, partner, and type of programme. The two other cross-cutting issues are anti-corruption and climate change and the environment.

Instruments strengthening gender equality and women’s rights

We employ various instruments, channels and partners in our foreign and development policy to contribute to global and national changes. Advocacy, advising, awareness-raising and empowerment may be undertaken by a diverse range of actors, including ourselves, Norwegian foreign and development policy actors, as well as multilateral, regional, national and/or local actors. Norway collaborates with and provides funding to a wide array of national and local entities, including civil society organisations. In addition, together with our partners, we use several types of instruments to advance the gender equality agenda and strengthen women’s rights. Some of the most crucial are:

• Advocacy and expert advisory work preferably directed towards national authorities to facilitate legislative changes and implement new policies.
• Awareness-raising and empowerment of girls and women, and other actors and groups enabling them to advocate for their own rights.
• Training and capacity building of girls, women, boys and men, as well as their organisations to strengthen their influence and decision-making power.
• Knowledge production strengthening knowledge and supporting data for the change agenda.
• Delivery of services, in for example health and education, helps girls and women realise their rights.
• Principles for business co-operation ensuring women’s access to decent work through local business development and the adoption of non-discriminatory practices.
• Innovation and digitalisation as both a means to accelerating development, and an end in itself, by ensuring girls and women have equal access to technology and digital solutions.

We will continuously assess which types of instruments are most suitable and effective in achieving our goals. Different partners possess different advantages and may be more suitable for forming alliances or collaborations to collectively bring about change.

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Figure: Priority areas, change drivers and key instruments in the Action Plan.

In addition to specific priorities defined under each goal area, we will give precedence under all goal areas:

1. Normative frameworks, structures and institutions promoting gender equality and combatting multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination
• Contributing to strengthening global normative work, including conventions and resolutions.
• Ensuring women’s, LGBT+ and youth organisations, feminist and social movements and human rights defenders have influence and impact on the development and implementation of normative frameworks.
• Encouraging faith-based actors in promoting gender equality within their institutions.
• Influencing decision-making in governing bodies such as UN organisations, development banks, global funds and financing mechanisms on their work on normative frameworks and their implementation.
• Engaging in dialogue with national governments and regional actors on national legislation and knowledge-based non-discriminatory and gender-equitable national policies, budget priorities and plans.
• Supporting research and knowledge on technology and innovation that contribute to changing gender roles and fostering more gender equal societies.
• Strengthening the collection, access to and use of gender- and age-disaggregated data and statistics, including strengthening Global South-based research.
• Supporting the development and use of technology and innovation that contributes to normative frameworks for gender equality and combats multidimensional discrimination.
2. Power dynamicsspromotinge gender equality and combatting multidimensional discrimination
• Engaging in dialogue with authorities and community, religious and traditional leaders on norms, attitudes and practices that endorse gender equality and exploring ways in which they can leverage their influence to combat discrimination.
• Collaborating with civil society to champion gender equality and counteract discriminatory norms, attitudes, and practices.
• Contributing to research and knowledge, including from the Global South, on power relations that promote or limit gender equality and multidimensional discrimination.
3. Women exercising effective agency and decision-making power
• Supporting initiatives that contribute to women leaders, politicians, negotiators and activists gaining access to and agency in decision-making arenas.
• Supporting initiatives that empower girls and women, ensuring they possess the capacity and knowledge to make and influence decisions that affect them.
• Supporting organisations led by and for women, young people, persons with disabilities, queer and indigenous peoples to build capacity, access tools and have the opportunities to influence normative and legislative changes at local, national, regional and global levels.
• Supporting the capacity of women human rights defenders to wield influence in decisions-making processes.
• Ensuring that girls and women have equal access to information, knowledge, services and digital tools.
• Contributing to the active participation of women in research production and the integration of gender perspectives in all research.
• Contributing to the development and utilisation of research and knowledge by women, especially from the Global South.