Press release 15 December 2006
Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Swedish-Norwegian collaboration on the role of women in development cooperation

Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson and Norwegian Minister of International Development Erik Solheim decided today that the two countries will initiate more extensive cooperation on issues related to the role of women in development cooperation.

"This will primarily involve finding more solutions that strengthen women's participation and power and providing the conditions for unleashing the creative powers of women," says Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson.

A joint working group will focus on the role of women in democratisation, women's impact on economic development and growth and the importance of women in conflict-management initiatives. The working group's terms of reference are to make a more detailed examination of ways in which to increase the focus on these issues in Sweden's and Norway's own development cooperation, in recipient countries and in the work of multilateral organisations.

"Gender equality is one of the main priorities of Norwegian development policy. Deeper cooperation with Sweden will give us a much greater chance to achieve success," says Norway's Minister for International Development Erik Solheim.