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Government Mandate to Integrate Gender Equality into the Operations of Higher Education Institutions (JiHU)

In 2016, the government gave all universities and colleges a special government assignment to develop the work with gender mainstreaming in order to contribute to achieving the gender equality policy goals.

Goals for gender equality

The goal of gender equality policy is that women and men should have the same power to shape society and their own lives.

There are also six gender equality policy sub-goals:

  1. An even distribution of power and influence. Women and men must have the same right and opportunity to be active citizens and to shape the conditions for decision-making in all sectors of society.
  2. Economic equality. Women and men must have the same opportunities and conditions in terms of paid work that gives financial independence for life.
  3. Gender equality education. Women and men, girls and boys must have the same opportunities and conditions when it comes to education, study choices and personal development.
  4. Even distribution of unpaid home and care work. Women and men must take the same responsibility for homework and have the opportunity to give and receive care on equal terms.
  5. Equal health. Women and men, girls and boys must have the same conditions for good health and be offered care and attention on equal terms.
  6. Men's violence against women must end. Women and men, girls and boys, shall have the same right and opportunity for bodily integrity.

Read more about Gender Equality Policy in Sweden .

More about Gender Mainstreaming as a Political Strategy

From Jämställ.nu on Gender Mainstreaming:


Gender mainstreaming is a political strategy to achieve a gender-equal society. The strategy briefly means that a gender perspective should be integrated into all decision-making, at all levels and in all stages of the process, by the actors normally involved in decision-making.

Since gender equality is created where ordinary decisions are made, resources are allocated, and norms are established, a gender perspective must be included in daily work. Gender mainstreaming, therefore, means that a gender perspective is included in all decision-making, at all levels, and in all stages of the process—from proposal, to implementation, to evaluation. In the work with gender mainstreaming, one should systematically highlight and analyze what consequences proposals have for women and men, respectively.

Gender mainstreaming counteracts the marginalization of gender equality work or its conduct alongside other operations. Instead, gender equality work becomes part of regular work and should be carried out by the employees of the organization, not by specially appointed or specially hired individuals.

In Sweden, gender mainstreaming is the primary strategy for achieving the gender equality policy goal: that women and men should have the same power and opportunity to influence society and their own lives.

Sweden has worked according to the strategy since 1994 when it was adopted with the proposition 'Shared Power – Shared Responsibility.' Before that, gender equality was a right recognized in Swedish law. Several formal obstacles had been removed through measures such as separate taxation for spouses and a well-developed and subsidized childcare system. But a segregated labor market with significant pay gaps and women's political underrepresentation testified that real gender equality had not yet been achieved despite changes in legislation. Gender mainstreaming was therefore seen as a response to previous shortcomings in gender equality work and was considered a strategy that would lead to a society that was practically gender-equal.

It was decided that all parts of the government's policy would now contribute to gender equality in work life and society. Gender equality was elevated to an overarching perspective, and each minister was made responsible for working towards gender equality within their policy area.

Jämställ.nu. Reviewed: August 10, 2017. Published: December 3, 2013

Read more about Gender Mainstreaming in Academia .