Gender equality in action: A glimpse from Sweden
Gender equality symbol.
What you need to know:
- The Swedish men in our delegation praised the women in senior leadership within the wood manufacturing sector.
- Despite their small numbers, these women were supported by male allies, which is rare in many industries.
In her book, Travelling While Black, Kenyan writer Nanjala Nyabola tackles a central question: “What can travel tell us about our sense of self, of home, of belonging, and identity?”
A few weeks ago, I grappled with this question when I faced a stern immigration officer at Schiphol Airport, who questioned my purpose for visiting Sweden in a cold, fast-paced, intimidating and unfriendly manner. After an intense interrogation and presenting a mountain of documents to prove my good standing, I couldn’t help but feel profiled. I asked myself: Why didn’t I stay at home where I was wanted?
Eventually, I was allowed entry into the Schengen area. Thankfully, the cold reception at the airport was not indicative of the warm hospitality we received during our week-long stay in Sweden. Everywhere we went, we were met with warm handshakes, smiles, and tables laden with sweets, snacks, and meals.
I had visited Sweden as part of the team on the Woodlife Business study tour, a knowledge-sharing mission organised by the Embassy of Sweden in Nairobi and the Swedish Institute. The goal was to explore cutting-edge technologies and sustainable practices in the country's forestry and construction industries. While some of my colleagues explored potential business partnerships, I focused on what I needed to do as a storyteller: I observed.
As a gender advocate, I’ve always admired Sweden for consistently ranking among the top countries on the Gender Equality Index, which measures how well countries address gaps in education, health, economics, and politics. I wanted to learn how and why.
One of the highlights of my trip was meeting Joan Gikonyo, a Kenyan civil engineer pursuing her PhD at Linnaeus University in Växjö, during a presentation on campus. Her male supervisor avoided hogging the limelight as she presented—a stark contrast to the stories I’ve heard of male professors in Kenya who tend to overshadow or mansplain their female counterparts.
As I walked through the streets of Växjö and Göteborg, something struck me: on the walking lanes, the pavement sketches depicted a man and a child, subtly normalising the idea that childcare is not solely a woman’s responsibility.
The Swedish men in our delegation praised the women in senior leadership within the wood manufacturing sector. Despite their small numbers, these women were supported by male allies, which is rare in many industries.
We visited a tertiary education centre and a construction site, where women wore their leadership roles with ease and confidence. I was also impressed by the governor of Växjö, a stylish and friendly woman who hosted our delegation for dinner. My overall take was that Sweden was a place women were not punished for their successes.
One cultural norm I learned about was Jantelagen (the Law of Jante), which promotes humility and equality. While Sweden’s model isn’t perfect, this mindset could certainly help tilt the scales towards gender equality.
The writer comments on social and gender topics (@FaithOneya; [email protected]).
