Leave policies and the economic crisis -seminar 18.11.2011
The seminar is held at Hotel Arthur in Helsinki (address Vuorikatu 19). It is aimed at politicians, labour market partners, administrative officers, NGOs and researchers. Seminar language is English.
The Nordic countries are often seen as model societies of gender equality where the employment rate of both men and women is high and possibilities to combine paid employment and the care of young children are supported with high public investment. Among the most important policies in this respect are parental leave policies.
Discussion about the restructuring of parental leave schemes is topical in all the Nordic countries at the moment. The aim to restructure parental leave policies is related to gender equality policy but also other policy areas such as social policy, labour market policy and financial policy. As the impacts of the economic crisis need to be dealt with in all these interconnected policy fields, it is important to take into account the common aims as well possibly contradictory aims of these different policies when parental leave schemes are restructured. To support decision making, information about the impact of the economic crisis on parental leave policy and gender equality is needed.
The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) organizes a seminar on Friday, November 18, 2011 in Helsinki on the topic 'Leave policies and the economic crisis'. At the seminar, up-to-date information about the impacts of the recent economic crisis on parental leave policy design, take-up of leave, and the consequences of these impacts to gender equality in the Nordic countries is presented. Presentations are given by Johanna Lammi-Taskula (THL), Berit Brandth (University of Trondheim), Ann-Zofie Duvander (University of Stockholm), Tine Rostgaard (The Danish National Centre for Social Research), Ingolfur Gislason (University of Reykjavik) and Minna Salmi (THL).
The seminar is a part of the activities of Finland’s presidency in the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2011.
Please register by Wednesday, November 9, 2011 by email to sanna.parrukoski(at)thl.fi. The seminar is free of charge.
For more information, please contact Johanna Lammi-Taskula, tel. 358 20 610 7066, johanna.lammi-taskula(at)thl.fi or Sanna Parrukoski, sanna.parrukoski(at)thl.fi.
Programme
8.30 Coffee
9.00 Opening
Jarmo Lindén, State Secretary
9.30 Introduction to Nordic leave schemes / Johanna Lammi-Taskula, THL, Finland
10.00 Leave policies development in Norway / Berit Brandth, University of Trondheim
10.30 Leave policies development in Sweden / Ann-Zofie Duvander, University of Stockholm
11.00 Leave policies development in Denmark / Tine Rostgaard, Socialforskningsinstitutet
11.30 Discussion
12.00 Lunch
13.00 Leave policies development in Iceland / Ingolfur Gislason, University of Reykjavik
13.30 Leave policies development in Finland / Minna Salmi, THL
14.00 Coffee
14.15 Comments / Anja Lahermaa, STTK (The Finnish Confederation of Professionals), Anu Sajavaara, EK (Confederation of Finnish Industries) & Astrid Thors, Chairwoman of the Network of Women Members of the Finnish Parliament
15.15 Discussion
16.00 Closing words