In English: Gender equality work in Umeå

Umeå strives to be a municipality that creates the conditions for women and men, girls and boys, to have the same power to shape society and their own lives.

Gender matters and it is therefore important to start from an equality perspective when we look at our organisation and how we should develop our work in order to be able to provide an equal citizen service and be a driving force for an equal society. It is about raising awareness of the conditions and experiences for girls and boys, women and men in our municipality in order to create a more even distribution of power and resources.

Policy for Gender Equality Work in Umeå Municipality

The purpose of the policy is to clarify the principles and approaches that underpin Umeå Municipality’s work on gender equality. The policy is primarily intended to serve as support for the municipal committees in understanding how gender equality work should be integrated into their regular activities. The Committee for Gender Equality is responsible for the policy, and its starting point is the overall strategic gender equality goal adopted by the Municipal Council.

Although gender equality work is based on gender, an understanding of how other factors influence people’s life conditions is necessary. Gender equality work based on the Municipal Council’s goal focuses on a just distribution of power and resources. It does not primarily address rights from a discrimination perspective and does not focus on individuals but on power distribution and structural conditions.

The policy identifies the following guiding principles for gender equality work in the Municipality of Umeå:

• Data-driven gender equality work based on knowledge
• Gender equality work based on formulated problems
• The importance of collaboration and solutions across the organisation
• Understanding power and resistance
• Gender equality work is development work and a part of transition

Policy for Gender Equality Work in Umeå Municipality Länk till annan webbplats, öppnas i nytt fönster. (pdf)

Gender, power & politics – 30 years of gender equality work in Umeå municipality

Umeå municipality has for a long time worked with equality issues in a strategic and pioneering way. The work has been carried out both through gender mainstreaming and with specific initiatives to make visible and scrutinise, rephrase problem definitions, and broaden the analysis.

In 2019, 30 years of work for an equal Umeå was celebrated. This publication is part of the commemoration of this anniversary. The various texts alternate between historical flashbacks and tangible examples from activities.

Equality is an active choice, something that is done. We hope that this story can also be inspiring for the continued work for a society free from stereotypes, sexism and homophobia. We want to inspire new and important political decisions to continue building a gender equal society.

Gender, power and politics, Thirty years of equality work in Umeå Municipality , 24 MB.. (pdf, 24 MB)

Sustainable and equal commuting to work

Umeå Municipality recognizes that social sustainability is essential in achieving the vision of a growing and climate-neutral city. Therefore Umeå, in collaboration with RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden), initiated a project focusing on power, gender and identity in relation to mobility. The primary objective was to explore solutions utilizing service design methodology and norm-critical innovation in workplace areas predominantly travelled by private cars.

More about the project "Sustainable and equal commuting to work" here.

The gendered landscape

Make a digital study visit with a guide to Umeå's gender equality work. The film "The gendered landscape" shows and tells how Umeå has taken on urban development with a strategic gender equality work at the forefront. Linda Gustafsson, Umeå Municipality's gender equality strategist, is your guide.

Read more: genderedlandscape.umea.se/in-english Länk till annan webbplats.

Smart cities, innovation and gender equality

How is smart cities, innovation and technological development connected to gender equality? What are the critical questions we have to ask ourselves?

This short clip explores the issue further.