2025-05-142024/25:UU7 · p.2UUForeign affairs
Gender equality and women, peace and security
Gender mainstreaming within the foreign service
What's at stake: The decision affects how systematically gender equality, women's rights and the UN's women, peace and security agenda are pursued across the foreign service's security, trade and development work, and how possible it is to subsequently review and evaluate that work.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether parliament should call on the government to produce a comprehensive, evaluable action plan for gender-equality work across all of the foreign service's areas of responsibility, or whether the gender mainstreaming and decisions already in place are sufficient.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee stresses that gender equality is a core value in Swedish foreign policy and that the government has adopted a new action plan for the UN's women, peace and security agenda, and decided to mainstream gender equality across the Government Offices' operations in the years ahead through, among other things, the budget process, agency governance and the legislative process. It notes that responsibility for advancing gender equality rests with the whole organisation and its heads of unit rather than with a single envoy, and therefore rejects the motions.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 6 (V)
The reservation (V) argues that the government's gender-equality ambition is not backed by clear analyses or concrete mainstreaming in strategies or appropriation directions, and that it does not cover all of the foreign ministry's areas of responsibility. It calls for a comprehensive action plan covering security, trade and development, setting out resource and outcome targets and enabling follow-up and evaluation, and for all agencies under the foreign ministry and all embassy assignments to be tasked with mainstreaming gender-equality work.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 6 by V.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have held
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: KDKristdemokraterna, LLiberalerna
Ja 174–21Ja 144–51
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/21/0/3 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | Abstain 1/0/91/14 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/15/3 | differs | confidence: high | explicit |
| C | No | Yes 20/0/1/3 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 16/0/0/3 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: medium | explicit |
| M | No | Yes 60/0/0/8 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | Yes | Yes 63/0/0/9 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Broke with the party line
| SJytte Guteland (S, Stockholms kommun) | Yes — party line: Abstain |
| CAlireza Akhondi (C, Stockholms län) | Abstain — party line: Yes |
MPs whose vote differs from their party's majority position in this division. Marked with a dark ring in the chamber view.
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2024/25:870 by Lotta Johnsson Fornarve et al. (V) demands 2, 3 and 6, 2024/25:2625 by Janine Alm Ericson et al. (MP) demands 9 and 10, 2024/25:3038 by Daniel Helldén et al. (MP) demand 2, 2024/25:3106 by Morgan Johansson et al. (S) demand 19 and 2024/25:3107 by Morgan Johansson et al. (S) demands 29, 36 and 37.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2024/25:870 av Lotta Johnsson Fornarve m.fl. (V) yrkandena 2, 3 och 6, 2024/25:2625 av Janine Alm Ericson m.fl. (MP) yrkandena 9 och 10, 2024/25:3038 av Daniel Helldén m.fl. (MP) yrkande 2, 2024/25:3106 av Morgan Johansson m.fl. (S) yrkande 19 och 2024/25:3107 av Morgan Johansson m.fl. (S) yrkandena 29, 36 och 37.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected approximately 130 proposals in motions about international relations. The motions were submitted during the general motion period 2024 and concern, among other things, international cooperation, gender equality and women, peace and security, relations with China and consular matters.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the Foreign Ministry to develop a comprehensive action plan for gender equality work. (V) — Reservation 6
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan is explicitly a feminist party's plan and requires that work against men's violence against women be prioritised at a level proportionate to the scope of the crimes, whilst Sweden shall be a steady voice in the world for human rights and peace.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan is explicitly a feminist party's plan and requires that work against men's violence against women be prioritised at a level proportionate to the scope of the crimes, whilst Sweden shall be a steady voice in the world for human rights and peace. A comprehensive action plan encompassing security, trade and development with reported resource and effect targets makes that ambition followable. The plan therefore speaks for the counter-proposal's requirement.
Original (Swedish)
Planen är uttryckligen ett feministiskt partis plan och kräver att arbetet mot mäns våld mot kvinnor prioriteras i nivå med brottens omfattning, samtidigt som Sverige ska vara en stadig röst i världen för mänskliga rättigheter och fred. En heltäckande handlingsplan som omfattar säkerhet, handel och utveckling med redovisade resurs- och effektmål gör den ambitionen uppföljningsbar. Planen talar därför för motförslagets krav.
- feminist foundational stancedecisive»Vänsterpartiet är ett socialistiskt, feministiskt och antirasistiskt parti« (party programme ↗)“The Left Party is a socialist, feminist and anti-racist party”
- human rights in foreign policy»en stadig röst i världen som talar för mänskliga rättigheter, fred och« (party programme ↗)“a steady voice in the world speaking for human rights, peace and”
- prioritisation in proportion to crime scope»våld mot kvinnor behöver börja prioriteras på ett sätt som motsvarar« (party programme ↗)“violence against women needs to start being prioritised in a way that matches”
- peace, aid and the UN»Vänsterpartiet anser att Sverige ska vara en röst för fred och rättvisa, inte för ökad militarisering. Sverige ska öka biståndet, stärka FN och skriva under kärnvapenkonventionen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The Left Party believes Sweden should be a voice for peace and justice, not for increased militarisation. Sweden should increase aid, strengthen the UN and sign the nuclear weapons convention.”
The election manifesto binds the party to strengthening girls' and women's rights globally and to the UN continuing to drive the agenda on women, peace and security, which points to a comprehensive action plan with measurable goals.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto binds the party to strengthening girls' and women's rights globally and to the UN continuing to drive the agenda on women, peace and security, which points to a comprehensive action plan with measurable goals. The party programme makes women's position a central part of the work for human rights and peace. The plan does not state a position on policy remits and agency directives, so the form is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet binder partiet vid att flickors och kvinnors rättigheter ska stärkas globalt och vid att FN fortsätter driva agendan om kvinnor, fred och säkerhet, vilket talar för en heltäckande handlingsplan med uppföljningsbara mål. Partiprogrammet gör kvinnors ställning till en central del av arbetet för mänskliga rättigheter och fred. Planen uttalar sig inte om regleringsbrev och myndighetsuppdrag, så formen är härledd.
- women, peace and securitydecisive»FN måste fortsätta driva frågor om kvinnor, fred och säkerhet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The UN must continue to drive issues on women, peace and security.”
- women's rights globally»Flickors och kvinnors rättigheter måste stärkas globalt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Girls' and women's rights must be strengthened globally.”
- women's position in foreign policy»En central del i detta arbete är att stärka kvinnornas ställning och förbättra barns« (party programme ↗)“A central part of this work is to strengthen women's position and improve children's”
- feminist party»Med denna grundsyn är socialdemokratin ett feministiskt parti.« (party programme ↗)“With this fundamental view, social democracy is a feminist party.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan commits to developing and strengthening Sweden's feminist foreign and development policy, and requires that peace work and international initiatives have the knowledge and resources to ensure women's safety.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan commits to developing and strengthening Sweden's feminist foreign and development policy, and requires that peace work and international initiatives have the knowledge and resources to ensure women's safety. A comprehensive action plan covering security, trade and development with stated targets and follow-up is exactly the coherence the plan requires from foreign policy. Mandates to all relevant authorities and embassies follow from the same line.
Original (Swedish)
Planen åtar sig att utveckla och förstärka Sveriges feministiska utrikes- och utvecklingspolitik, och kräver att fredsarbete och internationella insatser har kunskap och resurser att säkerställa kvinnors säkerhet. En heltäckande handlingsplan som omfattar säkerhet, handel och utveckling med redovisade mål och uppföljning är precis den samstämmighet planen kräver av utrikespolitiken. Uppdrag till samtliga berörda myndigheter och ambassader följer av samma linje.
- feminist foreign policydecisive»utveckla och förstärka Sveriges feministiska utrikes- och utvecklingspolitik.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“develop and strengthen Sweden's feminist foreign and development policy.”
- women's safety in peace work»resurser att säkerställa kvinnors säkerhet.« (party programme ↗)“resources to ensure women's safety.”
- coherent development policy»Sveriges utvecklingspolitik ska vara samstämmig.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's development policy should be coherent.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The plan establishes that violations of women's freedom must never be accepted, whether they occur in Sweden or in other countries and especially when they are used as a weapon in war and conflicts.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that violations of women's freedom must never be accepted, whether they occur in Sweden or in other countries and especially when they are used as a weapon in war and conflicts. As a feminist party with a foreign policy that ultimately protects universal freedoms and rights, it follows that equality work must be comprehensive and measurable throughout the foreign administration. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's demand for an action plan with resource and impact targets.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att kränkningar av kvinnors frihet aldrig får accepteras, oavsett om de sker i Sverige eller i andra länder och inte minst när de används som vapen i krig och konflikter. Som feministiskt parti med en utrikespolitik som ytterst värnar universella fri- och rättigheter följer att jämställdhetsarbetet ska vara heltäckande och uppföljningsbart i hela utrikesförvaltningen. Planen stödjer därför motförslagets krav på en handlingsplan med resurs- och effektmål.
- equality in foreign policy as welldecisive»Det gäller oavsett om det sker i Sverige eller i andra länder, och inte minst när det används som vapen i krig och konflikter.« (party programme ↗)“This applies regardless of whether it occurs in Sweden or in other countries, and especially when it is used as a weapon in war and conflicts.”
- feminist party»Centerpartiet är ett feministiskt parti, som utmanar och bryter rådande maktförhållanden och kollektiva orättvisor.« (party programme ↗)“The Centre Party is a feminist party, which challenges and breaks prevailing power relations and collective injustices.”
- rights-based foreign policy»Utrikes- och säkerhetspolitiken syftar ytterst till att värna universella mänskliga fri- och rättigheter.« (party programme ↗)“Foreign and security policy ultimately aims to protect universal human freedoms and rights.”
- equality is urgent»Vi kan inte låta jämställdhetsproblemen fortgå en mandatperiod till.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We cannot let equality problems continue for another term.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires that a gender equality perspective be integrated into all relevant public decisions and that women's situation in war and importance for peace be made visible.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that a gender equality perspective be integrated into all relevant public decisions and that women's situation in war and importance for peace be made visible. The counter-proposal's requirement for a comprehensive action plan covering security, trade and development and for relevant agencies and embassies to be given integration mandates is precisely that application to the foreign administration. The plan also binds development policy to a focus on gender equality and describes foreign policy as explicitly values-driven.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att ett jämställdhetsperspektiv integreras i alla relevanta offentliga beslut och att kvinnors situation i krig och betydelse för fred synliggörs. Motförslagets krav på en heltäckande handlingsplan som omfattar säkerhet, handel och utveckling och på att berörda myndigheter och ambassader ges integreringsuppdrag är just den tillämpningen på utrikesförvaltningen. Planen binder också biståndspolitiken vid fokus på jämställdhet och beskriver utrikespolitiken som uttalat värderingsstyrd.
- gender equality integration in all decisionsdecisive»jämställdhetsperspektiv ska integreras i alla relevanta offentliga beslut.« (party programme ↗)“a gender equality perspective shall be integrated into all relevant public decisions.”
- women, peace and security»Kvinnors situation i krig och betydelse för fred ska synliggöras.« (party programme ↗)“Women's situation in war and importance for peace shall be made visible.”
- gender equality in development aid»Den svenska biståndspolitiken måste genomgå stora reformer med fokus på demokrati, jämställdhet och minskad korruption.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Swedish development policy must undergo major reforms with focus on democracy, gender equality and reduced corruption.”
- values-driven foreign policy»Vi kallar det för vad det är: en ny värderingsstyrd utrikespolitik.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We call it what it is: a new values-driven foreign policy.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The party programme requires that the gender equality perspective permeates all policy areas and that proposals and decisions are analyzed based on consequences for women and men, and that women's situation is prioritized in development cooperation.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires that the gender equality perspective permeates all policy areas and that proposals and decisions are analyzed based on consequences for women and men, and that women's situation is prioritized in development cooperation. A comprehensive action plan that covers security, trade and development with stated goals and follow-up is precisely such an integration. The plan moreover requires clear instruments for steering and follow-up of aid.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver att jämställdhetsperspektivet genomsyrar alla politikområden och att förslag och beslut analyseras utifrån konsekvenser för kvinnor och män, samt att kvinnors situation prioriteras i utvecklingssamarbetet. En heltäckande handlingsplan som omfattar säkerhet, handel och utveckling med redovisade mål och uppföljning är just en sådan integrering. Planen kräver dessutom tydliga instrument för styrning och uppföljning av biståndet.
- gender equality in all policy areasdecisive»Jämställdhetsperspektivet ska genomsyra alla politikområden. Det innebär att förslag och beslut ska analyseras ur ett jämställdhetsperspektiv för att klarlägga möjliga konsekvenser för kvinnor och män.« (party programme ↗)“The gender equality perspective shall permeate all policy areas. It means that proposals and decisions shall be analyzed from a gender equality perspective to clarify possible consequences for women and men.”
- gender equality as goal and means»Att främja jämställdhet mellan kvinnor och män samt att förbättra kvinnors villkor är både mål och medel i detta arbete.« (party programme ↗)“To promote gender equality between women and men as well as to improve women's conditions are both goals and means in this work.”
- women's situation is prioritized»Därför ska kvinnors situation prioriteras i utvecklingssamarbetet.« (party programme ↗)“Therefore, women's situation shall be prioritized in development cooperation.”
- follow-up of aid»Det måste finnas tydliga instrument för styrning, samordning och uppföljning av biståndet.« (party programme ↗)“There must be clear instruments for steering, coordination and follow-up of aid.”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The plan requires that foreign policy and development aid be guided by results and documented follow-up rather than disbursement targets, and it sees it as a political task to combat forces that limit girls' and women's self-determination.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that foreign policy and development aid be guided by results and documented follow-up rather than disbursement targets, and it sees it as a political task to combat forces that limit girls' and women's self-determination. The counter-proposal's demand for an action plan with resource and outcome targets as well as follow-up and evaluation aligns with that results-based governance. The plan therefore supports the demand in substance, though it is derived.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att utrikes- och biståndspolitiken styrs av resultat och redovisad uppföljning i stället för utbetalningsmål, och den ser det som en politisk uppgift att bekämpa de krafter som begränsar flickors och kvinnors självbestämmande. Motförslagets krav på en handlingsplan med resurs- och effektmål samt uppföljning och utvärdering ligger i linje med den resultatstyrningen. Planen stöder därför kravet i sak, om än härlett.
- results-based aiddecisive»Biståndets storlek ska bygga på en bedömning av vilken budget som är rimlig när biståndet ställs mot andra behov, samt utifrån vilka resultat som bedöms kunna uppnås, snarare än på ett utbetalningsmål.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Aid's size shall be based on an assessment of what budget is reasonable when aid is weighed against other needs, and on what results are judged achievable, rather than on a disbursement target.”
- safeguard women's self-determination»politisk uppgift att bekämpa de krafter som söker begränsa« (party programme ↗)“political task to combat forces that seek to limit”
- democracy and human rights prioritised»Prioritera insatser som stödjer arbetet för demokrati och mänskliga rättigheter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Prioritise efforts supporting work for democracy and human rights”
- demand for transparency and follow-up»oreformerade FN-organ som brister i transparens och uppföljning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“unreformed UN bodies lacking in transparency and follow-up”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan states that foreign policy should to a greater extent protect the interests of Swedes and opposes authorities that pursue activist symbol politics.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that foreign policy should to a greater extent protect the interests of Swedes and opposes authorities that pursue activist symbol politics. It also rejects gender equality measures aimed at equal outcomes at group level. A comprehensive action plan that requires all authorities and embassy assignments to integrate gender equality into their operations is precisely such expanded governance. However, the plan continues to want to be a voice for human freedom and rights.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att utrikespolitiken i högre grad ska värna svenskarnas intressen och vänder sig mot myndigheter som driver aktivistisk symbolpolitik. Den avvisar också jämställdhetsåtgärder som syftar till utfall på gruppnivå. En heltäckande handlingsplan som ålägger samtliga myndigheter och ambassaduppdrag att jämställdhetsintegrera sin verksamhet är just en sådan utbyggd styrning. Planen vill dock fortsatt vara en röst för mänskliga fri- och rättigheter.
- Swedish interests firstdecisive»Sverigedemokraterna vill att inriktningen av utrikespolitiken i högre utsträckning än idag ska värna svenskarnas intressen på det globala planet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden Democrats want the orientation of foreign policy to a greater extent than today shall protect the interests of Swedes on the global stage.”
- individual before group level»Riktig jämställdhet nås inte genom att vidta politiska åtgärder för att på gruppnivå skapa samma utfall mellan män och kvinnor, utan genom att ta krafttag mot samhällsfenomen som begränsar den enskilde.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“True equality is not achieved through political measures to create the same outcomes between men and women at group level, but through taking decisive action against social phenomena that limit the individual.”
- against activist symbol politics»anställning av personal på myndigheter som driver aktivistisk symbolpolitik« (2022 manifesto ↗)“employment of staff at authorities that pursue activist symbol politics”
- voice for freedoms and rights»Vara en tydlig röst för den västerländska demokratimodellen och mänskliga fri- och rättigheter« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Be a clear voice for the Western democracy model and human rights and freedoms”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:UU7)
- Committee report full text (HC01UU7)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1042 — Kinas felaktiga tolkning av resolution 2758 och Taiwans representation i FN-systemet av Magnus Berntsson (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1166 — Estonias last under förlisningsnatten av Mikael Oscarsson (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1192 — Kinas ökande makt av Anne-Li Sjölund och Niels Paarup-Petersen (båda C)
- Motion 2024/25:1274 — Om behovet av en ny politik gentemot Taiwan av Mathias Tegnér m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1323 — Värnande av folkrätten av Jacob Risberg m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:1430 — Vissa frågor i Mellanöstern och Afrika av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1431 — Vissa Asienfrågor av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1433 — Säkerhetspolitik av Aron Emilsson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1438 — Internationella relationer och mänskliga rättigheter av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1439 — Ett ökat svenskt internationellt inflytande av Markus Wiechel m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1440 — En ny och skärpt Kinapolitik av Aron Emilsson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:1637 — Frigivande av Dawit Isaak av Lawen Redar (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1638 — Frigivande av Gui Minhai av Lawen Redar (S)
- Motion 2024/25:1712 — Solidaritet av Jamal El-Haj (-)
- Motion 2024/25:1723 — Ett land i förändring av Jamal El-Haj (-)
- Motion 2024/25:1730 — Utredning avseende Raoul Wallenbergs försvinnande av Magnus Oscarsson och Mikael Oscarsson (båda KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1732 — Ny utredning om Raoul Wallenbergs öde av Mikael Oscarsson (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1738 — Frisläppande av Dawit Isaak av Magnus Oscarsson (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1739 — Nya fynd kring Dag Hammarskjölds död av Gudrun Brunegård (KD)
- Motion 2024/25:1802 — Enprocentsmålet i biståndet av Annika Strandhäll (S)
Source: The Swedish Parliament