Equality, Diversity | Minorities are forgotten in the fight for equality

(Oslo Newspaper): report from Men's groupSet up by the government two years ago, it is expected to be released this spring. The group aims to explore gender equality challenges and propose measures to address them.

Recent concerns about men's equality challenges make the report particularly relevant, with statistics showing that men struggle in many areas of society, including health, work, education, crime and family life.

Two years ago, I started the podcast “Integeringsstemmen” covering topics related to integration and equality. In the first season, I interviewed ten prominent women from minority backgrounds about their journey of integration and their fight for equality.

In the following season, I spoke to men from minority and majority backgrounds to get their views on equality, and guests included Men's Panel Chair Klaus Gervel and member Arey Shasdad.

Vulnerable to respect practices

I prefer a holistic social outlook and an egalitarian policy that considers everyone, regardless of gender. Unfortunately, this policy has not always promoted the freedom of minority women, although it has strengthened our legal protections and somewhat freed us from a culture of respectability.

In the process, officials underestimated that the most effective antidote to respectability and patriarchal culture is economic freedom.

Today, many women are unemployed due to lack of qualifications or face racist and discriminatory barriers, making them vulnerable to honorific practices.

While men from well-established, egalitarian and secular societies express concern that egalitarian policies do not take their needs into account, men from minority backgrounds, from societies characterized by hierarchy and patriarchy, have traditionally held a dominant position. Power, status and respect?

Do they themselves face equality challenges or are they seen primarily as an equality problem for minority women?

I've experienced the frustration of men from minority backgrounds that the system doesn't always work in their favor.

With a humorous twist, they point out that women are highly valued in Norway, while men feel at the bottom of the ladder. It reflects their subjective experience, especially based on cultures where men are traditionally dominant.

It is important to include all perspectives

The work of the men's group should take into account the minority perspective when examining the areas of education, work life and family, especially considering the great diversity in Norway's population.

Men with migrant backgrounds are already over-represented in terms of unemployment, dropping out of education and crime.

When men can no longer fulfill their role as the family's primary financial contributor, many experience a decline in status and feel violated. This causes challenges in family life, especially in relation to traditional gender roles. Poor integration into society and unachieved ambitions contribute to family problems, where children often suffer.

In today's debate about equality, it is important to include all perspectives, including men from minority backgrounds. Effective measures require an understanding of the challenges faced by Norwegian and minority men.

The committee should be competent to recognize and manage diversity among Norwegian men and to identify appropriate solutions to the unique challenges of minority men.

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