Norway / Gender Equality

ODA Spending

ODA In Context

Norway ranked 11^th among DAC donors in terms of its overall spending toward projects related to gender equality, and 13^th in terms of relative bilateral spending.

In 2021, Norway’s prioritization of projects that incorporate some gender equality stood at 42% of bilateral allocable ODA, in line with the DAC average.

ODA Trends

Gender-focused funding has increased by 50% since 2017. This is largely driven by a spike in funding for gender equality within humanitarian assistance, which tripled from US$129 million in 2016 to US$387 million in 2021.

Of the US$1.3 billion spent on gender-related activities in 2021, US$188 million targeted gender equality as its principal goal. This represents 6% of Norway’s bilateral allocable ODA, in line with the DAC average.

Increases in gender-related funding have been largely driven by funding for projects targeting gender equality as a significant objective. Funding totaled US$1.1 billion in 2021, or 36% of total bilateral ODA, up from US$714 million in 2017, or 24% of bilateral ODA.

In the 2020 OECD DAC statistical peer review, Norway’s MFA and Norad raised concerns about the government’s stricter interpretation of the gender policy marker, in comparison with other DAC donors. The institutions argued that a more stringent interpretation of the marker could explain Norway’s relatively lower levels of gender-related funding compared to other DAC donors. In October 2019, Norway introduced a target for 50% of its development projects to address gender equality as a significant or principal objective, suggesting future growth in gender-focused funding.

ODA Breakdown

Bilateral Spending

In 2021, humanitarian assistance accounted for almost a third (29%) of gender-focused funding. It was followed by projects in education (23%), government and civil society (17%), health and populations (10%), and conflict, peace, and security (6%).

Multilateral Spending and Commitments

Norway channels large shares of its contributions to gender equality through multilateral organizations. In 2021, 49% of funding towards women’s rights organizations and movements, as well as government institutions was allocated through multilateral organizations such as UN Women, the World Bank, UNDP, and ILO.

Funding & Policy Outlook

Norway includes gender equality as a key development objective: Gender equality is one of four cross-cutting objectives of Norway’s ODA policy. Efforts are anchored in the Action Plan for Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in Foreign Affairs and Development Policy 2016-2020, which defines five thematic priorities:

1. Girls’ right to education;
2. Women’s political rights and empowerment;
3. Women’s economic rights and empowerment;
4. A life free of violence and harmful practices; and
5. SRHR

The Norwegian government focuses on eliminating harmful practices: In 2019, the government published its 2019-2023 International Strategy to Eliminate Harmful Practices, setting out efforts to support this area, with a focus on child-, early-, and forced marriage, and ‘female genital cutting’. In the context of its overall foreign policy (including within development cooperation), the Norwegian government published its Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security (2019-2022), focusing on women’s participation and rights in formal and informal peace negotiations.

Gender is a key component of Norway’s humanitarian response: Norway’s 2019 humanitarian strategy states that the gender perspective is to be integrated into all humanitarian efforts, with a special focus on women’s rights and participation, including protection against sexual and gender-based violence.

Key Bodies