Årjäng Ranks as Sweden's Most Unequal Municipality for Parental Leave
Årjäng is highlighted as Sweden's most unequal municipality in parental leave sharing, with calls for reform.
Key Points
- • Årjäng is ranked as the most unequal municipality in Sweden for parental leave sharing.
- • Women took 68.3% of parental leave days in 2024, worsening gender inequality.
- • TCO's chair criticizes ineffective government reforms aimed at promoting equality in parental leave.
- • Proposed reforms include reserving more leave months for each parent and increasing compensation for lower-tier days.
Årjäng has been identified as the most unequal municipality in Sweden regarding the sharing of parental leave days, according to TCO's Equality Index released on May 31, 2025. The findings highlight a concerning trend, with women taking 68.3% of parental leave days in 2024, an increase from 68.0% in 2023, marking continued gender inequality in parental leave distribution. This represents the third consecutive year that the share of parental leave taken by men has decreased, further widening the gap in parental leave equity across the country.
Therese Svanström, chair of TCO, criticized the government's reforms aimed at addressing this inequality, stating that they have not effectively promoted a more balanced distribution of parental days. Rather, these policies seem to have exacerbated the situation. In contrast, Hammarö municipality was recognized for achieving a more equitable distribution of leave days between parents.
To mitigate these disparities, TCO advocates for several reforms, including reserving more months of parental leave for each parent and increasing the financial compensation for lower-tier leave days. These measures could potentially shift the current trend and promote greater equality in shared parental responsibilities.