Why Sweden is the world’s finest home for families

[webfact]

Why Sweden is the world’s finest home for families

By Karin Olofsdotter

 

 

With respect to Erica Komisar’s op-ed “The Human Cost of the world’s most famous welfare state” (The Nation, July 13) I believe the author has missed the greater point of Sweden’s comprehensive family-leave and childcare policies.

 

In Sweden, the health of the child, mother and family are held in such high regard that parents are given 16 months off from work – paid – to recuperate from childbirth and bond with their children. There are countless benefits to this arrangement for both mother and child: allowing breast-feeding to continue uninterrupted for a year if the mother chooses, allowing the mother and father to take time to be with their new child, and to transition psychologically into this new phase of life. This applies to families who adopt, as well.

 

These features may be why this year the World Economic Forum named Sweden “the best country for parents”, and US News & World Report ranked Sweden #2 for “best country for raising kids”. It seems that Swedes agree, as Sweden consistently ranks at the top for highest fertility rates in Europe: No 2 in 2018.

 

Sweden’s generous parental-leave policies make this possible. If you choose not to go back to work after your maternity or paternity leave is up, you have that option too. But Komisar is wrong when she suggests that punitive taxation is forcing mothers back to work. She refers to the country’s top tax bracket but doesn’t mention that the average municipal tax rate in Sweden, which the majority of Swedes pay, is a much lower 32 per cent.

 

Komisar also doesn’t explain why it’s the government’s responsibility to pay you beyond the additional 16 months you’ve already received, especially when a subsidised day-care system exists – again, if you choose to use it.

 

If you would like to transition back to the workforce more slowly, you have the right to decrease your working hours by 25 per cent until your child is eight. As an individual, you can always negotiate with your employer for other arrangements as well, such as working on a part-time basis for a few years before returning to 100 per cent employment.

 

This family-first approach continues throughout the child’s life. You have the right to leave work to take care of a sick child for up to 120 days per child, a year for children up to 12 years old. All full-time employees also have the right to five weeks of paid vacation, allowing parents to spend more time in relaxation with their children.

 

Komisar also claims that childcare is somehow connected to the economic disenfranchisement of women – an odd argument given that she seems to be advocating for fewer working mothers rather than more. But she fails to mention that Sweden’s nearly 80 per cent workforce participation among women is the highest ever recorded in the EU – an indicator of a growing momentum toward gender parity.

 

Is there room for greater gender equality in Sweden? Of course. The movement for pay equity between men and women continues to gather strength in Sweden, and we continue to work toward promoting women in leadership. We have more work to do, at home in Sweden and globally.

 

As the first female ambassador of Sweden to the US, I know we continue to break glass ceilings every day. And as a mother myself, I appreciate that I – and my husband – had the ability to stay home with my children for as long as I wanted, and then get back to work on my own terms.

 

Karin Olofsdotter is the Swedish ambassador to the United States.

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-20

[Hummin]

It all comes down to how much they are willing to pay for their social wellfare. 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_tax_revenue_to_GDP_ratio

 

Countries with high equal liviving standard is the same with the highest taxes.

 

Crime is still very low in these countries, even some claim it is worse than it actually is. 

[Hummin]

Have a look at the world, and see where the cime is, murder rape all in numbers

 

Help yourselves! Cant beat stupidity

http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Crime/Violent-crime/Murder-rate-per-million-people

 

hopefully one day we stop believe in fake news, religions and other stupid manmade things, but it is still a long way before we get sharia laws in europe. We still have time to stop the empires <deleted> up big time.

[canuckamuck]

Sweden considers itself to be the most feminist nation on earth. It's arms wide open to the most misogynist culture in the world. What could possibly go wrong?

[Scott]

If you think this is going to be a stream of nasty remarks, you are sadly mistaken.   Continue with the off-topic trolling and you will receive a suspension.  

 

The story is about Sweden being the finest home for families.  

 

Stay on topic or face a suspension.   Up To You.

 

[Scott]

One poster suspended.    Anyone wish to join him?

 

[puck2]

Family first, not money (of the rich) first. That's Swedish policy.

 

In strong contrast to the homeland(s) of the right-wing buffoons, deflecting as mentioned by @Scott.

[55Jay]

Well, it is labeled as an "opinion" piece but sure does sound like something TAT would write.  Up is down, down is up. 

[bristolboy]

6 minutes ago, Get Real said:

Would you care to explain, or was it just something you said to feel good about yourself?

Because the facts about life in Sweden are all against the people who claim it's become a terrible place to live.

[puck2]

3 hours ago, Wallander4 said:

Try stay a few days in Malmø and call it a good place for families - if you survive that is ...

 

Election in sep 2018 will be landslide for SD or Swedenstan is lost 

You are talking about security. But that's not all a family needs.

 

From: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sweden/safety-and-security

 

Quote

Crime levels are low although there is some petty crime. Violent crime does occur; instances of gang related crime, including shootings and explosions, have been reported in Malmö and Gothenburg. Pick pocketing can be a problem in the major cities when tourists are targeted for passports and cash.[/quote]

Malmö has still problem by fighting some gangs. Rocker bands and Hells Angels have been eliminated by the police. But the „void“ has been filled by new gangs, partly of non-Swedish origin from Balkan and ME. Especially weapons are delivered from the Balkan, increased since the bridge over the Oeresund from Copenhagen to Malmø has be opened in the year 2000.

But Sweden is battling the criminals. Besides other measurements now there are more foreigners under control for weapons.

Once Malmö was called the „Chicago of Sweden“. Facts: Malmö has 330k inhabitants and a gun death rate of 3,4 per 100k inhabitants. Chicago has a rate of 28 pro year !

Considering this facts you can see how the typical right-wings exaggerate. So, concerning my family life I would give Sweden preference to Gun-States across the ocean.

 

Quote

 

Edited July 20, 2018 by puck2

[Chomper Higgot]

Underlying this good news of Sweden’s high ranking for families are a number stark contrasts with the U.K. and US.

 

In comparison to the U.K. (and anywhere outside of Scandanavia) Sweden has very low wealth differentials.

 

The Swedes have prioritised health, education, welfare for all over extreme wealth for a tiny minority and poverty for the masses.

 

What’s not to like?!

[Hummin]

4 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

I see that you want us to do your research for you. If you've got sources to back your claims up, cite them. Otherwise, don't waste our time.

Norwegian right wing media have all you need to know about Rinkeby, where  a handfull hardcore gangmembers make the street dangerous. Put cars on fire and so on!

[Hummin]

As far as I understand, the treath from immigrants is as big as the treath from rightwing nutheads! I am fully awere of crazy religious nutheads to, and it have to be delt with in a proper way, but most problems today, is gangrelated by crimminals, who have become crimminals of different reasons. 

 

Only one have mentioned balkan mafia, and the serb connection is not mentioned at all! That show me how little this right wing thinkers know about organized crime in Scandinavia, and how easy they are to lead!

 

get to the root of the problem. One solution is to close the borders completely for all crimminal fractions. Good luck with that!

[bristolboy]

What a shame that some posters seem to have no ability to recognize lies for what they are:

Crime In Sweden, Part I: Is Sweden the ‘Rape Capital’ of Europe?

Claims that Sweden leads the world in sexual assault and rape are not supported by data.

Statistical evidence shows that rape in Sweden is not on the rise. Reported cases have remained steady for almost a decade. 

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/crime-sweden-rape-capital-europe/

 

 

 

 

[Ron19]

An off topic post and answer to it have been removed.

[thaibeachlovers]

What do people that don't want children in Sweden think? Does anyone in government care about their lifestyles? Are they the forgotten people?

[Hummin]

You just cant help stupid if Sweedish goverment want to fool their people, and I see right wing media and sources make it hard to believe it can be so bad as they believe. Alot they claim can not be backed by statistisc, the right wing media, also have an answer to that! So what to believe? I live in a perfectly healthy society in an Nordic country, and I see challenges, and I see problems, but not as bad as any of those who know the real truth! 

 

Im sorry, but I still think the future of the Nordic countries is bright, but we as others have to pay the price of being a country of humanity and being part of the world. 

 

My personal opinion of religion, and solution to surten crimes, does not fit the humanity rules, but Lucky for the country and world, Im not your dictator! 

[darksidedog]

Probably 80% of the posts in this thread have been removed, because you have all been wildly off topic.

The topic was "Why Sweden is the worlds finest home for families."

But a bunch of trolls totally hijacked it and turned it into a Muslim bashing thread.

And a bunch of sheep posters followed them down that path and now all those posts and replies have gone.

This is by far the worst hijacking of a topic I have ever come across, and a bunch of you should be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves.

Not only for stealing the topic, but for some very nasty and largely totally inaccurate comments also.

Next post here Off Topic gets a holiday.

Next poster on here to even mention the word Muslim gets  a double holiday. It wasn't mentioned even once in the article, so there is no place for it on this thread.

[mok199]

its simple ''IKEA''....

[Trouble]

Basically it boils down to the fact that if you want to live in a place where your labor goes for the greater good of families, then Sweden might be the place to live.  If you want to work for your own benefit, the benefit of your own family and not for everyone else, then it's probably not the place to live.  Seems to me that they have gone a little overboard in the time they allow for bonding with a child.  They have set up a system where the population as a whole subsidizes those that want to have children.  Not everyone has children, nor do they want to, but they pay for others that do.  To bad the world is not set up into zones or states based on a particular system.  You make your choice but once made you have to live with it.  No going back to another state when you don't like what you have chosen.  

[bristolboy]

9 minutes ago, Trouble said:

Basically it boils down to the fact that if you want to live in a place where your labor goes for the greater good of families, then Sweden might be the place to live.  If you want to work for your own benefit, the benefit of your own family and not for everyone else, then it's probably not the place to live.  Seems to me that they have gone a little overboard in the time they allow for bonding with a child.  They have set up a system where the population as a whole subsidizes those that want to have children.  Not everyone has children, nor do they want to, but they pay for others that do.  To bad the world is not set up into zones or states based on a particular system.  You make your choice but once made you have to live with it.  No going back to another state when you don't like what you have chosen.  

A society choosing to support children in health and education pays off big time not only for the kids but for the elderly and infirm as well since it's these children whose taxes will one day be supporting them. Sweden is one of the most technologically advanced and innovative nations thanks to the investment it puts into its children. To prosper a society depends on its future generations.

So if you choose not to have children that's fine. But to think that investing in them is of no benefit to yourself is quite short-sighted.

 

[roobaa01]

a green socialism social oicy deemed to bereave the individum ofits self-reliance, hardwork impetus will fail like every social welfare state. in sweden greens and socilist throwing hard earnt tax payers money into a welfare pit without bottom, as it is written sweden being bankcrupt by 2030 if keeping its current social welfare spending.

 

wbr

roobaa01

[bristolboy]

5 minutes ago, roobaa01 said:

a green socialism social oicy deemed to bereave the individum ofits self-reliance, hardwork impetus will fail like every social welfare state. in sweden greens and socilist throwing hard earnt tax payers money into a welfare pit without bottom, as it is written sweden being bankcrupt by 2030 if keeping its current social welfare spending.

 

wbr

roobaa01

You got a source for that prediction? Sweden in fact punches way above its weight in high tech innovation. So stop with the ideological nonsense and show us some hard facts that support what you're contending.

In the meantime:

Sweden is the best in the world at pretty much everything

https://nordic.businessinsider.com/heres-everything-that-sweden-is-the-best-in-the-world-at--and-its-a-whole-lot-2017-6/

[4evermaat]

I have a question about fathers. How much paternity leave are fathers entitled to get under these "family entitlements"? 

Trying to compare the pairity between what the mother is entitled to vs the father.

Sent from my ASUS_X00ID using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Edited July 21, 2018 by 4evermaat

[bristolboy]

Link to that report and the relevant portion which predicts that.

Sweden's debt to gdp ratio is 40%

Germany's is 68%

Health care is 11% of GDP

And its citizens don't have to spend one extra kronor to get first rate medical care. No such things as deductibles there.

It's also a very very very good place to do business:

 

The most competitive economy in the world. There are different rankings using different criteria, but the arguably heaviest one — Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index — has Sweden ranked as the most competitive economy in the world.

https://nordic.businessinsider.com/heres-everything-that-sweden-is-the-best-in-the-world-at--and-its-a-whole-lot-2017-6/

 

[simple1]

Have you read the modelling report to which you refer? For a change how about leaving out spin sourced from conspiracy / Islamic hate sites.

 

2010–2030 UN projections of Very High HDIs

[Hummin]

2 hours ago, roobaa01 said:

a green socialism social oicy deemed to bereave the individum ofits self-reliance, hardwork impetus will fail like every social welfare state. in sweden greens and socilist throwing hard earnt tax payers money into a welfare pit without bottom, as it is written sweden being bankcrupt by 2030 if keeping its current social welfare spending.

 

wbr

roobaa01

And in other countries, singel mom have 3 jobs to raise there kids, or selling their body! ? 

 

How fear is that? Socialism have worked for 100 000 of years, and it is tribe mentality to take care of each other. I never thought I would look at my self as an socialist, but Im better doing that now, when I see how greedy and self centered those who believe in individual freedom behave, and what they believe in! There is nothing good in a system where people do not have money for social security. It is a self destruction society! 

 

Free educatian and free social security, it is good for the open marked also! 

Edited July 21, 2018 by Hummin

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎7‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 10:43 PM, bristolboy said:

A society choosing to support children in health and education pays off big time not only for the kids but for the elderly and infirm as well since it's these children whose taxes will one day be supporting them. Sweden is one of the most technologically advanced and innovative nations thanks to the investment it puts into its children. To prosper a society depends on its future generations.

So if you choose not to have children that's fine. But to think that investing in them is of no benefit to yourself is quite short-sighted.

 

It is one thing supporting people having children, and then there is going completely OTT, as they have apparently done. As one that never wanted, nor had kids, I'd be very upset about having to go out to work every day so some people could just have a nice taxpayer funded holiday. However, I would like to see one parent being able to stay with the child till it started school, but that would entail going back to the 50s, when mothers stayed at home, and fathers went to work. To be more modern, it should be either parent, but definitely not both. That wouldn't be funded by the taxpayer, but by paying one person enough to raise a family.

[roobaa01]

and the social welfare system being strained by migration to the utmost. how is migration changing the swedish welfare system, www.economist.com

23.6.2017

 

the redgreen swedish social welfare policy is nothingelse as the state takes controll of your live by 100 % including child care, hence for the welfare dream people give up their freedom. that is to be failed socialismus to me.

 

wbr

roobaa01

[bristolboy]

1 minute ago, roobaa01 said:

and the social welfare system being strained by migration to the utmost. how is migration changing the swedish welfare system, www.economist.com

23.6.2017

 

the redgreen swedish social welfare policy is nothingelse as the state takes controll of your live by 100 % including child care, hence for the welfare dream people give up their freedom. that is to be failed socialismus to me.

 

wbr

roobaa01

Freeing parents to stay home with their children after their birth or when they're ill is giving up freedom how exactly?

We've already exploded your nonsense about the failing Swedish economy.