The Chairperson of the Standing Committee noted that having a stable democratic status has allowed Norway to cope well with change and take issues forward. She indicated that for the last 5 years, she had been actively focusing on anti-discrimination of persons with disabilities. She also noted that key to achieving a gender balance and equality is the economic empowerment of women - in Norway, more than 80% of women with small children are actively participating in the labour force. In addition, the sharing of care responsibilities between men and women is high on the agenda in Norway. At present, fathers receive 12 weeks of paternity leave; however, there is a process underway to increase this. The chairperson noted that they have seen the positive impact the involvement of fathers has had on children in Norwegian society. The education of women and the provision of care support for children are therefore important for achieving economic independence of women. There is however still a wage gap between men. Challenges facing women need to be addressed at societal, cultural and religious level.