Revisiting the gendered division of labour in Swedish forestry: What has changed the last decade?

Abstract

The Swedish labour market is relatively gender segregated and the forest sector is no exception, with a dominance of men among forest owners, users and employees. Gender segregation affects working conditions and constitutes a significant obstacle to gender equality. Within the forest sector, awareness and efforts linked to gender equality have increased over the last decade through e.g., the sector's national gender-equality strategy launched in 2011 and a sector-specific #metoo appeal in 2017. In relation to the strategy, men and women with higher-education degrees in forestry were surveyed about their conditions and experiences in the forest labour market. The survey showed, among other things, clear patterns of gender segregation. A decade after, this study revisits the survey, with 860 responses and a response rate of 53 %, to investigate whether and how conditions, experiences and gender segregation have changed. The result shows a small decline in the overall gender segregation, but a persistence with respect to employer, work area and professional function. This affects and shapes men's and women's experience of, and conditions for, their work, which contribute to, for example, that women have been exposed to discrimination and harassment and left the sector to a greater extent than men.