WOMEN AND GENDER JUSTICE IN THE SWEDISH WELFARE STATE

Abstract

The article examines the Swedish model of the welfare state as an institutional mechanism for ensuring gender justice through the systematic recognition of care work and the protection of women’s economic autonomy. Unlike formally neutral approaches prevalent in many jurisdictions, Sweden implements a proactive strategy grounded in a constitutional obligation to promote gender equality, anti-discrimination legislation with positive duties, a universal social insurance system, and accessible care infrastructure. The authors analyses how the combination of gender-neutral parental leave, automatic crediting of care periods toward pension entitlements, mandatory social support for women in situations of violence, and guarantees of flexible employment forms an integrated system aimed at eliminating structural inequality. Particular attention is paid to the legal nature of these guarantees – their justiciability, administrative enforcement, and compliance with international standards, particularly the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the European Social Charter. The scientific novelty lies in demonstrating how specific legal mechanisms – such as the “use-it-or-lose-it” rule or the duty to implement active equality measures – transform social norms and ensure not only formal but substantive equality. The findings are especially relevant for countries undergoing social policy reform, including Ukraine, where the integration of gender-sensitive approaches into the social protection system remains underdeveloped.