Norway struck an unprecedented blow for sexual equality when the government said it would force companies to guarantee that at least 40 percent of board members are women. Under the controversial plan, unveiled on the eve of International Women's Day, the center-right government said state and partly state-run companies would have to comply with the quota within a year. Private companies will have to follow suit in 2005. "This makes March 8, 2002, a historic day, a milestone in the history of the fight for equality," said Children and Family Affairs Minister Laila Daavoey. Women are scarce in top jobs in Norwegian companies even though they have long had a strong position in the rest of society. Eight of 20 members of the Cabinet of Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik are women. Norway's Kristin Krohn Devold is among the few female defense ministers in the world. Daavoey denied that the measure might backfire by allowing inexperienced women to win jobs ahead of better qualified men. "We've waited long enough, now something had to be done. ... The best will be chosen and the best you find among women and men," she said. The proposal also says that at least 40 percent of board members have to be men.

　　挪威在两性平等方面跨出了史无前例的一步：政府宣布将强令所有公司保证妇女在其董事会成员中所占比例不低于40%。挪威的中右翼政府说，根据公布于国际妇女节前夜的这一颇有争议的计划，国营及部分国营的公司必须在一年中达到这一指标，私营公司也必须在2005年之前照此执行。儿童及家庭事务部长莱拉·达沃伊说：“这使2002年3月8日成了一个历史性的日子，成了争取平权史上的一个里程碑。”挪威公司高层中鲜见女性，虽然她们很早就已在其他社会部门中占据了重要地位。挪威首相克耶尔·麦格尼·邦德维克的20名内阁成员中有8位女性，克里斯廷·克罗恩·迪沃尔德更是世界上为数不多的女国防部长之一。达沃伊否认这项措施会使经验不足的女性在更有资格的男性之前获得要职，因而会产生适得其反的效果。她说：“我们已经等得够久了，现在必须真正做些实事……最优秀的人——男人和女人中最优秀的人会被选中。”该提案也要求董事会成员中至少40%须为男性。

　　Remarks：精神平等还是物质平等？个人选择还是集体意愿？平等还是平均？正视不同还是抹杀差别？实现真正的两性平等必须以解决这些问题为前提。