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The central message of the report

Diversity through inclusion and participation

The Government puts the individual at the centre. Each individual person has a right to be different, to freely choose his or her lifestyle and to think differently from the majority. Focus on the individual and the ambition to enhance each person’s opportunity of making independent choices are building blocks in the Government’s policy of diversity through participation and inclusion. The Government is essentially in favour of diversity of culture, religion and values.

Adults are responsible for children’s opportunities

Even though we focus on the individual we are nevertheless also aware that none of us lives in a vacuum. We exist in a variety of social contexts, we influence each other for better or for worse. We can provide each other with opportunities for development or we can put up obstacles for each other. The Government will continue to take account of how living conditions and situations, attitudes and values, traditions and customs contribute to promoting – or restricting – children’s chances of participating in society and making the choices that are right for them. This issue has become more pressing as a consequence of recent immigration to Norway and the increasing numbers of inhabitants of non-western origin living in Norway. Many of the immigrants have grown up in conditions very different to those in modern Norway. In the Government’s opinion, adults having permanent residence in Norway must as a general rule assume that their children will continue to live in Norway.

The Government wishes to point out that customs and traditions, or attitudes and opinions may in some cases constitute a hindrance to the freedom of choice that the Government wants to promote. The Government has clear expectations of adult immigrants, but will also continue to focus strongly on ensuring equal opportunity and facilitating their active participation in society. The inclusion of adult immigrants in working and social life is a determining factor in the living conditions of both adults and children. Responsibility lies with the authorities and the social partners, and also with the adults in their attitude to life in Norway. New immigrants must learn Norwegian. The Government will therefore make the learning of Norwegian both a right and an obligation for adult immigrants and will impose an obligation on the municipalities to provide the necessary teaching. 

The Government’s value base, and policy of diversity through inclusion and participation is incompatible with racism and discrimination. In December 2004 the Government proposed an Act prohibiting discrimination on grounds of ethnicity, religion etc. This Act is the first one in Norway to provide complete legal protection against discrimination on grounds of ethnicity, religion etc.

New ways of being Norwegian

There are currently more than half a million people living in Norway whose mother, father or both parents were born outside Norway. In 2004 Norway’s population counted people originating from 208 different countries. At the beginning of 2004 there were only two municipalities in the whole country without a single non-western immigrant. Approximately 100 000 immigrants have been living in Norway for less than five years. About 120 000 children and young people under 25 have two parents born outside Norway, and about half of these 120 000 were themselves born in Norway.

The Government wants to build a society capable of absorbing the new diversity of the Norwegian population. The Government sees a great challenge in changing the picture of ”us in Norway” to harmonise to a greater degree with the actual composition of the population. This is best achieved by making sure that all population groups are included and represented in different areas of society.  In the Government’s opinion, the drawing of a clear distinguishing line between immigrants and Norwegians, between “them” and “us” will become increasingly meaningless in the Norway of the future.

The Government sees no contradiction between being a loyal and active citizen and continuing to have links with several different milieus and cultural communities and with people from different backgrounds. Globalisation and migration entail new forms of identity. However, the Government also wants as many as possible of the immigrants residing permanently in Norway to apply for Norwegian citizenship. As a general rule, the Government wants Norwegian citizens to have only one nationality.

Raising our sights 

There are a number of important discussions taking place in Norway about asylum and refugee policies, about labour immigration and introduction schemes and integration. Work is ongoing on many reforms in these fields. 

In addition to conducting these important discussions, we need to raise our sights and widen our horizons. The situation involves numerous new dilemmas and tensions between the majority and minority sections of the population, between the individual and the group, between respect for traditions and the freedom to break with traditions. These issues are central to the Government’s ambition to secure diversity through inclusion and participation and they need to be raised regardless of whether one thousand or one hundred thousand new immigrants settle in Norway. The ability to recognise and respect diversity in inhabitants who are different from us is put to the test in our daily lives.

Disagreement can promote development

Current developments in Norway pose a challenge to the ideal of equality that has been a hallmark in the building of Norwegian society and national identity for so many years. The development of a harmonious, multicultural, multi-religious, multi-value society is not possible without some element of conflict and disagreement. Not only is it completely normal, but disagreement can also bring dynamism into our society, generating innovation and positive development. The challenge lies in ensuring effective and democratic ways of handling disagreement.

Limits to tolerance

The Government endorses diversity and individual freedom. However, its policy must also ensure acceptance of the ground rules, including basic legislation and regulations, that apply to everyone and it must instil respect for the value base of our society. Human rights, gender equality and democracy are all part of this value base. There may be contradictions and internal tensions between the many objectives. There is no easy answer. The Government will conduct an open and inclusive debate about which values to include and what they will entail – on the understanding that there are certain inalienable principles on which Norwegian society is built.

This report to the Storting provides a basis for this debate by presenting some perspectives and discussing what is needed to resolve new dilemmas. In the Government’s opinion there is an absolute limit to tolerance when it comes to illegal acts. However, there may be other forms of behaviour and attitudes that the Government deems it desirable to influence even if they are not actually illegal. The authorities are targeting both the population majority and its minorities with its measures aiming at encouraging girls to make less traditional vocational choices. In other contexts its aim is to form attitudes and behaviour in a more limited group of the population. In some immigrant communities, for example, taboos and prejudices relating to mental illness may be different from or more prevalent than is the case in the rest of society, calling for a targeted provision of knowledge and information. Otherwise, prejudice and lack of knowledge may exclude individuals from opportunities, facilities and rights that are intended for everyone.   

Descendants

The first cohort of second-generation immigrants, born in Norway of foreign born parents, is gradually reaching adulthood and embarking on working and social life. Most members of the generation born in Norway are still at primary school. The acid test of our success in achieving diversity through inclusion and participation will be how the descendants of the first-generation immigrants fit into the social picture when they reach adulthood. These children are blazing a new trail. It is in everyone’s interest that they succeed and are able to influence the society of which they are part.

Policy of integration and policy of diversity

The Government believes we must distinguish between a policy of integration and a policy of diversity through inclusion and participation. It is not correct to talk about children and young people who have grown up in Norway as being integrated or not integrated, as if they were newly arrived foreigners to be incorporated into a new society.  In the Government’s opinion, integration applies to persons who have immigrated and concerns what is required to introduce the immigrants to and include them in their new society and to ensure that they are as self-supporting as possible.  

The policy of diversity through inclusion and participation has a broader perspective. In principle it involves all members of our society, majority and minority, new arrivals and more established immigrants. Its aim is to provide all inhabitants, regardless of background, religion or origin, with equal opportunities for making independent choices about how to organise their lives. Major social and economic differences based on ethnic divisions must not be allowed to develop. The aim of the policy is the harmonious development of good relations between groups and communities in the population, without too much social tension.

 

Composite reality for immigrants and their descendants in Norway

In many respects recent immigration to Norway has gone smoothly.  The Norwegian society has avoided open social conflicts between ethnic groups of the kind witnessed in United Kingdom and elsewhere. The policy of diversity through inclusion and participation is intended to ensure that on attaining adulthood the descendants of immigrants are not in a worse position in society than others. The report establishes that in most areas things are progressing in the right direction. The living conditions of first generation immigrants improve the longer they stay in Norway, and second generation immigrants are performing better than first generation immigrants in areas for which we have comparable data. The picture is, however, very composite. There are great variations between groups classed according to country of origin and also within these groups, and there are several disturbing aspects (e.g. school dropout figures, poverty/ income disparity, unemployment, crime).

New goals

Report No. 49 to the Storting (2003 – 2004) introduces new objectives for inclusion, participation and belonging in relation to persons who have immigrated as adults and persons who have spent most or the whole of their childhood and adolescence in Norway. This is defined as a goal for immigrants and also a goal for descendants. The reason for this differentiation is that the basic positions of the two groups are different. We know that immigration to Norway may entail drawbacks and extra challenges, affecting the living conditions of immigrants. We also know that immigrants do not have the same basis for emotional bonding with Norway as children growing up in here. The policy of diversity also sets goals for everyone living in Norway, immigrants and non-immigrants alike.

The Government’s goal for societal bonding has two dimensions. The first concerns participation and living conditions. The second deals with bonding and belonging.

Goals for adult immigrants

Participation and living conditions

We know that the length of residency in Norway affects living conditions in respect of work, income, housing conditions etc. There is a need for a greater understanding of the processes behind the fact that different groups of adult first generation immigrants achieve different positions in the social picture. The goal is to ensure the greatest possible degree of economic self-sufficiency for all inhabitants, including immigrants. This means that adult immigrants ought to find income-producing work or be assured of subsistence without requiring public financial support.

The Government believes that participation in working life is the most important individual objective for adult immigrants in the attainment of economic self-sufficiency. It is also important that immigrants be allowed to use their resources, both their education and their work experience. Moreover, participation in the labour market and an income of one’s own are important door openers to other parts of society.

Bonding and belonging – interaction with the surrounding society

Individual integration or incorporation is not just a question of objectively quantifiable living conditions. There is also a mental and emotional dimension. Adult immigrants coming to Norway have been formed in other societies than the Norwegian one. Of necessity, a great deal of their emotions and thoughts will bound to the societies they have left. This must be respected. At the same time the Government expects all those living in Norway to endorse some fundamental values on which Norwegian society is based, and to take responsibility for themselves and others. There is not necessarily any contradiction between these expectations.

The Government expects immigrants to familiarise themselves with and respect the basic principles of Norwegian society and politics. The Government deems this to be part of the implicit social contract entered into by the inhabitants with the country in which they are living. Everyone is invited to participate in the democratic debate about how the basic principles should be interpreted and given practical content. Maximum possible immigrant participation in political and civil life is a goal of the Government.

In return, the Government expects the population and society as a whole to demonstrate the will and ability to include new inhabitants. First and foremost this involves combating racism and discrimination and securing equal opportunities, rights and obligations for everyone. That a number of inhabitants speak Norwegian with an accent must be accepted as normal.

Many immigrants are also parents of children and teenagers growing up in Norway. There may be a great divergence between the conditions under which the parents grew up and those facing their children. Some immigrant communities have a negative picture of the Norwegian society, based on prejudice rather than knowledge and understanding. Any such prejudice should be eradicated if it stands in the way of the children’s or the immigrants’ own participation in society.

It is the Governments goal that all parents, regardless of whether or not they are immigrants, shall have an understanding of the workings of Norwegian society, the main purpose being to allow them to guide and support their children on the basis of the reality to which the children will have to relate. This means that immigrants must learn Norwegian. The Government also expects everyone immigrating to Norway to have an active and open attitude towards their new environment and to seek the knowledge necessary if they are to realise the ideal of being able to make informed choices for themselves and their children.

Goals for the children of immigrants – descendants

Many children and young people from immigrant families will develop identities and lifestyles that represent new ways of being Norwegian. This is part of the individual freedom that the Government wants to protect. The political goals for children of immigrants apply to all those growing up in Norway, whether they were born here of two foreign-born parents or immigrated when they were young and have spent most of their childhood and adolescence in Norway. Today the members of the descendant generation (for statistical purposes defined as children born in Norway of foreign-born parents) are too young to allow for a statistical assessment of their position in the housing market, labour market or on the income scale, which would have allowed us to compare them with other population groups. Nor do we know as yet how they will structure their family life and leisure time in practice. Very few of them are married or living with partners. However, experience from other countries indicates the importance a close monitoring of developments in this area, allowing for an early response to any trend perceived as disturbing. In the field of education, statistics already show a great variation between descendants classed according to their parents’ country of origin in respect of their tendency to take higher education; and there are also differences between boys and girls. For those descendants who are old enough to start work, the labour market situation looks healthier than it did for their parents but remains somewhat worse than for the rest of the population of the same age. The situation calls for political vigilance.

Participation and living conditions

The Government’s goal is for all children growing up in Norway, regardless of where their parents were born, to have the same opportunity to participate in society. In the case of descendants of immigrants the Government’s goal is to ensure that their living conditions as adults will not be systematically worse than those enjoyed by others, i.e. that any disadvantages associated with immigration will have been ironed out in the course of two generations. In order to achieve this, we will need to equalise living conditions for children in many ways, and as early as possible, among other things through selective measures and equal opportunities in the kindergarten and throughout their education.

In the Government’s opinion, the key to enabling young people to achieve equal opportunity as adults lies in educational opportunity. The Government believes that education is the most important single priority area in our endeavours to prevent the development of a society in which major social and economic differences in the population follow ethnic divisions. The reason for this is the enormous importance of education in other aspects of life. Ensuring good performance of immigrants’ children in schools and the educational system as a whole is therefore the most important objective in the success of the policy for this group. 

The general goal that everyone should be able to participate in working life and be economically independent of public support also applies to children and young people growing up in Norway. Most of them will have received their education in Norway. Ideally they should have the same starting point and the same opportunity of finding a job in Norway as everyone else. If this is not the case, we need to identify and deal with the causes. If employers are reluctant to employ descendants, they can hardly say they do not know what their education stands for or that the job seeker does not speak Norwegian, both of which are frequently cited reasons for not employing adult immigrants.

In the Government’s opinion, referring to children and young people who have grown up in Norway as integrated or not, as if they were adult immigrants to be incorporated into a new society, sends out the wrong signals. A more correct perspective is to see whether the young people participate in society and whether they are and feel included. Regardless of whether they were born in Norway, or came to the country when they were very young, most of them have received their education in Norway, have been brought up here and had their most important experiences here. Like all young people, they are formed from a young age in an interplay between family, home environment, Norwegian schools and the surrounding society. If the children of immigrants fail to be included, we should primarily look for reasons in the general conditions in which they have grown up, as we do with other marginalised children and young people. The total home situation, the living conditions, attitudes and values of the parents are all part of the total formative environment. It is also important to know what signals the children are receiving from their surroundings and how their understanding of reality can be positively or negatively impacted by the response they get.

Bonding and belonging – interaction with the surrounding society

The sense-of-belonging goal should be more ambitious in respect of descendants than of first generation immigrants who came here as adults. Norway is the most important reference for descendants and is the society that has formed them. In the Government’s opinion, they must have the same freedom as others to build their own platforms and identities, and must be at liberty to combine impulses from their home environments and from the society around them. New ways of being Norwegian must be respected. Children and young people from immigrant families often weave a varied backcloth of experiences. Many move between different social and cultural environments, acquiring a good basis for developing a broader social competence than many of their peers with less varied backgrounds. This type of social competence should be recognised and form a model for the rest of the population.  

The Government’s goal is for everyone growing up in Norway to feel that they belong and are accepted for what they are.

The Government believes it is important that all citizens get used to handling the new diversity among fellow inhabitants in a natural manner. This can be achieved by experience and contact. It is not misunderstood kindness or displaying weakness to be considerate of the fact that needs and wishes are different. With growing diversity, tolerance and social flexibility are important qualities in working and social life.

If the descendants do not experience Norwegian society as “their own”, the Government will deem it to be an admission of failure in respect of its concept of an inclusive society in which everyone will feel at home and participate.

The development of socially segregated communities along ethnic lines with very little interface with other groups is also a danger signal. At worst we may see the development of milieus and subcultures that act with contempt or hostility towards others in society at large. The only people to benefit from such a development would be the extremists.

It is the Government’s goal that children of immigrant parents shall participate on a par with others in civilian and political life.

In the Government’s opinion, diversity among the youth of today represents equal ways of being Norwegian. If diversity of values, religious persuasion or lifestyles leads to tension and conflict, the situation must be dealt with by all parties within the democratic framework and using legitimate political means.

Challenges ahead – areas of focus

The Government presents four areas, which ought to be the centre of special political focus if we are to achieve our goals.

The first area of focus is giving immigrant parents an independent responsibility for promoting their children’s opportunities in Norwegian society. The Government would point out the connection between the living conditions and attitudes of the parents and their children’s prospects in Norway. The Government expects adult immigrants to make sure that they arrange things so that they do not create obstacles to their children’s participation in society and freedom to make their own choices. For their part, the authorities must lay the foundations for a social system and attitudinal climate that will promote inclusion and equality through combating discrimination.

The inclusion of adult immigrants in working and social life is a vital factor in determining the living conditions of both adults and children. Since 1 September 2004 the municipal authorities have had an obligation to offer introduction programmes to refugees and persons granted residence on humanitarian grounds who are in need of such a programme, as a preparation to participation in ordinary working life or education. The programme shall be tailored to individual needs and participants will receive a participation grant, which will replace social security benefits.

Tuition in Norwegian and social studies has been extended and improved in the last ten years. The Government has nevertheless proposed a further strengthening of Norwegian teaching. The Government has gained acceptance for the requirement that all adult immigrants must have completed 300 hours of tuition in Norwegian and social studies, or be able to document adequate skills, before being granted a settlement permit or Norwegian citizenship. Some groups are entitled to free tuition; others will have to pay for themselves after 1 September 2005. 

The report to the Storting proposes a new trial scheme, “Ny sjanse” (A new chance), targeting immigrants on social security who have been in the country for some time. The scheme will be based on the same model as the introduction programmes.

Furthermore, the Government wants to involve the immigrant population to a greater degree in social and information work that has a bearing on their own situation, encouraging them to find solutions to their own problems. Among other things, the Government will invite applications for grants for help to self help projects addressing the issues of health, family, youth and gender roles.

The second area of focus addresses equal educational opportunities. The new cultural and social variation in the population and a permanent component of recently immigrated inhabitants means that children in Norway will have more disparate starting points than was previously the case – further intensifying the importance of school and education. The Government believes that its effort to achieve equal educational opportunities constitutes the most important ingredient in preventing the future development of major social and economic differences along ethnic divisions. The education authorities have recently submitted a new report to the Storting and a pertaining strategy plan (Report No. 30 (2002-2003) to the Storting “Kultur for læring, og Strategiplan for likeverdig utdanning i praksis 2003” (Culture for learning, and Strategy plan for equal opportunity in practice 2003). Report No. 49 to the Storting (2003 – 2004) is based on these policy documents, and in addition proposes reinforcing the statistical base in order to facilitate effective targeted measures for groups in need of special support. There will also be experimental schemes involving special summer schools for young people coming to Norway in the middle of their schooling. In order to recognise the linguistic resources existing in many families, children will be allowed to select their native language or their parents’ language as the second compulsory foreign language in primary and upper secondary school.

The third area of focus in the challenges ahead is to ensure admission to and equal opportunities in the labour market. This is by no means a new political goal, but is every bit as important today as previously. Work gives social recognition and economic independence. Goals here apply to the whole population, including first generation immigrants and their descendants. If we encourage young people to get an education, the next vital step is to be sure that they enter the labour market on the same footing as their peers. Long-term studies will be instigated to follow groups of descendants with a non-western background in their encounters with the labour market. The Government will also continue and develop what has hitherto been a trial scheme, by ordering all State-run enterprises to interview at least one applicant with immigrant background when making new appointments, provided that the applicant is qualified. Trials will also be conducted using English as the written working language to allow us to exploit the expertise of short-stay immigrants who, naturally enough, cannot speak fluent Norwegian.

The fourth area of focus concerns the users’ needs and the adaptation of public services. The new cultural and religious diversity in the population has come to stay. The diversity must be recognised and respected by ensuring that different needs in the population are reflected in the design of public services and social systems common to all. Offering equal services that take account of the fact that the inhabitants may have new and different needs from the majority constitutes recognition in practice of the new diversity. It shows that the society is prepared to make changes. It also emphasises the importance of freedom of choice in connection with public services. The Government links this area of focus to the general modernisation work in the public sector. The Government will initiate work to develop quantifiable and concrete goals and reporting procedures, specifying what the respective ministries shall achieve in their own area of responsibility in respect of the target groups in the report to the Storting.