Norwegian Life - Norway - page 958

study by the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research found that one in four
Norwegian women experiences domestic violence in their lifetime.
When it comes to immigrant women in Norway, the government has been faced with a
new set of controversies, especially relating to female circumcision. In 2007 Norway an-
nounced that it would stop families from travelling abroad if officials believe that the pur-
pose of the trip is to circumcise a female family member. The move received considerable
support in Norway after it was revealed that at least 185 girls from Norway had been cir-
cumcised in a Somali village.
THE ECONOMICS OF CHILDBIRTH IN
NORWAY
Paid maternity leave A compulsory six-week minimum (plus three weeks prior to
birth), with full-pay provisions extending to 46 weeks (the longest in Europe) or 56
weeks on 80% pay.
Paid paternity leave A 10-week minimum that comes out of the 46 or 56 weeks al-
located to the mother; if the weeks aren't taken, the weeks are lost to both parents.
Further leave entitlements Each parent is entitled to an additional one year's un-
paid, job-protected leave (civil servants get three) or to work part-time on full pay for
up to two years.
Government grants for children Government grants of over Nkr35,263 upon the
birth of a child and family allowance income-support during the child's life.
Norway has one of the highest percentages of well-educated immigrants in the world: 40% have received
higher education, with little difference between Western and non-Western immigrants.
Multiculturalism
Norwayhasbecomeanincreasinglymulticulturalsocietyinrecentyears,evenasNorway's
complicated approach to immigration sends out numerous conflicting messages. Until re-
cently, immigration was strictly controlled and only bona fide refugees (ie those who have
been granted refugee status with the UN elsewhere), not asylum seekers, were admitted;