The national average for the number of men taking parental leave was 30 percent in 2019, according to the Swedish Social Insurance Agency's latest figures. Skåne together with Gävleborg are the counties that are at their worst with 28 percent.

Bjuv is the municipality with the lowest figure in Skåne with 23 percent.

- We in the Swedish Democrats believe that is not a problem. We think that it is up to each family to decide who should be at home with the child. So I have no comment on that figure, ”says Mikael Henrysson (SD), acting chairman of the municipal council.

Combine work and family

According to the report, they mean that it is an employer issue. Do you agree?

- Partly. We think that it is the family that should decide, but you should obviously have the support of your employer.

The County Administrative Board's report on equality of parenthood has examined how municipalities and employers work with the Discrimination Act's requirements for active measures when it comes to combining parenting and work.

- Very few people followed all the steps in the Discrimination Act around this work. Only four out of 29 Skåne municipalities respond to the survey saying that they are doing all the steps prescribed by law, says Martina Skrak, gender equality strategist at the County Administrative Board of Skåne.

Why are so few that follow the law?

- It may be because you have not seen it as an employer question but an issue that is about individual and family. The employer is a major factor in how men take or do not take parental leave. I don't think many employers know how to do it. For example, you can review scheduling or when scheduling meetings, she says.