OSLO, Norway (AP) — The Norwegian equality minister said Thursday that she found it “completely unacceptable” that men on average earn 13% more than women as she reacted to a government report stressing that the pay gap in egalitarian Norway persists.
The conclusion of the report, which covers the period 2015-2022, was on par with the figures in the European Union of which Norway isn't a member. According to the European Commission, the gender pay gap in the 27-member EU stood at 12.7 % in 2021 and has only changed minimally over the last decade.
The report, which had been commissioned by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and Equality and was published Thursday, said that since 2015, there has been little change in the wage differences between women and men performing the same work.
“I find it completely unacceptable that women and men who have the same job, the same experience and the same competence, end up with different salaries," Culture and Equality Minister Lubna Jaffery told Norwegian news agency NTB.
The report by the Institute for Social Research, concluded that women who work in the same sector, industry and profession, have the same length of education and experience and similar job size, earn 8% less than men. If women also have the same professional title and employer, they earn 6% less than men.
“An important explanation is that men and women work in different parts of the labor market with different wage levels,” the 122-page Norwegian report said.
“We show how the wage gap varies across sectors, industries, education groups, occupations and labor market regions,” it said. “We find that women on average have longer education than men, but within fields of study with lower wages. The gap between men and women with equally long education is therefore larger than between all men and women.”
Norway, a country of 5.6 million, has often been described as at the forefront internationally in terms of gender equality and living standards. According to official Norwegian figures, about 70% of women participate in the workforce.
In October, the annual report from the U.S. Census Bureau said that in 2023, the gender wage gap between men and women working full-time widened year-over-year for the first time in 20 years. It said that women working full time earned 83 cents on the dollar compared to men in 2023, down from a historic high of 84 cents in 2022.
FILE - The sun reflected in the windows of the skyline of the so called 'Barcode Project' neighborhood at dusk in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills joined the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams in advancing to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.
Allen led the Bills to a 27-24 comeback victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first of three wild-card playoff games on Sunday.
The San Francisco 49ers (12-5) took on the Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) in the middle game and the New England Patriots (14-3) will host the Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) in the nightcap.
Allen scored on a 1-yard run late in the fourth quarter and Cole Bishop intercepted Trevor Lawrence's pass to secure Buffalo's first playoff win on the road since the 1992 AFC championship game at Miami.
The No. 6 seed Bills will wait to find out their next opponent. It's the sixth straight season under coach Sean McDermott that Buffalo has reached the second round of the playoffs.
On Saturday, the NFL playoffs kicked off with two wacky games.
The Bears (12-6) trailed the Green Bay Packers 21-3 at halftime and 27-16 with just under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter before Caleb Williams threw a pair of touchdown passes. His 25-yard TD toss to D.J. Moore put Chicago ahead 31-27 with 1:43 remaining. Then Jordan Love's desperation heave into the end zone from the Bears 28 was knocked down as time expired to secure Chicago's first playoff win since the 2010 season.
Williams finished with 361 yards passing, two TDs and two interceptions for the No. 2 seed Bears, who will host the Rams (13-5) or Eagles next weekend.
In the opener on wild-card weekend, Matthew Stafford threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson in the final minute and the Rams rallied to beat the Carolina Panthers 34-31 in a game that was much closer than expected.
The Rams were double-digit favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook against the Panthers (8-10). The Rams jumped to a 14-0 lead, but couldn’t take advantage of first-half turnovers and allowed Carolina to get within 17-14 at halftime.
Stafford, who earned All-Pro honors for the first time in his 17-year career on Saturday, threw for 304 yards, three TDs and had one pick. Puka Nacua, who was a unanimous All-Pro selection, had 10 catches for 111 yards and one TD and also had a 5-yard TD run.
The Rams are back in the divisional round for the second straight season. Last year, they were 13 yards away from eliminating Philadelphia before a sack and an incomplete pass ended their season with a 28-22 loss.
No. 5 seed Los Angeles will face No. 1 seed Seattle if the Eagles lose to the 49ers.
Bryce Young’s 7-yard TD pass to Jalen Coker put the Panthers ahead 31-27 with 2:43 remaining but Stafford drove the Rams 71 yards in two minutes. Parkinson made an outstanding, tightrope catch for the winning score and the defense held.
Behind coach Dave Canales and improved QB Bryce Young, the Panthers have reason to be optimistic about the future after winning a weak NFC South and nearly pulling off a major upset.
The Packers (9-8-1) finished the season with five straight losses. They were 9-3-1 before All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons tore his ACL in a loss to Denver on Dec. 14.
On Monday night, Mike Tomlin, Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) host DeMeco Ryans, C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans (12-5).
The Denver Broncos (14-3) are the AFC’s No. 1 seed and the Seahawks (14-3) got the top seed in the NFC. Each team earned a bye and will host the lowest remaining seed next weekend.
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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates his touchdown with tight end Dawson Knox (88) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams looks to throw during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Huh)
Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams celebrates after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) reacts after a first down during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson, center left, celebrates his touchdown catch with wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws a pass during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Carolina Panthers, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Rusty Jones)
