5. Counter-strategies

The survey demonstrates that pushback and opposition to gender equality in the Nordic region takes hybrid forms, targeting civil society practitioners and academic experts both online and in person, as well as through pressuring institutions to change terminology, restrict discourse, and cut funding. These findings also raise pressing questions about how gender equality experts in the Nordic region can be better protected.

In the context of research on anti-gender politics, a growing body of academic research, think tank studies, and policy reports have focused on best practices for countering opposition and pushback, both in digital spaces and in everyday work. Reflecting this growing research trend and to gain further insight into effective preventive and support measures, all survey respondents were first asked whether they had reported any opposition they had encountered, and then asked to evaluate practices that they considered most helpful. The findings are presented below.

30% (n = 26) had not reported experienced opposition (civil society organisations: 13; academia: 7; government sector: 6).
29% (n = 25) had reported incidents on some occasions (civil society organisations:13; academia: 10; government sector: 2).
13% (n = 11) had reported incidents (civil society organisations: 4; academia: 6; government sector: 1).
29% (n = 25) indicated ‘does not apply’, with one respondent from Iceland leaving the question unanswered. (civil society organisations: 7; academia: 7; government sector: 10).

Among the respondents who experienced opposition, the rate of reporting was highest in Finland (60%), as well as the Åland Island and Greenland combined (75%). Iceland had the lowest rate of reporting of incidents (13%). The country and region-specific reporting rates are presented in the infographic below. The number next to the country represents the total survey respondents from the particular country.

Table 2: Reporting of opposition

If you/your organization has experienced opposition towards your work for gender equality, did you report it?	Yes (n)	On some occasions (n)	No (n)	Does not apply (n)	Did not respond (n)	Had reported the encountered opposition on all occasions or on some occasions. (%)
Denmark (n = 11)	2	4	3	2	-	54 %
Finland (n = 20)	5	7	3	5	-	60 %
Iceland (n = 18)	-	3	7	7	1	17 %
Norway (n = 18)	2	4	6	6	-	33 %
Sweden (n = 17)	2	5	6	4	-	41 %
Åland Islands and Greenland (n = 4)	3	-	1	-	-	75 %

These figures suggest that encountered opposition is underreported, which may be a reflection of insufficient legal and psychological protection mechanisms for targets of online harassment, violence and intimidation. It is likely that the results also align with more general tendencies of the underreporting of hate crimes, sexual harassment and violence in the general population. This issue requires further research.

To gain knowledge on the best preventive and supportive practices in the context of opposition to gender equality work, all respondents were asked: “Please indicate to what extent you would find the following measures helpful for the preparation for and coping with harassment, intimidation and/or threats.”

Most respondents (60%) reported that their organisation has a response plan for dealing with threats and harassment, while 22% did not have a plan and 15% were unsure. The measures widely considered helpful were improved legal protections against cyber harassment (47%), public statements supporting targeted individuals (46%), and enhanced psychological support and supervisor training (44%). One-third of respondents (33%) emphasised the value of practical workshops for assessing risks and countering online opposition, including strategies for addressing false information and hate speech.

Figure 14: Please indicate to what extent you would find the following measures helpful for the preparation and coping with harassment, intimidation and/or threats [1= very unhelpful, 5 = very helpful]

Number of respondents: 85

In the open-ended response section, a civil society organisation from Finland wrote:

“The police need to take gendered harassment and other forms of cyberbullying seriously and forward when reported.”

Another civil society organisation respondent from Norway wrote:

“Our organisation's problem, is that working with boys and men leaves us with very few allies when it comes to bullying and hateful speech against our staff and organisation.”

A government representative from Sweden wrote:

“We have conducted a seminar on extremism and threats on social media as a prevention and awareness-raising measure.”

An academic from Norway wrote that enhanced institutional support mechanisms were needed:

“Institutional support and competence are crucial. Therefore, leaders at all levels should be trained to recognise anti-gender and racist tactics, including subtle microaggressions. Current action plans often define gender equality too narrowly – and at times, they may even prove counterproductive. Additionally, there is a persistent tendency to view Nordic countries as exceptional ('it doesn’t happen here'), which further reinforces institutional complacency.”

An academic from Iceland also called for preventive measures:

“I would like my university to address this reality and take steps in creating a policy that protects us academics who are dealing with this BEFORE something more serious happens.”

These findings highlight an urgent need for much clearer and much more systematic institutional preparedness for anti-gender politics and pushback, including strengthened legal, organisational, and psychosocial support mechanisms for targets. One positive example of such strategies already exists in Iceland, where the City of Reykjavik developed a digital self-defence tool based on a survey on online safety for LGBTQ+ individuals in particular. Existing research shows that co-optation occurs in contexts were preventive and proactive support mechanisms are not strong enough. Resistance to pushback is strategically insufficient, as it takes up time and funding that should be channelled to gender equality advancement.