Inequality thrives in Stockholm's embassy world
Stockholm's diplomatic community is shot through with gender inequality, according to an analysis of official figures carried out by The Local.
Only 13 of the 103 diplomatic missions in the city have more female diplomats than male diplomats, while 27 percent of the 689 diplomats in Sweden are female. This compares to 23 percent in Germany, which was revealed in a similar analysis last week.
Australia is the largest of the 10 embassies with an equal number of men and women - it has four of each. Among embassies with five or more staff, the highest proportion of female diplomats can be found in the Kenyan, Latvian and Filippino missions, with 86 percent, 71 percent and 70 percent respectively.
Bolivia, with its two female diplomats, and Uruguay with its sole female official, are the only all-female embassies in Sweden.
Of the four embassies in Stockholm with more than 20 diplomats, only Germany has anything approaching gender equality in its ranks. Nine of its 21 diplomatic staff are women. By comparison, 32 percent of the US embassy's 25 diplomats are women.
The Chinese embassy is home to the largest group of female diplomats in Stockholm. Twelve of its 33 officials are female.
Russia boasts by far the biggest diplomatic staff in Sweden, with 40 officials. All of them are men.
But it is by no means the only mission not to be following the 'When in Stockholm...' approach to recruitment. Some 26 embassies, including both Koreas, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Denmark, Spain and Ireland, employ no female diplomats.
Order Country %
Women %
Men Women Men Total Amb. 1 Albania 50% 50% 1 1 2 M 2 Algeria 20% 80% 1 4 5 M 3 Angola 45% 55% 5 6 11 M 4 Argentina 25% 75% 1 3 4 M 5 Australia 50% 50% 4 4 8 M 6 Austria 14% 86% 1 6 7 M 7 Azerbaijan 33% 67% 1 2 3 M 8 Bangladesh 50% 50% 1 1 2 M 9 Belarus 40% 60% 2 3 5 M 10 Belgium 17% 83% 1 5 6 M 11 Bolivia 100% 0% 2 0 2 F 12 Bosnia Herzegovina 67% 33% 2 1 3 M 13 Botswana 60% 40% 3 2 5 F 14 Brazil 22% 78% 2 7 9 M 15 Bulgaria 40% 60% 2 3 5 M 16 Canada 29% 71% 5 12 17 F 17 Chile 0% 100% 0 5 5 M 18 China 36% 64% 12 21 33 M 19 Colombia 33% 67% 1 2 3 M 20 The Congo 0% 100% 0 2 2 M 21 DR Congo 0% 100% 0 2 2 M 22 Croatia 20% 80% 1 4 5 M 23 Cuba 50% 50% 2 2 4 M 24 Cyprus 33% 67% 1 2 3 M 25 Czech Republic 11% 89% 1 8 9 M 26 Denmark 0% 100% 0 6 6 M 27 Dominican Republic 67% 33% 2 1 3 F 28 Ecuador 0% 100% 0 2 2 M 29 Egypt 17% 83% 1 5 6 M 30 El Salvador 33% 67% 1 2 3 M 31 Eritrea 0% 100% 0 4 4 M 32 Estonia 33% 67% 2 4 6 M 33 Ethiopia 43% 57% 3 4 7 M 34 Finland 44% 56% 4 5 9 M 35 France 6% 94% 1 15 16 M 36 Georgia 25% 75% 1 3 4 M 37 Germany 43% 57% 9 12 21 M 38 Greece 40% 60% 4 6 10 M 39 Guatemala 0% 100% 0 2 2 M 40 Holy See 0% 100% 0 2 2 M 41 Honduras 67% 33% 2 1 3 F 42 Hungary 0% 100% 0 6 6 M 43 Iceland 50% 50% 1 1 2 M 44 India 13% 88% 1 7 8 F 45 Indonesia 40% 60% 2 3 5 F 46 Iran 14% 86% 2 12 14 M 47 Iraq 10% 90% 1 9 10 M 48 Ireland 0% 100% 0 2 2 M 49 Israel 11% 89% 1 8 9 M 50 Italy 40% 60% 4 6 10 F 51 Japan 23% 77% 3 10 13 M 52 Kenya 86% 14% 6 1 7 F 53 North Korea 0% 100% 0 8 8 M 54 Sotuh Korea 0% 100% 0 6 6 M 55 Kuwait 0% 100% 0 6 6 M 56 Laos 0% 100% 0 2 2 M 57 Latvia 71% 29% 5 2 7 F 58 Lebanon 50% 50% 1 1 2 M 59 Libya 0% 100% 0 7 7 M 60 Lithuania 17% 83% 1 5 6 M 61 Macedonia 25% 75% 1 3 4 M 62 Malaysia 25% 75% 1 3 4 M 63 Mexico 23% 77% 3 10 13 F 64 Moldova 67% 33% 2 1 3 F 65 Morocco 38% 63% 3 5 8 F 66 Mozambique 33% 67% 1 2 3 M 67 Namibia 75% 25% 3 1 4 F 68 Netherlands 0% 100% 0 5 5 M 69 Nigeria 0% 100% 0 5 5 M 70 Norway 17% 83% 1 5 6 M 71 Pakistan 0% 100% 0 4 4 M 72 Panama 50% 50% 1 1 2 M 73 Peru 0% 100% 0 3 3 M 74 Philippines 70% 30% 7 3 10 F 75 Poland 38% 63% 6 10 16 M 76 Portugal 0% 100% 0 4 4 M 77 Romania 38% 63% 3 5 8 F 78 Russia 0% 100% 0 40 40 M 79 Rwanda 50% 50% 1 1 2 F 80 Saudi Arabia 0% 100% 0 6 6 M 81 Senegal 40% 60% 2 3 5 M 82 Serbia 25% 75% 1 3 4 M 83 Slovakia 25% 75% 1 3 4 M 84 Slovenia 25% 75% 1 3 4 M 85 South Africa 57% 43% 4 3 7 M 86 Spain 0% 100% 0 7 7 M 87 Sri Lanka 20% 80% 1 4 5 M 88 The Sudan 0% 100% 0 5 5 M 89 Switzerland 20% 80% 1 4 5 M 90 Syria 0% 100% 0 4 4 M 91 Tanzania 40% 60% 2 3 5 M 92 Thailand 29% 71% 2 5 7 M 93 Tunisia 50% 50% 2 2 4 F 94 Turkey 27% 73% 4 11 15 M 95 Ukraine 38% 63% 3 5 8 M 96 United Arab Emirates 0% 100% 0 2 2 M 97 United Kingdom 18% 82% 2 9 11 M 98 USA 32% 68% 8 17 25 M 99 Uruguay 100% 0% 1 0 1 F 100 Venezuela 50% 50% 1 1 2 M 101 Vietnam 14% 86% 1 6 7 M 102 Zambia 40% 60% 2 3 5 F 103 Zimbabwe 60% 40% 3 2 5 F Total 29% 71% 185 506 691
Amb. = Gender of embassy's ambassador
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An earlier version of this article contained some inaccurate figures. They have been corrected. Apologies for any confusion.
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Only 13 of the 103 diplomatic missions in the city have more female diplomats than male diplomats, while 27 percent of the 689 diplomats in Sweden are female. This compares to 23 percent in Germany, which was revealed in a similar analysis last week.
Australia is the largest of the 10 embassies with an equal number of men and women - it has four of each. Among embassies with five or more staff, the highest proportion of female diplomats can be found in the Kenyan, Latvian and Filippino missions, with 86 percent, 71 percent and 70 percent respectively.
Bolivia, with its two female diplomats, and Uruguay with its sole female official, are the only all-female embassies in Sweden.
Of the four embassies in Stockholm with more than 20 diplomats, only Germany has anything approaching gender equality in its ranks. Nine of its 21 diplomatic staff are women. By comparison, 32 percent of the US embassy's 25 diplomats are women.
The Chinese embassy is home to the largest group of female diplomats in Stockholm. Twelve of its 33 officials are female.
Russia boasts by far the biggest diplomatic staff in Sweden, with 40 officials. All of them are men.
But it is by no means the only mission not to be following the 'When in Stockholm...' approach to recruitment. Some 26 embassies, including both Koreas, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Denmark, Spain and Ireland, employ no female diplomats.
| Order | Country | % Women | % Men | Women | Men | Total | Amb. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albania | 50% | 50% | 1 | 1 | 2 | M |
| 2 | Algeria | 20% | 80% | 1 | 4 | 5 | M |
| 3 | Angola | 45% | 55% | 5 | 6 | 11 | M |
| 4 | Argentina | 25% | 75% | 1 | 3 | 4 | M |
| 5 | Australia | 50% | 50% | 4 | 4 | 8 | M |
| 6 | Austria | 14% | 86% | 1 | 6 | 7 | M |
| 7 | Azerbaijan | 33% | 67% | 1 | 2 | 3 | M |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 50% | 50% | 1 | 1 | 2 | M |
| 9 | Belarus | 40% | 60% | 2 | 3 | 5 | M |
| 10 | Belgium | 17% | 83% | 1 | 5 | 6 | M |
| 11 | Bolivia | 100% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 2 | F |
| 12 | Bosnia Herzegovina | 67% | 33% | 2 | 1 | 3 | M |
| 13 | Botswana | 60% | 40% | 3 | 2 | 5 | F |
| 14 | Brazil | 22% | 78% | 2 | 7 | 9 | M |
| 15 | Bulgaria | 40% | 60% | 2 | 3 | 5 | M |
| 16 | Canada | 29% | 71% | 5 | 12 | 17 | F |
| 17 | Chile | 0% | 100% | 0 | 5 | 5 | M |
| 18 | China | 36% | 64% | 12 | 21 | 33 | M |
| 19 | Colombia | 33% | 67% | 1 | 2 | 3 | M |
| 20 | The Congo | 0% | 100% | 0 | 2 | 2 | M |
| 21 | DR Congo | 0% | 100% | 0 | 2 | 2 | M |
| 22 | Croatia | 20% | 80% | 1 | 4 | 5 | M |
| 23 | Cuba | 50% | 50% | 2 | 2 | 4 | M |
| 24 | Cyprus | 33% | 67% | 1 | 2 | 3 | M |
| 25 | Czech Republic | 11% | 89% | 1 | 8 | 9 | M |
| 26 | Denmark | 0% | 100% | 0 | 6 | 6 | M |
| 27 | Dominican Republic | 67% | 33% | 2 | 1 | 3 | F |
| 28 | Ecuador | 0% | 100% | 0 | 2 | 2 | M |
| 29 | Egypt | 17% | 83% | 1 | 5 | 6 | M |
| 30 | El Salvador | 33% | 67% | 1 | 2 | 3 | M |
| 31 | Eritrea | 0% | 100% | 0 | 4 | 4 | M |
| 32 | Estonia | 33% | 67% | 2 | 4 | 6 | M |
| 33 | Ethiopia | 43% | 57% | 3 | 4 | 7 | M |
| 34 | Finland | 44% | 56% | 4 | 5 | 9 | M |
| 35 | France | 6% | 94% | 1 | 15 | 16 | M |
| 36 | Georgia | 25% | 75% | 1 | 3 | 4 | M |
| 37 | Germany | 43% | 57% | 9 | 12 | 21 | M |
| 38 | Greece | 40% | 60% | 4 | 6 | 10 | M |
| 39 | Guatemala | 0% | 100% | 0 | 2 | 2 | M |
| 40 | Holy See | 0% | 100% | 0 | 2 | 2 | M |
| 41 | Honduras | 67% | 33% | 2 | 1 | 3 | F |
| 42 | Hungary | 0% | 100% | 0 | 6 | 6 | M |
| 43 | Iceland | 50% | 50% | 1 | 1 | 2 | M |
| 44 | India | 13% | 88% | 1 | 7 | 8 | F |
| 45 | Indonesia | 40% | 60% | 2 | 3 | 5 | F |
| 46 | Iran | 14% | 86% | 2 | 12 | 14 | M |
| 47 | Iraq | 10% | 90% | 1 | 9 | 10 | M |
| 48 | Ireland | 0% | 100% | 0 | 2 | 2 | M |
| 49 | Israel | 11% | 89% | 1 | 8 | 9 | M |
| 50 | Italy | 40% | 60% | 4 | 6 | 10 | F |
| 51 | Japan | 23% | 77% | 3 | 10 | 13 | M |
| 52 | Kenya | 86% | 14% | 6 | 1 | 7 | F |
| 53 | North Korea | 0% | 100% | 0 | 8 | 8 | M |
| 54 | Sotuh Korea | 0% | 100% | 0 | 6 | 6 | M |
| 55 | Kuwait | 0% | 100% | 0 | 6 | 6 | M |
| 56 | Laos | 0% | 100% | 0 | 2 | 2 | M |
| 57 | Latvia | 71% | 29% | 5 | 2 | 7 | F |
| 58 | Lebanon | 50% | 50% | 1 | 1 | 2 | M |
| 59 | Libya | 0% | 100% | 0 | 7 | 7 | M |
| 60 | Lithuania | 17% | 83% | 1 | 5 | 6 | M |
| 61 | Macedonia | 25% | 75% | 1 | 3 | 4 | M |
| 62 | Malaysia | 25% | 75% | 1 | 3 | 4 | M |
| 63 | Mexico | 23% | 77% | 3 | 10 | 13 | F |
| 64 | Moldova | 67% | 33% | 2 | 1 | 3 | F |
| 65 | Morocco | 38% | 63% | 3 | 5 | 8 | F |
| 66 | Mozambique | 33% | 67% | 1 | 2 | 3 | M |
| 67 | Namibia | 75% | 25% | 3 | 1 | 4 | F |
| 68 | Netherlands | 0% | 100% | 0 | 5 | 5 | M |
| 69 | Nigeria | 0% | 100% | 0 | 5 | 5 | M |
| 70 | Norway | 17% | 83% | 1 | 5 | 6 | M |
| 71 | Pakistan | 0% | 100% | 0 | 4 | 4 | M |
| 72 | Panama | 50% | 50% | 1 | 1 | 2 | M |
| 73 | Peru | 0% | 100% | 0 | 3 | 3 | M |
| 74 | Philippines | 70% | 30% | 7 | 3 | 10 | F |
| 75 | Poland | 38% | 63% | 6 | 10 | 16 | M |
| 76 | Portugal | 0% | 100% | 0 | 4 | 4 | M |
| 77 | Romania | 38% | 63% | 3 | 5 | 8 | F |
| 78 | Russia | 0% | 100% | 0 | 40 | 40 | M |
| 79 | Rwanda | 50% | 50% | 1 | 1 | 2 | F |
| 80 | Saudi Arabia | 0% | 100% | 0 | 6 | 6 | M |
| 81 | Senegal | 40% | 60% | 2 | 3 | 5 | M |
| 82 | Serbia | 25% | 75% | 1 | 3 | 4 | M |
| 83 | Slovakia | 25% | 75% | 1 | 3 | 4 | M |
| 84 | Slovenia | 25% | 75% | 1 | 3 | 4 | M |
| 85 | South Africa | 57% | 43% | 4 | 3 | 7 | M |
| 86 | Spain | 0% | 100% | 0 | 7 | 7 | M |
| 87 | Sri Lanka | 20% | 80% | 1 | 4 | 5 | M |
| 88 | The Sudan | 0% | 100% | 0 | 5 | 5 | M |
| 89 | Switzerland | 20% | 80% | 1 | 4 | 5 | M |
| 90 | Syria | 0% | 100% | 0 | 4 | 4 | M |
| 91 | Tanzania | 40% | 60% | 2 | 3 | 5 | M |
| 92 | Thailand | 29% | 71% | 2 | 5 | 7 | M |
| 93 | Tunisia | 50% | 50% | 2 | 2 | 4 | F |
| 94 | Turkey | 27% | 73% | 4 | 11 | 15 | M |
| 95 | Ukraine | 38% | 63% | 3 | 5 | 8 | M |
| 96 | United Arab Emirates | 0% | 100% | 0 | 2 | 2 | M |
| 97 | United Kingdom | 18% | 82% | 2 | 9 | 11 | M |
| 98 | USA | 32% | 68% | 8 | 17 | 25 | M |
| 99 | Uruguay | 100% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1 | F |
| 100 | Venezuela | 50% | 50% | 1 | 1 | 2 | M |
| 101 | Vietnam | 14% | 86% | 1 | 6 | 7 | M |
| 102 | Zambia | 40% | 60% | 2 | 3 | 5 | F |
| 103 | Zimbabwe | 60% | 40% | 3 | 2 | 5 | F |
| Total | 29% | 71% | 185 | 506 | 691 |
Amb. = Gender of embassy's ambassador
An earlier version of this article contained some inaccurate figures. They have been corrected. Apologies for any confusion.
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