However, the Nordic countries have worked to make the dual-earner household the norm, with nationalized childcare, parental leave, and flexible working hours making it possible for women to continue to work. According to a 2007 UNICEF report, in Sweden, although parents are given 12 months of parental leave time that can be divided between the two as each couple sees best, gender norms continue to have an effect: mandated maternity leave combined with Sweden allowing women to reduce work hours after giving birth means that nearly half of mothers in dual-income families work less than full-time. Although women in Nordic countries have a high overall labour participation, there is a strong segregation by gender with women being often found in certain work sectors, which have a working culture adapted to family life, with flexible hours and offers of part-time jobs, and men working in other sectors.
However, the Nordic countries have focused on promoting dual-earner households by implementing national childcare, parental leave policies, and flexible work schedules. According to a 2007 UNICEF report, in Sweden, although parents receive twelve months of parental leave that can be divided between them, gender norms remain influential: mandated maternity leave combined with Sweden's policy allowing women to reduce their working hours after childbirth leads to nearly half of dual-income families having mothers who do not work full-time. Despite high overall labor participation among Nordic women, there is a notable gender segregation, with women typically found in sectors that support family life through flexible hours and part-time jobs, while men are often employed elsewhere.