138. Following the procedure adopted by the Committee for the consideration of issues end questions that should be second and subsequent periodic reports, disoussed with the representatives of States parties presenting a second periodic report had been identified in advance by a pre-session working group (see chap. II, sect, G). 139. The Committee (CEDAW/C/13/Add.l5) considered the second at its 175th meeting, periodic report on 23 January of Norway (see CEDAW/C/SR.175). 140. The representative of Norway stated that many of the questions raised by the members in connection with the second periodic report had been answered or elaborated on in a draft third periodic report. At the outset, she said that the life expectancy of women was SO years, and that of men 73 years; 72 per cent of Norwegian women were gainfully employed: the overall fertility rate was 1.9 children per woman : the literacy rate was 100 per uent; and romen benefited from a pension system that ensured them an acceptable minimum standard of living. 141. She stressed that Norway was not satisfied with achieving ds.. equality and poliay discussions had shown that the new yardstick was de facto As an example, she cited the Nordic BRyT project, the primary aim equality. of which was, initially, to achieve a more even distribution between the sexes in all sectors of employment. While most women were still seeking work in emphasis was being placed on traditionally femole sectors of employment, promoting the equal status of the sexes by improving the working conditions and pay in those sectors aad by trying to reduce the disparity in wages between women and men generally. 142. Other important topics included the male role in connection with, r a&, parental responsibilities , efforts to enhance the economic rights of women who performed care-related work in the home, and women’s representation in politics. She said that it was no longer only a matter of the number of women in politics, but also of the kind of effect tbcir presence had on the decisions made, 143. Responding to general questions posed by members, the representative of Norway said that more recent statistical data and a critical review of the Equal Status Act by the Equal Status Commissioner (Ombud) were contained in the third periodic report. Some exemples of the reflection of the importance of equal status in economic and social policies were the high priority accorded to equal pay, the attention given to poorly paid occupations and the issuance of pension points for unpaid care-related work. She undarlined the close connection, in the 19706, between the women’s movement and women researchers and, in the 19806, between politicians, bureaucrats and researchers. Regarding the creation of quotas for either sex, the representative said that, while positive action in a moderate form was undertaken to some extent, the use of radical quotas in education or employment did not seem to be justified. Their symbolic effect was of greater importance than the numerical results. Rowever, quotas regarding the -27-