Committee : United Nations Women

Country : Finland
Agenda : Ensuring gender equality by alleviating discrimination against women
Name : Anna Maria David

INTRODUCTION

In a social fabric, humans are primarily classified as different genders. Gender equality truly
comes into being when the rights,needs,welfare of these genders are equally acknowledged
and made sure to prevail in the society.But unfortunately, due to cultural beliefs and old
traditional norms gender equality has been a grave issue which is forced to the society to be
aware of its urgent need. From girl child abortion,domestic violence,Rape and sexual
violence,sexual harassment,violence in educational and workplace environments,forced
marriages,marital rapes, to honour killings, the forms of daily discrimination women face is
gruel. Though government regulations prevails, the safety and well-being of the women is still
on question. But there are countries who have gone very far regarding the enforcing of gender
equality. World organizations and countries should come together to set examples and reform
international and local policies for ensuring gender equality.

FINLAND AND ITS STANCE ON GENDER EQUALITY

Being ranked third in the Global Gender Gap Index by World Economic Forum, Finland is a
gender equality pioneer among the world countries. Since the country is one among the four
nations which has adopted Nordic model of welfare, from time ago Finland has been giving
prime importance to gender equality. During 1870s, Finland gave equal inheritance rights for
women and men. In 1907 when other countries haven’t even took action on voting alone,
Finland was the first country to give right to women to vote and also to compete in a
parliamentary election. In 1920s, the right to paid employment without the consent of their
spouses is given to women. It was because women were the ones who pulled themselves to
work in factories and mills when their husbands were gone for military purposes. At the time of
1960s, Finland saw the creation of first parental leave system when the need for the sharing of
care responsibilities were raised publicly. Today, there is a 263 day parental leave in Finland. In
Finland, during the decade of 1970s, the council of equality was founded to promote and
implement reforms for equality. Since then Finland has been striving for formal equality
through the Equality Act of 1986. In 2003, Finland Government introduced an act called the
Government Action Plan for Gender Equality. And in 2016 Finland adopted the new
Government Action Plan for Gender Equality by giving vital importance to gender
mainstreaming to act as an instrument for coordinating the Government’s gender equality
policy.Recently Finland was selected to join Generation Equality, a UN initiative to widely
improve the achievement of gender equality goals worldwide. Finland would be a member of
the Action Coalition responsible for the promotion of technology and innovation. The recent
Finnish Labor Force Survey says that around 32% of the 301,000 self-employed population in
Finland are women. Even before the public daycare systems, the number of women in the
workforce was still very high, over 50%. In Finland, the average number of workers in the labor
force that makes up the females (ages 15–74) is 51%, where men is 49%. And also 32% of the
women are involved in entrepreneurship. Though Finland is evidently a forerunner regarding
Committee : United Nations Women
Country : Finland
Agenda : Ensuring gender equality by alleviating discrimination against women
Name : Anna Maria David

the enforcement of gender equality, still more work is to be done in Finland to achieve true
gender equality and unbiased encounters in working life.

SOLUTIONS

 Recommends that prohibition of sexual & gender based harassment must be extended
to basic education environment in the Gender Equality Act of Finland.
 Government should make sure that gender sensitive and quality services are available
for homeless women and girls of Finland.
 Oorganizations and urban planners should come together and discuss with the
stakeholders for their inputs to design a women friendly cities and public spaces in
Finland.
 Urges government to sufficiently consider women belonging to sexual minorities and to
educate civilians and the authorities on the sexual orientations, gender diversity, and
the rights of LGBTI minorities.
 Further strongly recommends government to address the rights and safety trans-gender
and intersex people in the regulations.
 Encourages government to include urban and rural women equally to participate in
political decision making processes.

REFERENCES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland#Human_rights
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_Finland#Women's_rights
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Finland
https://www.unwomen.org/en/get-involved/step-it-up/commitments/finland
https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/-/finland-to-be-among-lead-partners-in-international-gender-
equality-work-while-un-women-celebrates-its-anniversary

https://toolbox.finland.fi/life-society/finland-society-committed-to-gender-equality/

Towards Gender Equality: A case study of Finland – Natalia Lyly

Submission to the United Nation’s Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women - the Coalition of Finnish Women’s Associations (NYTKIS)