Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Commend Finland on National Efforts to Promote the Rights of Women and Girls, Express Concern about Violence against Women
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today concluded its consideration of the eighth periodic report of Finland, with Committee Experts commending Finland on the national efforts taken to promote the rights of women and girls, while expressing concern about the prevalence of gender-based violence in the country.
Natasha Stott Despoja, Committee Expert and Taskforce Rapporteur for Finland, commended Finland on the substantial efforts towards achieving equality and promoting the rights of women and girls nationally. Finland ranked second in the world for gender equality and had one of the most equal parliaments globally. Ms. Stott Despoja thanked Finland for the Government Action Plan for Gender Equality, noting that Finland had set the standard for parental leave laws.
Ms. Stott Despoja said the Committee was concerned about gender-based violence in the State. Finland had one of the highest rates of violence against women with the national crime survey of 2019 finding that approximately 100,000 women had experienced physical or sexual violence by their partner or ex-partner in the last 12 months. Another Expert said there was a lack of funding for gender-based violence, including shelters. What financial resources would be committed for the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, including increasing shelters for minority victims? When would the provisions relating to crimes of sexual assault be reviewed? When did the State intend to reform rules for mediation, and to make sure all instances of domestic violence were investigated seriously and prosecuted accordingly?
The delegation said the Action Plan on Combatting Violence against Women contained information regarding training on different types of violence, including digital violence, honour-based violence, and domestic violence. A campaign had been launched involving Finnish celebrities, highlighting to the public how they could step in if they witnessed cases of domestic violence. The campaign won gold in the PR Awards, which were considered the world championships of marketing and communications awards. Shelters provided safety for victims to end the violence, and victims received assistance for social security and to find apartments, which were customised according to victims’ needs. The use of mediation was always voluntary, and only the police or prosecutor could refer these crimes to mediation. The police had guidelines in this regard, and when considering the suitability of the situation for mediation, many considerations were taken into account.
Introducing the report, Krista Oinonen, Director, Unit for Human Rights Courts and Conventions, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and head of the delegation, said the Government had launched a report on Gender Equality Policy earlier this year, setting long-term objectives for gender equality within the State. The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on gender equality in Finland had been researched and funded by the Prime Minister’s Office, with the results of the study highlighting unequal and gender-based structures in society, such as segregation in the labour market and unequal sharing of care responsibilities. Findings indicated that despite the Government’s commitment to gender equality, policy measures were designed without a gender perspective and the crisis pushed gender perspectives aside. Violence against women had not increased significantly during the pandemic, however, an increase had occurred in some population groups. One of the objectives of the Government had been to implement a family leave reform, which aimed to increase gender equality in the daily lives of families and in working life. The position of women in the labour market would improve when family leave was divided more equally between the two parents, reducing discrimination against women in working life.
In concluding remarks, Ms. Oinonen said the number of female ministers was now equal with men. Ms. Oinonen thanked the Committee for the dialogue and understood that a lot was expected from Finland.
Elgun Safarov, Committee Vice Chairperson, thanked the delegation for the constructive dialogue which provided further insight into the situation of women in Finland. The Committee commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to take all necessary measures to address the recommendations of the Committee.
The delegation of Finland consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of the Interior; the Ministry of Defence; the Ministry of Education and Culture; the Ministry of Employment and the Economy; the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health; Minster of Parliament; and the Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations Office at Geneva .
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s eighty-third session is being held from 10 to 28 October. All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.
The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 12 October, to review the seventh periodic report of Armenia (CEDAW/C/ARM/7).
Report
The Committee has before it the eighth periodic report of Finland (CEDAW/C/FIN/8)
Presentation of Report
KRISTA OINONEN, Director, Unit for Human Rights Courts and Conventions, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and head of the delegation, said the Government of Finland had issued an Action Plan for Gender Equality and launched a report on Gender Equality Policy earlier this year, setting long-term objectives for gender equality within the State. The impact of the COVID-19 crisis on gender equality in Finland had been researched and funded by the Prime Minister’s Office, with the results of the study highlighting unequal and gender-based structures in society, such as segregation in the labour market and unequal sharing of care responsibilities. Findings indicated that despite the Government’s commitment to gender equality, policy measures were designed without a gender perspective and the crisis pushed gender perspectives aside. Violence against women had not increased significantly during the pandemic, however, an increase had occurred in some population groups.
The gender gap in the employment rate in Finland had narrowed and the employment rate for women passed that of men at the beginning of the year. However, full-time fixed-term and part-time employment had increased more than full-time permanent employment which could weaken gender equality if women continued to hold the majority of these positions.
Ms. Oinonen said the women, peace and security agenda remained one of the main priorities in Finland’s foreign and security policy. In 2020, Finland established the Centre for Peace Mediation at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, where priority areas were increasing the meaningful participation of women in peace processes and provided support to regional women mediators' networks. The Centre also coordinated the work of the Finnish chapter of Nordic Women Mediators, established in 2015. Finland was committed to ensuring that 85 per cent of development cooperation funds advanced gender equality, allocating funds to several United Nations agencies, including United Nations Women, where Finland was one of the organization’s top donors on core funding.
Finland had completed a comprehensive reform of legislation covering sexual offences, which would reinforce the right to physical integrity and sexual self-determination. It was considered a major advancement that the definition of rape would be based on the absence of consent. An Action Plan to Combat Violence against Women had been prepared, with an underlying theme of prevention of violence. The plan emphasised intervention in cases of digital violence and honour-based violence and provided training for the authorities involved in investigations and criminal procedure. The number of shelters had continued to increase; there were currently 29 shelters and 228 family places.
One of the objectives of the Government had been to implement a family leave reform, which aimed to increase gender equality in the daily lives of families and in working life. The position of women in the labour market would improve when family leave was divided more equally between the two parents, reducing discrimination against women in working life. A project had been implemented to improve the position of victims of trafficking, by strengthening the victim-orientation regarding the provision of help. In 2022, almost 63 per cent of the applicants for international protection had been women, influenced by the war in Ukraine. The Government had proposed amendments to the Integration Act and the Reception Act to ensure services for those fleeing Ukraine. Ms. Oinonen said the delegation stood prepared to answer the Committee’s questions and supplement the information provided in the report.
LEENA LEIKAS, Finnish Human Rights Centre, said violence against women and girls remained high in Finland. Acts of violence relating to the alleged family honour, female genital mutilation, or violence encountered by women with disabilities or elderly women were often not recognised, complaints were not taken seriously, and support services were not available. An aspect that did not get public discourse was gender-based and intersecting discrimination and violence within cultural and religious minorities, which included women in closed communities and Roma women. Roma women in traditional clothing were subject to harassment and discrimination and the clothing often had a negative effect on their employment or training opportunities. Only about one third of Roma women had finished a degree above the basic education level and close to one fourth of Roma women were unemployed.
In general, women candidates, elected politicians, and women in public positions and in the media encountered harassment and hate speech, especially in social media and public discourse. Many women with disabilities faced prejudice and inappropriate treatment; they faced violence, poverty, and a lack of availability of services. In addition to age discrimination in working life, older women ran a higher-than-average risk of falling into poverty, and women’s pensions were on average 20 per cent lower than men’s pensions. The reform on the Act on Sami Parliament was still pending. The proposal was ready, but there was a lack of political unity to bring the proposal to Parliament, and it was likely it would fail for the third time in a row. Finland was in continuous violation of its legal commitments and obligations towards the Sami people.
Questions by a Committee Expert
NATASHA STOTT DESPOJA, Committee Expert and Taskforce Rapporteur for Finland, commended Finland on the substantial efforts towards achieving equality and promoting the rights of women and girls nationally. Finland ranked second in the world for gender equality and had one of the most equal parliaments globally. Ms. Stott Despoja thanked Finland for the Government Action Plan for Gender Equality, and said Finland had set the standard for parental leave laws. However, there were still concerns held by the Committee, particularly relating to gender-based violence. Finland had one of the highest rates of violence against women, with the national crime survey of 2019 finding that approximately 100,000 women had experienced physical or sexual violence by their partner or ex-partner in the last 12 months. Legislative efforts and adoption of international conventions could result in a reduction in gender-based violence.
Could Finland provide information on any activities undertaken to ensure women in Finland were aware of their rights under the Convention? Could data be provided regarding sentences for discrimination and gender inequality, including sentences handed to perpetrators? Would the State party consider amending the national Non-discrimination and Equality Tribunal’s inability to provide compensation to those seeking remedies, so women could claim compensation without going through the court system? What was the outcome of the Government’s National Action Plan for Gender Equality 2021–2023?
Responses by the Delegation
KRISTA OINONEN, Director, Unit for Human Rights Courts and Conventions, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and head of the delegation, said the Convention was well integrated into Finnish legislation, including the recommendations provided in previous sessions by the Committee. A challenge was that Finnish courts did not directly refer to the Convention. This was because domestic legislation was so detailed. There had been positive progress regarding the Istanbul Convention. The concluding observations of the Committee would immediately be translated into national languages and broadly distributed, including to Parliament.
The delegation said 623 cases were completed in 2021, and 36 per cent of these cases dealt with the prohibition of discrimination, with more than 40 per cent dealing with discrimination based on gender in the field of work. The Non-discrimination and Equality Tribunal could issue non-binding recommendations on paying compensation to victims of discrimination. The report for the National Action Plan for Gender Equality was still under preparation. There had been many reforms during the reporting period which had great impact on gender equality, including the family leave reform and the Penal Code reform. Many issues, including gender mainstreaming, were also in the National Action Plan for Gender Equality. A monitoring group had prepared the Action Plan and was responsible for educating all ministries about it.
Questions by Committee Expert
A Committee Expert congratulated Finland on progress made in closing the gender gap, saying this placed a higher benchmark on the State for addressing its gender policies. A few commendable actions included the Third National Action Plan on Fundamental Human Rights, the new Non-Discrimination Act, and amendments to the Equality Act. Would Finland consider establishing a dedicated ministry responsible for the advancement of women and gender equality, equipped with the necessary resources for its effective functioning? What were the worrying developments regarding gender equality and how were they being addressed? Would the State party consider having a more holistic human rights structure? What were its plans to strengthen existing structures? The Committee was concerned about the effects of the conflict in Ukraine; what support was being offered to women human rights defenders in Ukraine? How did Finland plan to accelerate its influence in the area of women’s involvement in peace negotiations?
Another Committee Expert said Finland was a global champion, providing a model to be followed in many spheres. Gender equality law established that bodies had to strike a balance between men and women, unless in special circumstances. What special reasons would allow companies to negate that principle? The number of women heading up companies was concerning, standing at only eight per cent. Did Finland plan to take any temporary measures to increase the number of women working in executive positions in all companies. What would happen in small companies not floated on the public stock market? Did Finland plan to implement temporary special measures to combat obstacles faced by vulnerable groups?
Responses by the Delegation
KRISTA OINONEN, Director, Unit for Human Rights Courts and Conventions, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and head of the delegation, said there were several projects regarding national human rights institute structures in Finland. There would be parliamentary elections next year, and when a new government was being formed, there would be discussions about the structure, and this would depend on the government elected. A new Action Plan was being drafted and the commitments and objectives were outlined in the current Action Plan. The goals and objectives of the new plan would remain in line with the previous one, promoting women’s participation, climate change, and combatting sexual violence would be among the core themes. A new humanitarian visa was being considered for women human rights defenders, which was under review at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
The delegation said there were no quotas in the election system in Finland or in electing bodies in Finnish society. There were, however, quotas in Committees’ and official working groups. There were no plans to implement quotas in the electoral system. The share of women on the boards of listed companies had increased. In June 2021, the proportion of women among board members was 29 per cent, and there were 32 per cent of women at the helm of large companies. However, there were still companies listed on the stock exchange which did not have women in their management teams. The number of women chief executive officers in 2020 was eight per cent.
Violence against women was a difficult theme in Finland and the development of the gender mainstreaming work had not been as swift as the Government would have liked. The COVID-19 response had deflected some of the Government’s attention from the gender mainstreaming work. The report on gender equality had been presented to Parliament. The report was very important in the work of the State.
Mediation was a top priority for the Government and the new centre established provided opportunities to step up efforts in mediation. The priority was increasing women’s meaningful participation in peace processes. An example of this was in Syria where the Finnish Government had supported the work of the Women’s Advisory Board, offering them training and giving them opportunities to meet.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert congratulated Finland for its reform of the Criminal Code. However, there were still obstacles, particularly in the mass media and the portrayal of gender roles. Patterns of hate speech of women in decision making overshadowed important achievements in this field. When would hate speech be banned in the Penal Code, with punishment provided for perpetrators, and redress for victims? When would the situation of intersex children and their protection be addressed in the Trans Act? There was a lack of funding for gender-based violence, including shelters. What financial resources would be committed for the implementation of the Istanbul Convention, including increasing shelters for minority victims? When would the provisions relating to crimes of sexual assault be reviewed? When did the State intend to reform rules for mediation, and to make sure all instances of domestic violence were investigated seriously and prosecuted accordingly? What awareness raising programmes were carried out in relation to gender-based violence and also on the new legislation pertaining to rape?
Another Committee Expert said reports showed that the identification of trafficking victims was lacking. How did the State plan to enhance the identification of victims and the criminal liability under the National Action Plan? The National Action Plan against Trafficking in Human Beings was welcomed. How did the State party ensure the timely implementation of the goals? What steps had the State party taken to adopt the recommendations of the National Rapporteur on the trafficking of human beings? Did the State plan to take action to harmonise the assessment of the vulnerability of trafficking victims in line with residents’ permits? Were there any relevant guidelines for police officers and judges concerning the non-punishment of trafficking victims? How would it be ensured that victims were identified in criminal proceedings and not submitted to punishment?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Trans Act was currently under Parliamentary scrutiny, with the aim to be in force by 2023. In 2021 and 2022, Finland set up a working group to reform the legislation on transgender persons. Finland prioritised expanding shelters further north, to Sami homeland. An open call would be issued throughout the country for new services providers. The cost of travelling to shelters was primarily the responsibility of the client, however, in some cases the shelter could compensate this cost. In March 2022, the Prime Minister’s office published a study on violence experienced by persons with disabilities, and research had been conducted on the cost of violence. All studies were available to the public online. The importance of shelters and other support services to Roma women was high. A project had been launched which offered services to Roma families in several Finnish cities and was supported by the Government. A non-governmental organization had gathered information regarding obstacles that Roma women faced regarding shelter services. A helpline had been established in accordance with the Istanbul Convention for victims of violence. The helpline had operated throughout the pandemic and online training had been provided to professionals to enable them to support victims of domestic violence. Improvements had been made which allowed shelters to be accessible to persons with disabilities.
There would be necessary changes made to the law regarding the identification and assistance of victims of trafficking, enabling victims to be referred to the circle of help, the delegation said. Despite the specialised group in the police, every police department was required to have expertise in identifying victims of trafficking crimes and dealing with the trauma of the victims. The first public human trafficking situational picture was completed in March 2020 and was being developed to support internal and external communication. The diversity of human trafficking had grown; the third largest group was made up of victims of forced marriage. There had been considerable training provided, concerning the recognition of victims of human trafficking to authorities.
The delegation said the punishments around child sexual offences had been tightened, following amendments to the Criminal Code. Training on the reform would be provided to all relevant authorities, including police, prosecutors, and justice. A legislative proposal regarding clarification around female genital mutilation would be submitted to parliament. The protection of women in criminal law against hate crimes was reflected in a proposal, which was being discussed by the Government. Several projects had been launched, which aimed at combatting hate speech and hate crimes. A study had been launched based on the Action Plan against Trafficking in Human Beings and would be used to carry out the work of the plan.
The Action Plan on Combatting Violence against Women contained information regarding training on different types of violence, including digital violence, honour-based violence, and domestic violence. A campaign had been launched involving Finnish celebrities, highlighting to the public how they could step in if they witnessed cases of domestic violence. The campaign won gold in the PR Awards, which were considered the world championships of marketing and communications awards. A committee was in place which was responsible for the coordination of the Istanbul Convention. The number of shelters had developed well, however, there was a long-term challenge when it came to securing places, as this required increased funding.
Questions by Committee Experts
NATASHA STOTT DESPOJA, Committee Expert and Taskforce Rapporteur for Finland, said the Committee had several concerns about the increasing number of mediation cases, where they resulted in severe and recurring violence. This also impacted on women’s impact to justice if cases were discontinued, as a result of mediation being pursued. Did the State party have any appetite for reforming mediation law? This meant even if mediation was pursued then the pursuit of a criminal offence was not waived.
A Committee Expert said trafficking occurred in many forms and the real problem was in the identification of the crime and the victims.
Another Committee Expert asked about shelters for victims of violence; when victims were provided with shelters, were there programmes to reengage them with the community and make them economically independent?
Response by the Delegation
The delegation said the Rapporteur on trafficking in human beings was independent.
Questions by Committee Experts
NATASHA STOTT DESPOJA, Committee Expert and Taskforce Rapporteur for Finland, said Finland had one of the most gender-equal parliaments in the world. Despite positive steps, reports indicated that female political candidates and politicians faced harassment, particularly those from minority groups. How did the Finnish Parliament intend to increase representations of minority groups, including the Sami people? What had been the outcome of the campaign to make migrant voices heard in politics? Did the State party plan to address the high levels of hate speech which impacted women in political life? Would the State party consider implementing sanctions or fines for companies which were not compliant when it came to fulfilling their gender balance? Would the State consider additional mechanisms to increase the number of women in leadership positions in the defence force?
A Committee Expert asked how the integration of women immigrants in Finnish society, especially those with language impediments, was promoted?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that under the national democracy programme, a working group was set up to address the challenges faced by immigrants to participate in the political process. The group provided recommendations for authorities to tackle obstacles to participation, which included equality promoting activities. There were 13 men and 8 women who were members of the Sami Parliament. In the draft proposal to change the act on the Sami Parliament, there were proposals on how to make the voting process easier. There were currently no plans to increase the leadership of women in the defence force. The number of women who were high ranking officials had increased over the years; nearly 70 per cent of women in voluntary military service were undergoing training for higher ranks.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert asked for statistics and data highlighting the increase of women’s participation in the armed forces? How many of the Prime Ministers had been women in Finland and how many members of the current cabinet were women? How many female ambassadors had held posts? What was offered to entice the young women of Finland to be politicians?
Another Committee Expert commended the policy in place on Roma and education. How did violence feature within sexual educational policies? Thirty per cent of grade 8 and 9 children were subject to bullying which was quite high. How had the State party addressed cases of sexual harassment, particularly in relation to minority groups? How many people had been sanctioned under these laws and policies, and how? How had teacher training strategies been influenced? What was in place to break down gender stereotypes and inform students on their schools’ equality plans? Women were still in a clear minority regarding professorships; how would the State party increase the 30 per cent of women in professorships? Would temporary special measures be used? What was in place to correct the imbalance?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the statistics around sexual harassment and bullying were worrying. To enable timely intervention, the Basic Education Act and other legislation had been amended, with the aim to prevent bullying, harassment and violence, and secure a safe learning environment for all. A website was being prepared for the prevention of bullying, harassment and violence, and a poster and brochure had also been developed. The new right to learn development programme aimed to secure an equal start, especially in childhood education and comprehensive school education. The Ministry of Education published the national science, technology, engineering and mathematics strategy (STEM) in 2021.
Since 2004, the Government had set gender targets on State-owned companies. There was no section in the gender equality law for companies and the shares of women in their boards, but the State had tried to work on this with State-owned companies. Approximately 35 percent of the seats on boards were occupied by women in large, listed companies.
Questions by a Committee Expert
A Committee Expert asked for more clarity on how violence was being included in sexuality education? How was inclusivity being incorporated to forestall the issue of bullying? How had the capacity of counsellors been built to handle issues of depression?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said it was important that support was provided to both civil society organizations and United Nations actors. As of 2020, 47 per cent of ambassadors in Finland were female. Education at various levels was human rights-based and gender responsive. Guides on gender equality had been produced to support schools. There was no valid information available on sanctions. Every pupil was entitled to a safe learning environment, which included physical and psychological safety. Shelters provided safety for victims to end the violence, and victims received assistance for social security and to find apartments, which were customised according to victims’ needs. Support was provided on a case-by-case basis.
There was a second national Roma policy, and the third plan was under preparation, with the aim to integrate Roma women into society. The use of mediation was always voluntary, and only the police or prosecutor could refer these crimes to mediation. The police had guidelines in this regard, and when considering the suitability of the situation for mediation, many considerations were taken into account. Serious considerations needed to be used in the cases of aggregated or violent crimes. In 2014 there were 61 high-ranking women officers in the military and by 2021 this number had risen to 84.
Questions by a Committee Expert
A Committee Expert said it was surprising that a country as developed as Finland had not managed to attain equality in the professional spheres. What was being done to work towards this? Was there a management indicator for companies in Finland? Was it possible to look at more severe rules for companies? In light of the recent decisions of the courts in Helsinki, could the mediator widen its mandate around discrimination in the professional environment? Could the delegation explain about the reform for flexibility and its implication for single mothers? What measures were being put in place regarding professional equality in the Åland Islands? Could Finland tell the Committee about ambitions in the artificial intelligence sphere?
Responses by the Delegation
Women had moved into male-dominated fields, while men had not moved into female-dominated fields to any extent, the delegation said. A lot of efforts had been made to dismantle gender segregation. Desegregation was one of the solutions to the existing labour and skills shortages being experienced in Finland. A new report was being published which outlined objectives to double the number of people working in gender equal occupations by 2030. Employers were not permitted to terminate employment contracts based on an employee’s pregnancy. Statistics showed that discrimination on the basis of pregnancy had not increased.
The Government had an ambitious vision regarding artificial intelligence. The Aurora programme, which was launched in 2020, aimed to offer citizens one window where people could obtain better services more easily. This would also be more cost effective.
Questions by a Committee Expert
A Committee Expert commended Finland on its efforts to improve the health care system for girls and women. Despite the launch of the mental health strategy and other programmes which had been launched to promote mental health, one in ten girls in Finland suffered from eating disorders. What were the State party’s plans to reduce the prevalence of eating disorders amongst women and girls in Finland, given that symptoms usually appeared at an early age and better prognosis was associated with early interventions? What steps were being taken to reduce rates of suicide and mental health problems in the country? What were the State party’s plans to ensure free contraception for women, specifically for women in low-income communities? Female genital mutilation still existed and remained a problem that some girls faced in Finland; how did the State party plan to stop this practice? Could information and data be provided on the health situation of Sami women and measures taken to improve their access to health care and social services?
Responses by the Delegation
The issue of sterilisation was included in the Trans Act, with the act aiming to abolish this requirement. There was an updated Action Plan on the Prevention of Female Genital Mutilation, which contained recommendations. The Sami people had the rights to use Sami language at the social and health services located in the Sami homeland. There were challenges in the availability and adequacy of help and social services, particularly in Sami language. A Sami language board was to be established. Staffing of psychologists and school social workers would be increased. Several mental health projects in sport were supported by the Minister of Education.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert asked what measures were being taken to support vulnerable groups of women and improve their economic status? What programmes were available to support women entrepreneurs? Were programmes available for women who were victims of violence?
Another Committee Expert said it was critical to ensure that women did not need to travel far to give birth. Were policies in place to ensure the continuation of availability of health care services for rural women? What outcomes had been generated from the Sami people’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission? Were there any comprehensive government integration programmes and action plans concerning migrant women beyond 2020, and what were their outcomes? What were the strategies to overcome the feminisation of poverty? Were strategies in place to limit the sterilisation of women with disabilities against their will?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Finland was crowned the happiest country in the world for the fifth consecutive year, meaning people were content with the quality of life. The services in shelters were customised for each individual and her needs. Finland was a geographically large country, and it was a challenge to provide health care services that would be within every person’s reach within a certain period of time. It was a challenge, but the State had developed legislation to ensure the services offered by hospitals were of such a high quality that it was necessary for them to be centralised. The five university hospitals were well located, allowing for good geographical coverage.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission for the Sami people was established in 2021. There had been difficulties in beginning the Commission’s work, however, the Commission was now able to take up its work. More needed to be done in the area of female prisoners.
The delegation said 35 per cent of all Finnish entrepreneurs were women. A law had been created which aimed to increase the number of immigrants in the workforce. The employment of women with disabilities was not promoted separately.
The third national Roma policy was being drafted which paid specific attention to diversity among Roma communities, including Roma women. The Finnish social security system had been constructed to include different benefits, and families with children were provided with an additional child benefit. The Action Plan for Combatting Racism was adopted in October 2021, and a separate implementation plan had been prepared for the Action Plan.
Questions by a Committee Expert
A Committee Expert said forced marriage was punishable as trafficking in Finnish legislation; would the State make any amendments to the legislation in this regard? The State had made many good strides in the area of parental leave. Was parental leave paid equitably for men and women?
Responses by the Delegation
A memorandum on forced marriage had been published in 2021, which outlaid different options for criminalising forced marriage. Recommendations regarding possible changes to the legislation had been evaluated. The family leave reform was very new, only coming into force in August 2022, and therefore there was no data on how this would affect men’s participation in childcare. The aim was to ensure that fathers would take a more active role in childcare. Both parents received 160 days each of paid parental leave, which were non-transferable. If a single parent had a child on their own, they were allowed to use both 160 days of payment, which was 320 days.
Questions by Committee Experts
NATASHA STOTT DESPOJA, Committee Expert and Taskforce Rapporteur for Finland, asked about carers’ leave; were there any proposals to provide paid leave for carers?
A Committee Expert asked for statistical data about children born as a result of child marriage?
Closing Remarks
KRISTA OINONEN, Director, Unit for Human Rights Courts and Conventions, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and head of the delegation, said the number of female ministers was now equal with men. Ms. Oinonen thanked the delegation for the dialogue and understood that a lot was expected from Finland. Finland eagerly awaited the Committee’s concluding observations which would be translated and widely distributed.
ELGUN SAFAROV, Committee Vice Chairperson, thanked the delegation for the constructive dialogue which provided further insight into the situation of women in Finland. The Committee commended the State party for its efforts and encouraged it to take all necessary measures to address the recommendations of the Committee.
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