European Year of Equal Opportunities for All 2007 Finland Mervi Heikkinen, University of Oulu Eeva Raevaara, University of Helsinki

The National Strategy of European Year of EO in Finland The aim of the EO Year is: 1. To increase awareness of the rights of the minorities and disabeled people 2. To strenghten the representation of the people and groups who may be sidelined in society 3. To promote diversity and its benefits 4. To increase mutual respect and cohesion by eradicating stereotypes, assumptions and violence. The national strategy adjusts the Year of EO to national situations and needs In the content of the national strategy the four main themes rights, representation, recognition and respect are prevailing. Shared events and measures for promoting equal opportunities for all Including legal and illegal residents in the country The aims are to promote equal opportunities for all and to promote the benefits of diversity Active input from the civil society in planning and producining of projects

The European Year of EO Activities in Finland the four main themes Rights, Representation, Recognition and Respect are promoted by six network projects: –Visibility of Diversity –Diversity in Sport –Culture and Equality –Diversity in Working Life –The Unfulfilled Rights in Finland –Report on Discrimination in Finland

"UNFULFILLED RIGHTS" Ministry of Justice Finland is organising a project called Unfulfilled Rights as a part of The European Year of Equal Opportunities for All in This project consultation aims to gather the experiences and views on those rights people feel are yet unfulfilled in Finland. The project has opened a discussion forum on the net

The Organisation of the Year in Finland The National Implementing Body of the Year is the Ministry of Labour The steering group consists of 30 members and 24 vice-members representing national and local authorities, NGOs and labour market organisations no womens organisations represented one member from the Gender Equality Unit

The Integration of Gender in the Activities of the Year of EO In the national strategy, gender equality is one of the main dimensions All the forms of discrimination are said to be taken into account equally Gender equality mainstreamed in all the activities

The Integration of Gender in the Activities of the Year of EO However… gender and gender equality is clearly integrated in only one of the projects womens organisations involved in the project Unfulfilled Rights, which aims to -publish a book on diverse rights that are not fulfilled and not even known in Finland -to examine discrimination in Finland as well as the problems and shortcomings in the implementation of legislation on equal opportunities

Regional Activities of the Year in Oulu Local womens organisations in Oulu together with NYTKIS – The Coalition of Finnish Women´s Association – arrange a national seminar in September in the context of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All Proposal from NYTKIS The aim of the seminar is to increase awareness about the central themes of the year informed by EWL Special focus will be on gender, ethnicity and equal opportunities in employment which have been currently on the public debates in Oulu

Regional Activities of the Year in Oulu Unfulfilled rights – awareness raising on multiple discrimination Diversity and Gender Equality Training at work The Roma woman within the ethnic majority Ethical and legislative regulations in a worklife – gender equality in nursing Gender equality work with the migrant men

Integration of gender in the EO Year – some reflections Very few connections between gender equality policies and other equal opportunities policies in Finland; this wider problem is reflected also in the activities of the Year Reform of the EO policies/legislation underway in Finland The status of gender equality policies is still low: in this context, the reorganisation of EO policies could be both an opportunity and threat Multiple discrimination is a real challenge at both the structural and policy levels – the discrimination can not be solved by gender mainstreaming

European Year of Equal Opportunities for All 2007 THANK YOU FOR YOU ATTENTION! Additional information: