Subcommittee on Gender, Economy, and Power 

The Council for Gender Equality’s Subcommittee on Gender, Economy, and Power discusses various equality issues such as equality in working life and education, gendered violence and economic equality. The subcommittee also plays an important role in strengthening the role of Gender Studies and promoting the recognition of research data.

The subcommittee is a continuation of the Subcommittee on Research which operated within the council in 1981-2006 and the Subcommittee on Gender and Power which operated in 2006-2015. The first Subcommittee on Gender, Economy, and Power was appointed for the Tane 2015-2019 term.

History of the subcommittee

Third Subcommittee on Gender, Economy, and Power (2023-2027)

More information will be updated soon.

Members

  • Chair: Fatim Diarra (Green League)
  • Vice chair: Päivi Mononen-Mikkilä (Centre Party)
  • Lauri Muranen (Social Democratic Party)
  • Konsta Nupponen (National Coalition Party)
  • Minna Partanen (Finns Party)
  • Milla Pyykkönen (Left Alliance)

Updated on 11 September 2025

Permanent advisors

  • FEMTIE research project: Hanna Ylöstalo (Emma Lamberg)
  • Miehet – Män – Men ry: Jürgen Ross (Juha Seppä)
  • The Central Association for Men´s Organizations in Finland: Hannes Ruokokoski (Ari Jussila)
  • Monika – Naiset liitto ry, Multicultural Women’s Association: Natalie Gerbert (Ljudmila Kettunen)
  • The Finnish Women’s Association Unioni (Naisasialiitto Unioni ry): Piia Lempiäinen (Eekku Aromaa)
  • The National Council of Women of Finland: Anniina Vainio (Annika Hinkkanen)
  • The National Council of Women of Finland, Nytkis ry: Silla Kakkola (Taru Anttonen)
  • Women's Line: Maria Virtala (Elina Lakso)
  • Seta - LGBTI Rights in Finland: Anu Kantola (Mirva Alakarhu)
  • The Association for Gender Studies in Finland: Paula Koskinen Sandberg (Marjut Jyrkinen)
  • Finnish Association for Men’s Studies (SuMS): Timo Aho (Ville Pöysä)
  • Statistic Finland / Gender Equality: Marjut Pietiläinen (Antti Katainen)
  • Trasek ry: Marika Saarinen (Julian Honkasalo)

Updated 3.10.2025

Priorities

During its ongoing term, the Subcommittee on Gender, economy and power deals with various gender equality issues in accordance with its mandate. Priorities highlighted by the Council for Gender Equality with regard to digitalisation and security will be taken into account in the work.

Topics to be discussed by the subcommittee include:

  • artificial intelligence, algorithms and technological advances: impacts on gender equality and non-discrimination
  • digital gender-based violence, harassment and hate speech, including shortcomings in data collection
  • addressing gender equality issues in security discussions and addressing comprehensive security, including crisis resilience from the perspective of the entire population and the impacts of movement opposing gender equality
  • progress on equality in working life, equal pay and pay transparency
  • monitoring the effects of the family leave reform
  • examination of legislation and practical issues related to sex work
  • monitoring the social security reform

In addition to the above, the subcommittee monitors the preparation of key reforms and projects during the government term from the gender perspective and may raise topical gender equality issues.

Intersectionality, multiple discrimination and gender diversity are taken into account in all activities of the subcommittee.

History of the subcommittee

The Council for Gender Equality is tasked with promoting equality research. Tane had an important role in ensuring that Women’s Studies (now Gender Studies) became an established field of research in Finland. From the beginning of the 1980s, Tane has supported Women’s Studies/Gender Studies both economically and through various initiatives and opinions. Another important part of the research field’s institutionalisation was the coordinator of Women’s Studies, who worked at Tane from the beginning of the 1980s to the beginning of the 2000s. 

The Subcommittee on Research was established in 1981 as an advisory body to the Council for Gender Equality in issues related to Women’s Studies and equality research as well as scientific policy. The Subcommittee on Research was tasked with monitoring the development of women’s studies, developing cooperation between the administrative branch and the field’s research, as well as with submitting initiative to the council on matters that were related to women’s studies and improving the status of women researchers. The subcommittee also formed a background group for the coordination of Women’s Studies.

The subcommittees focusing on gender, equality and power have worked as heirs to the Subcommittee on Research which operated until 2006. From 2007 onward, the themes discussed by the subcommittees have included gender-conscious budgeting, gender-conscious education and training, and the gendered impacts of the economic crisis. 

The history of the subcommittee has been compiled in a publication written in Finnish:
Feministinen aikamatka (PDF), TANE-julkaisuja 9/2006

Chairs of the Subcommittee

Subcommittee on Research

  • Aila Jokinen 1981, 1981–1985
  • Marianne Laxén 1987–1989
  • Sole Molander 1989–1992
  • Pirkko Grönlund 1992–1995
  • Katariina Poskiparta 1996–1998, 1999–2001
  • Lena Paju 2001–2003
  • Sole Molander 2003–2007 (Subcommittee on Research and Development)

Subcommittee on Gender and Power

  • Seija Turtiainen 2007–2011
  • Tarja Filatov 2011–2015

Subcommittee on Gender, Economy, and Power

  • Tarja Filatov 2015–2019
  • Silla Kakkola 2019–2023
  • Fatim Diarra 2023–