Out work
The Government appoints the Council for Gender Equality (Tane) for the same term of office as the current Parliament. The current council was appointed on 19 September 2019. Tane has appointed a Subcommittee on Gender, Economy, and Power and a Subcommittee on Men and Gender Equality. The subcommittees draw up their own action plans. In addition to subcommittees, Tane can set up working groups.
The Council’s key theme’s in 2019-2023
| COVID-19 and gender | Economy and working life | Education and research |
| Gender-based violence | Intersectionality, multiple discrimination | Male perspective in gender equality work |
| Sustainable development | Gender mainstreaming implemented in the Government term’s key reforms |
Statements and publications
Tane presents statements for the development of legislation affecting gender equality and other gender equality measures. Tane also has its own publishing activities. The latest statements and publications are published for the most part in Finnish on the Tane website.
Gender mainstreaming in programmes
The Finnish Government will not achieve the objectives it has set unless it mainstreams the gender perspective at all stages of the processes for the implementation of its objectives. For example, the Government's employment or regional objectives will not be achieved unless the gender impacts of decisions are examined throughout the process.
Tane is examining the following Government projects from the perspective of gender equality:
- Government Action Plan for Gender Equality
- A strategic report on gender equality to be submitted to Parliament by the end of 2021
- Social and health care reform and social security reform
- Measures that aim to improve employment
- Family leave reform
- Measures to promote equal pay
- A Parliamentary Committee to look into the development of general conscription and the fulfilment of national defence duty
- Action Plan for Combating Violence against Women
- National Action Plan on Fundamental and Human Rights
- Programme for the prevention of racism and discrimination
The current Government’s legislative reforms that are of key importance to equality, which Tane is monitoring;
- The comprehensive reform of sexual offence legislation, starting with personal integrity and sexual self-determination.
- A law respecting the right to self-determination on gender, eliminating the requirement of infertility and the requirement of adulthood as part of the of legal gender recognition process, differentiating medical treatments from legal gender
- Strengthening the right to self-determination of intersex children, abandoning cosmetic, non-medical genital surgery of small children
- A separate act to improve the status of human trafficking victims as recipients of services.
In addition, the council considers the following important:
- Legislative reforms must take into account the status of families in which parents are divorced and strengthen the possibilities of shared custody arrangements.
- A gender impact assessment will be included in the legislative drafting and other activities of all ministries.
- A comprehensive monitoring system will be created to monitor the development of equality.
Campaigning
Tane will highlight gender equality issues in coming elections (municipal elections 2021 and parliamentary elections 2023). Electoral working groups will be set up to prepare campaigning. The groups will consider ways of exerting influence, such as the implementation of a possible election campaign and the organisation of election events. Tane will also aim to influence the equality of the candidate setting and the addition of gender equality themes and issues to electoral machine questions, media election themes and election debates.
Making an Impact with Equality Acts 2020-2022
The Council for Gender Equality was a implementing body for the project Making an Impact with Equality Acts in 2020-2022.
Making an Impact with Equality Acts
International cooperation
Tane is actively involved in the work of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), and sends its representative to the CSW every year.
We meet with international delegations whenever possible.
Meetings between ministers and other meetings
Promoting equality is the responsibility of all ministries and ministers. Tane meets with ministers, and invites decision-makers who can take Tane's gender equality policy objectives forward to its meetings.
Responding to topical gender equality policy questions
Tane considers it important to have the opportunity to respond in the best way the council sees fit to new topical gender equality policy questions and situations during its term in office.
