Newest press releases

The objective of the Kaste programme is to reduce inequalities and to reform social welfare and health care services

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 13:53:00 +0300

The aim of the National Development Programme for Social Welfare and Health Care (Kaste programme 2012–2015) is to reduce inequalities in health and wellbeing and to develop social and health care structures and services so as to be more client-oriented. The focus has been shifted from the treatment of problems to promoting physical, mental and social wellbeing and preventing problems. The government approved the Kaste programme on 2 February.

The targets of the Kaste programme are divided into sub-targets and concrete actions. Health inequalities will be bridged by developing methods and incentives specifically intended for risk groups in order to promote their health and wellbeing. Participation of young people at risk of social exclusion, long-term unemployed people and people with low employability in education and working life will be supported. Furthermore, ex-prisoners will be helped to find their place in society. Professionals’ skills in preventing interpersonal and domestic violence will be improved. Low-threshold services will be provided for persons suffering from mental health problems and substance abuse.

The objective is client-centred and economically sustainable social welfare and health care structures and services. At present, the provision of primary services is not adequate in all municipalities; there is either no access to certain services or there are defects in their quality.

Services will be improved for instance by reforming services in primary health care and by introducing distant service models, such as remote consultation, services on the wheels and internet-based services. Information management in social welfare and health care and the functionality of information systems will also be improved.

Services for children, adolescents and families with children will be overhauled. For instance professionals’ special competence will be enhanced in children’s ordinary environments, such as homes, day care centres and schools, thus reducing the need for institutional care. Non-residential child welfare services and family services will also be improved. For instance rehabilitation and services provided at home will be diversified and increased, and new types of 24-hour caring will be developed. Support forms for families giving informal care will be improved.

Furthermore, the Kaste programme aims to strengthen the competence of social and health care staff, reform the management practices and promote wellbeing at work.

The National Development Programme for Social Welfare and Health Care is a strategic steering instrument to reform Finnish social and health policy. The purpose is that the local authorities and NGOs, as well as other national, regional and local actors cooperate to enable implementing the planned reforms. Local authorities and joint municipal boards for social welfare and health care can apply for discretionary government grants for their development projects. Altogether EUR 17.5 million is allocated yearly for project financing. The projects have to be integrated with the basic work of the local authorities and joint municipal boards to ensure that the reforms will be sustainable and good practices will become established and be spread further.

More information

Olli Kerola, Deputy Director-General, tel. 09 160 73859
Salme Kallinen-Kräkin, Ministerial Adviser, tel. 09 160 73228

European Commission proposes intensified cooperation on combating health threats

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 13:34:00 +0300

The European Commission proposes combating cross-border threats to health increasingly by common measures of the EU. The Commission submitted its proposal for a related decision in December 2011. The Commission's proposal reduces the member states' powers in connection with crises where swift decision-making and actions can be needed. The government of Finland decided on 2 February to submit a communication regarding the matter to Parliament.

The proposed decision aims to regulate the monitoring and combating of serious health threats and preparedness planning related to them. Those threats can be for instance communicable diseases, other biological or chemical threats, or threats deriving from the effects of climate change, such as heat waves, cold spells and storms.

The proposed decision concerns joint procurement of vaccines and continuous monitoring of communicable diseases, establishment of an early warning system and coordination of responses to threats, joint temporary public health measures approved by the Commission, and joint crisis communication. The member states would be obligated to report to the Commission about their preparedness planning and security of supply in health care. The proposal also includes rules for communicating personal data to the early warning system.

If the European Parliament and Council will adopt the Commission's proposal, the decision involves delegating national decision-making and implementing powers to the Commission. According to the Commission's proposal, threats to the entire population in the member states could be combated jointly, if necessary disregarding the national legislation. A member state should consult other member states before undertaking public health measures to combat a health threat.

The government of Finland supports developing the EU's common crisis preparedness so that it will be based on voluntary cooperation and exchange of information. The Commission's proposal is considered to delay and weaken regional and local risk management and crisis communication.

The government is of the opinion that the cooperation and reporting taking place at present with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is enough. On the other hand, a specific model is needed for the EU for combating chemical threats.

More information:

Olli Haikala, Director for Preparedness Affairs, tel. 09 160 73214

European Year 2012: Always at the optimal age

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:02:00 +0300

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health inform:

2012 is the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations. According to forecasts approximately every third European will be aged over 65 in 2060. The European Year calls on decision-makers and citizens to act and to understand that meaningful work, opportunity to learn and healthy ageing are possible at any age. In Finland the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the Year and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health is responsible for its coordination in practice.

The European Year reflects the idea of active ageing, that also older people have the right to fully participate in the activities of their community and in society, continue their career and obtain support for independent living. The aim is to raise the appreciation of cooperation and interaction between people of different ages.

In the next few years the number of aged population will increase in Finland more rapidly than in most other countries. Simultaneously, the number of people of working age will be reduced. This poses challenges to society. For instance labour force, pensions and the health care system must be adapted to the new needs and economic realities.

Come along and participate in the realisation of the European Year in Finland

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health challenge citizens, local authorities, NGOs, companies, labour market organisations and other stakeholders to participate in the realisation of the Year. You can participate by informing of or by organising events, happenings or other programmes - anything within the limits of your imagination.

The European Year has many tasks:

Supporting careers and extending them at the beginning, middle and end. A good working life involves e.g. development of the skills and cooperation of people of different ages, age management, and gender equality.
Enhancing lifelong learning. This means management of information technology by older people and adding to the visibility of the activities of the University of Third Age.
Supporting active ageing and a better identification of the potential of the rapidly increasing older population and making best use of that potential. How could an active role and inclusion be secured by means of services designed for older people in a way that is meaningful to the persons themselves?
Strengthening fairness between generations. This can be realised by promoting meetings between people of all ages in different ways.

During the Year information will be disseminated of the challenges, functional solutions and ways of operation related to active ageing.

More information

Professor Anneli Leppänen, Director of Centre of Expertise, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, tel. 030 474 2524, 040 506 6186, forname.surname@ttl.fi (organising the Year)

Marjo Wallin, Senior Researcher, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, tel. 030 474 2692, 043 824 1527, forname.surname@ttl.fi (secretary for the Year)

Marja-Leena Hiltunen, Senior Officer, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. 09 160 73845, forname.surname@stm.fi (coordination with the EU)

EU-ministers discuss unemployment security, health programme and growth strategy

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 10:22:00 +0300

The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) meets in Brussels on 1-2 December. Finland is represented in the meeting by Minister of Social Affairs and Health Paula Risikko, Minister of Health and Social Services Maria Guzenina-Richardson and Minister of Employment Lauri Ihalainen.

The ministers for social affairs deal with a Presidency proposal, according to which the most recent country of employment will be daily unemployment benefit for an unemployed entrepreneur if he or she does not have an unemployment insurance in the country of residence. The procedure would only apply to the so called frontier workers that reside in one country and work in another.

The issue has been on the Council agenda for a long time now, and there have been some principled problems from the Finnish viewpoint. The Council decides the matter by a majority vote. Finland is prepared to adopt a compromise that now has been reached where the Finnish views are taken into account better than before.

The health ministers adopt the Council conclusions on chronic respiratory disease in children, communication disorders in children and health gaps. Moreover, the health ministers discuss the Commission Proposal for a new Health for Growth Programme 2014-2020.

Finland commends the Commission Proposal for clearly recognising the link between health and economy. A healthy population is a condition for productivity, and when the economy is in shape, it is possible to invest in health. Finland hopes, however, that the programme would highlight more strongly also the traditional measures under the EU public health article, such as health promotion in all policies.

The ministers of employment discuss the implementation of the European growth strategy, i.e., Europe 2020 Strategy, in the field of employment and social policy in view of the European Council meeting in December. The implementation of the strategy is followed up through the European Semester. The Council adopts conclusions on the follow-up of the first European Semester and thematic surveillance in employment and social policies. Finland believes that the ministers of employment and social affairs must play a key role in the follow-up of the European Semester in these sectors. It is also important that the Member States commit themselves to the set targets for employment and poverty reduction. The topic for the Council lunch is youth unemployment. Finland emphasises the importance of effective implementation of a social guarantee for young people.

The ministers will also seek agreement on extending the higher level of assistance from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund until the end of 2013. Finland will seek a compromise that all the Member States can accept by proposing that the higher level of assistance will be continued until the end of 2012.

Further information

Liisa Heinonen, Ministerial Counsellor/Legal Affairs, Ministry of Employment and the Economy, tel. +358 50 396 0605
Merja Huovinen, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 50 364 7816
Tuomas Leppo, Senior Officer, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 50 575 2996

The job bank trial extended to cover the whole country

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:09:00 +0300

The job bank trial becomes nation-wide in scope from the beginning of 2012. The objective is that in four years the job bank enterprises, whose finances are based on their own business operations, will employ or place further in jobs as many as 5,000 persons, chiefly persons with partial work ability and long-term unemployed persons. To achieve this objective there should be about 30 job banks in Finland at the end of 2015. The extension of the job bank trial coordinated by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is based on the Government Programme.

A job bank is a social enterprise pursuing business operations (a limited company or cooperative). The job bank hires labour force and places employees in jobs in their client enterprises. When no work is available in client enterprises, an employee is offered a job in the job bank enterprise's own production, as far as possible.

The task of job banks is to find a channel to working life mainly for persons with low employability. Employees are referred to a job bank on a voluntary basis for instance through the Employment and Economic Development Offices and labour service centres.

A job bank enterprise can offer its client enterprises an opportunity to rehire the same employee. In this way the threshold for access to employment is lowered and the chances of the employee hired from the job bank to obtain later a job in the client enterprise are increased.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has appointed a leadership group for the job trial project to outline the main policy guidelines, to steer the project and to supervise its implementation. The group is chaired by State Secretary Vesa Rantahalvari of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The group includes representatives of the relevant sectors of administration, labour market organisations and the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities.

"I am pleased that the job bank trial will now be established, and I hope that a lot of new, good job bank enterprises will be involved. For many persons with partial work ability a job bank can be the only way of getting a foothold on the labour market," states the Minister of Social Affairs and Health Paula Risikko.

Job bank operations have been experimented with in 2009-2011, and the results have been mainly favourable. The number of persons employed by means of job banks has increased all the time. The trial has included four job bank enterprises that have employed 252 persons this year. Of them 45 per cent are persons with partial work ability and 40 per cent long-term unemployed persons.

More information

Heikki Palm, Director, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. 050 594 1687, forname.surname@stm.fi
Vesa Rantahalvari, State Secretary, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. 040 544 4609, forname.surname@stm.fi

Aarne Kuusi, Head of the job bank trial, Edupoli, tel. 050 360 1150, forename.surname@edupoli.fi

Minister Guzenina-Richardson: European solutions to the problem of fake doctors

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:05:00 +0300

The Finnish Minister of Health and Social Services, Maria Guzenina-Richardson, has invited her European colleagues, among others the Swedish Minister for Health, to discuss about comprehensive solutions to the problem of fake physicians. The meeting is arranged in connection with the EU Council for Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs convening on Thursday and Friday this week.

"Fake doctors have been a nuisance elsewhere in Europe too. It is useful to hear what kind of solutions other countries have adopted for instance in the form of stricter supervision. Another subject that should be discussed is the language skills of physicians moving from one country to another within Europe. I am interested to know if the lack of a common language between the patient and doctor is a wider European problem," Guzenina-Richardson says.

Today, according to the relevant EU directive the countries may not test the language skills of physicians moving from one country to another within the EU by an extensive language test. The evaluation of language skills remains the duty of the employer.

Minister Guzenina-Richardson has also agreed on having a bilateral meeting with the European Commissioner for Health in the same connection.

"Today, both national and European solutions are needed to develop health care. In practice we have not any borders in the EU territory in this respect either," states the Minister.

More information

Martta October, Special Adviser to the Minister, tel. 09 160 74157

The quality of health care in Finland still better than average for OECD countries

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:03:00 +0300

Measured by several indicators the quality of health care in Finland is still better than average in OECD countries. This appears from the most recent OECD report Health at a Glance, which compares health care, inhabitants' health status and health expenditure in 34 OECD countries and six other countries.

Finland's health expenditure (9.2 % of GDP) is close to the OECD average (9.6 %). Altogether 75 per cent of our health expenditure is covered by public funding, while the proportion in the other Nordic countries is 81-84 per cent and the OECD average is 72 per cent.

Screening and vaccination coverage is top class

Finland is successful in particular as regards specialised medical care and the coverage of screenings and vaccinations. For instance 30-day in-hospital mortality following stroke is among the lowest in OECD countries - even below half the average for OECD countries. In-hospital mortality following myocardial infarction is also below the OECD average.

Finland has the most comprehensive screening programme for breast cancer across OECD countries. As much as 84 per cent of women aged 50 to 69 years take part in screenings for breast cancer, while the OECD average is 62 per cent. The differences are smaller in the participation in cervical cancer screenings among women aged 20 to 69 years. Thanks to the screening programmes the breast cancer and cervical cancer mortality rates in Finland are lower than the OECD average.

The vaccination coverage of young children is very high in Finland. For instance 99 per cent of the children under 2 years of age are vaccinated against whooping cough (pertussis) and measles.

Much to improve in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and reduction of alcohol use

The mortality from cardiovascular diseases and suicide is higher in Finland than the average for OECD countries. The prevalence of diabetes in children is threefold (57.4/100,000 children aged under 15) compared to the average for OECD countries (16.9/100,000).

Tobacco smoking is less common in Finland than in most other OECD countries. In Europe, only Sweden and Iceland have lower numbers of smokers. Alcohol consumption has however increased in Finland, and the trend is contrary to that in most other OECD countries.

The report provides comparable data in support of decision-making

The OECD health care indicators are intended for use in a comprehensive review of the performance of the service system, not for review of individual treatments. The report, which is published every two years, provides important information in terms of health policy in particular for decision-makers.

The report compares the population's health status, health behaviour, health care resources, use of services, the coverage and quality of the system and health expenditures in 40 countries. A chapter dealing with care for chronic conditions is also included. The Finnish health data for the OECD Health Data 2011 database is supplied by the National Institute for Health and Welfare. The Institute is also actively involved in the development of health care quality indicators, health spending statistics and international health care statistics.

Health at a Glance can be ordered via the OECD website. Part of the statistics included in the publication is accessible free of charge via OECD StatExtracts.

More information

Päivi Hämäläinen, Director, National Institute for Health and Welfare, tel. +358 20 610 7665 (development of health care quality indicators)
Mika Gissler, Professor, National Institute for Health and Welfare, tel. +358 20 610 7279 (OECD health database)
Antti Alila, Senior Officer, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 9 160 73795

Effects of the financial crisis on parental leave were discussed in a Nordic seminar

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:10:00 +0300

The recent development of the public finances has raised some difficult questions regarding family leave. Is it possible to lengthen family leaves while at the same time the focus should be on extending careers? How much can we pay in daily allowances when the public finances are in trouble? How can we focus on both the welfare of children and gender equality?

"Despite the deteriorating economic situation, the Finnish Government wants to continue to equalise the distribution of family leaves between fathers and mothers and to reinforce the fathers' parenthood. Although at present it seems that we will not be able to introduce the so-called 6+6+6 model in the near future, we should, however, keep it as our beacon. Parental leave earmarked for fathers is an effective inducement and a clear signal that the society values the time fathers and children spend together," said Jarmo Lindén, State Secretary to Paavo Arhimäki, the minister answering for gender equality affairs, at the seminar Leave policies and the economic crisis which took place in Helsinki on 18 November 2011.

The Nordic countries are often considered models of gender equality. Although the employment rate is high for both men and women, the birth rate is higher in the Nordic countries than in the Southern and Central Europe. There are a set of public services and current payments that promote the reconciliation of work and family life and encourage parents to take care of their small children at home. During the past decades, the focus in terms of family leave has been on encouraging fathers to take paternity and parental leave. Since the 1990s all the Nordic countries have introduced fathers' quotas, which then have been gradually extended.

According to Minna Salmi, Research Director, Finland is lagging behind the other Nordic countries and even some Central European countries in terms of the length of parental leave, the level of daily allowance and the share of fathers taking parental leave. The Nordic example shows that a more even distribution of parental leave would benefit everyone: a sufficiently long parental leave earmarked for fathers increases rapidly the number of fathers taking parental leave and, thus, promote gender equality both in the family and the working life.

The National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) organised the seminar Leave policies and the economic crisis as part of the Finnish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. In the seminar, researchers from the different Nordic countries gave presentations on the effects of the financial crisis on the parental leave systems and the distribution of parental leave between the parents. Presentations were given by Johanna Lammi-Taskula (THL), Berit Brandth (University of Trondheim), Ann-Zofie Duvander (University of Stockholm), Tine Rostgaard (The Danish National Centre for Social Research), Ingolfur Gislason (University of Reykjavik) and Minna Salmi (THL).

Further information

Johanna Lammi-Taskula, Senior Researcher, THL, tel. 020,610 7066, forename.surname@thl.fi
Annamari Asikainen, Senior Officer, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. 050 512 5617, forename.surname@stm.fi

Kari Välimäki to continue as the Permanent Secretary of the MSAH

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:13:00 +0300

The President of the Republic Tarja Halonen appointed on Friday, 11 November Kari Välimäki, M.Ph., Permanent Secretary, as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

Välimäki will start his new 5-year term of office on 1 January 2012. The Permanent Secretary is to manage, develop and supervise the Ministry and its administrative sector.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the planning, guidance and implementation of social and health policy in Finland. The Ministry's job is to promote the population's good health and functional capacity, healthy working and living environments as well as gender equality. The Ministry's tasks also include ensuring that there are sufficient social and health services and that people have an adequate income at various stages in life.

More information

Jaana Koski, Director-General for Administrative Affairs, tel. +358 9 16073786
Kari Välimäki, Permanent Secretary, tel. +358 9 160 73763

The Father of the Year prize winners highlight fathers' importance and perspective in society

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 14:02:00 +0300

This year, the prize Father of the Year goes to Jaakko Bashmakov, graphic designer and trainer in visual communication, Seppo Äijälä, engineer, and Risto Tervonen, activities counsellor. The Minister of Health and Social Services Maria Guzenina-Richardson presented the prize in on Monday, 7 November. In addition to the Father of the Year prize, the Minister of Health and Social Services awarded the Commendation for Fatherhood Advocate to Doctor Jouko Huttunen, emeritus lecturer.

The prize was awarded to Jaakko Bashmakov for his activity as a father and for his work to improve the lives of persons with disabilities through the OmaPolku association, which is an organisation for service provision and civic activities. Through work and day activities, the association has created new kinds of paths to successful, education-enhancing activities for persons with intellectual disability who need special support.

Seppo Äijälä received the prize for being a father, a stepfather as well as a foster and family support parent. When he started his current relationship, he became a stepfather to a 7-year-old and found that the role of a parent and an adult came natural to him. Äijälä and his wife have been foster parents since 2003 when the first of three boys was placed in their care. They have also provided peer support for parents since 2007.

Risto Tervonen received the prize for being a father of seven in a step family as well as a voluntary father both in father-child clubs and in family training at maternity and child welfare clinics. He is also an activities counsellor in the project Father. One of Tervonen's accomplishments in the field of father activities is that he founded the first father-child club in his neighbourhood. At the moment Tervonen is activities counsellor in the project Father, which is carried out by Mannerheim League for Child Welfare.

The Commendation for Fatherhood Advocate was awarded to Jouko Huttunen for his life's work in paternity testing, for highlighting the importance of fathers as well as for his activity in organisations and in actions to influence. Huttunen is a distinguished paternity expert, who during his long university career has focused expressly on paternity. Huttunen is also the chairman of the Finnish Multiple Births Association.

Facts about the prize

The prize Father of the Year is awarded to a person who has by his own example and work promoted recognition of the significance of fatherhood and thus increased its appreciation. The aim of the prize is to put active fatherhood on a firmer footing in people's thinking. The goal is to strengthen fatherhood, support the reconciliation of work and family life, promote the child's best interests, and to boost gender equality. The prize Father of the year was awarded for the first time in 2006. The patron of the prize is Doctor Pentti Arajärvi.

Further information

Jaakko Bashmakov, Father of the Year, tel. 0400-841 942, jaakko.bashmakov(at)omapolku.fi
Seppo Äijälä, Father of the Year, tel. 050 544 5656, seppo.aijala(at)iki.fi
Risto Tervonen, Father of the year, tel. 0400 424 683, tervonen.risto(at)gmail.com

Jouko Huttunen, Fatherhood Advocate Commendation, tel. 040 738 1014 or 040 565 1671, jouko.huttunen(at)edu.jyu.fi
Hanna Onwen-Huma, Senior Officer, tel. +358 9 160 4671946, forename.surname@stm.fi

Minister Risikko: Cooperation and education to fight human trafficking

Thu, 3 Nov 2011 10:28:00 +0300

"Trafficking in human beings is a serious violation of fundamental human rights and it is completely against the values for which the Nordic countries are fighting everywhere in the world," said Minister of Social Affairs and Health Paula Risikko when she addressed the Nordic Council Session in Copenhagen on Thursday, 3 November. Among the topics on the Session agenda was a report on the Nordic Council of Ministers' efforts to fight trafficking in human beings. The Nordic Councils of Ministers are fighting human trafficking through intersectoral collaboration, including collaboration between gender equality, justice and social and health sectors. The Nordic countries cooperate in prevention, in developing resources and skills as well as in promoting cooperation between the authorities and NGOs.

"Only by improving the coordination and information exchange between our countries can we fight this kind of international criminality and the cynical exploitation of people in need of help," Minister Risikko continued. "The Nordic countries and the neighbouring areas are already now fighting against trafficking in human beings, and there are many actors involved in this. An example of successful regional cooperation is a project, which the Nordic and Baltic countries have just recently completed, on alleviating the physical and psychological consequences for victims of trafficking in women," Minister Risikko said.

Risikko also related that a set of recommendations for developing the legislation and measures on human trafficking was completed in Finland in April 2011. It is recommended, for example, that proposals for a comprehensive special act on human trafficking and for provisions on the identification of victims of human trafficking are drawn up. "An important task in Finland is that the authorities dealing with human trafficking are trained to identify different kinds of victims of human trafficking", Minister Risikko stated. Also some new forms of trafficking in human beings, such as the exploitation of children for begging, have emerged in the Nordic countries in recent years. Therefore, the report on the efforts to fight human trafficking, which the Ministers of Nordic Cooperation adopted in February 2011, draws attention also to forced labour and the child perspective.

Other social and health policy themes in the Nordic Council's 63rd Session included a Nordic action plan to prevent multi-drug resistance in humans and animals as well as Nordic cooperation in the employment of persons with spinal cord injury and the research on spinal cord injuries. Several Nordic side events were organised during the Session.

In her address, Minister Risikko also presented the Nordic Council of Ministers' report on the mainstreaming of the gender perspective in Nordic cooperation. She also told that during the Finnish Presidency, the gender equality cooperation has produced information on the gender perspective in the work against climate change. The Finnish Presidency has also published a new web portal on the subject.

Further information

Heidi Manns-Haatanen, Senior Officer, Legal Affairs, MSAH, tel. +358 50 5252309, forename.surname@stm.fi
Maria Waltari, Senior Officer, MSAH, tel. +358 50 3647815, forename.surname@stm.fi
Annamari Asikainen, Senior Officer, MSAH, tel. +358 50 5125617, forename.surname@stm.fi

A new Nordic web portal explains links between climate change and gender equality

Tue, 1 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0300

A new Nordic web portal has been released in a side event to the Nordic Council Session in Copenhagen that focused on climate change and gender equality. The web portal "Equal Climate - Gender and Climate Change from a Nordic Perspective" gives views on how integrating the gender perspective can bring about more efficient solutions for sustainable development and climate change.

The portal gives information on the links between gender, traffic, energy, consumption and nutrition. Women and men have different kinds of consumer habits, recreational activities and attitudes towards climate issues. Men favour for example technical solutions, while women prefer changing their own behaviour.

The web portal also focuses on climate-change and gender-related activities in the Nordic countries, the Faeroe Islands, Greenland and the Åland Islands. The portal lists good examples from Nordic NGOs and enterprises that have integrated the gender perspective into their work against climate change. There are also concrete guidelines that help citizens, politicians and decision-makers to take gender and climate change into account in their actions.

The Nordic equality ministers began their cooperation on climate change in 2008. In their meeting in Helsinki in September 2011, the equality ministers from the Nordic countries, the Åland Islands, Greenland and the Faeroe Islands called for measures to integrate the gender perspective in all climate work.

The President of the Republic, Tarja Halonen, highlights in her article that in order to save the planet for future generations, we need to ensure gender equality. Women's participation is not only a question of human rights; it also creates more effective solutions that serve a greater proportion of the population.

In was stated in the side-event panel discussion that more research is needed on the links between gender equality and climate change. It is also important to make use of the information available and, thus, reinforce the climate change work with the gender perspective.

The web portal has been developed in gender-equality cooperation of Nordic Council of Ministers, and it is part of the Finnish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2011.

More information

Annamari Asikainen, Senior Officer, Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 50 512 5617, forename.surname@stm.fi

Mia Mäkinen, Project Coordinator, Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare, tel. +358 20 610 7261, mia.k.makinen(at)thl.fi

Well-functioning system of family leaves promotes equal participation in working life

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:05:00 +0300

European gender equality ministers meet in Kraków on 20-21 October to discuss the participation of women in working life as well as the reconciliation of work, private and family life. Mr Jarmo Lindén, State Secretary, represents Finland in this informal ministerial meeting.

Finland supports the Commission proposal to extend the maternity leave under the directive on the safety of pregnant workers from the current 14 weeks to 18 weeks. It is, however, important for Finland that also other family leaves, such as parental leave, can be equalled with maternity leave when the level of economic compensation and job security corresponds that for maternity leave.

Finland believes that a well-functioning system of family leaves together with comprehensive publicly funded daycare services and flexible working hours promote women's participation in working life. In particular, we need solutions that encourage men to shoulder their share of childcare responsibilities and to take family leave.

"The Finnish Government aims at extending the parental leave earmarked for fathers. Last week a labour-market framework agreement was reached in Finland which, if implemented, will increase the father's share of family leaves by extending the paternity leave to 54 days, of which no more than 18 days can overlap with the maternity leave. The father can take the leave flexibly during the first two years of the child's life," State Secretary Lindén stated.

Further information

Merja Huovinen, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 50 364 7816, forename.surname@stm.fi

Minister Guzenina-Richardson: The welfare state is the best medicine against growing health inequalities

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 12:11:00 +0300

Health inequalities between population groups in Finland have widened in recent years. The prevalence of health problems is higher among those with the lowest education and the poorest socio-economic status.

"Finland's rise to one of the leading welfare states in the world was not a coincidence, but the result of persistent work. Now we need that same persistence to update the welfare state. The current health inequalities in Finland are a challenge, but we should not be afraid of challenges. Finns have always been able to make the seemingly impossible possible. Indeed, it is fully possible that once again we can be proud of the primary health care and public health work in Finland. Solving the problems also requires extensive cooperation and a new way of thinking," said Maria Guzenina-Richardson, Minister of Health and Social Services.

Minister Guzenina-Richardson leads the Finnish delegation to the WHO World Conference on Social Determinants of Health which is held in Rio de Janeiro.

"Poverty and inequality in both society and health go hand in hand in today's Finland. Sustainable society indicators should take into account also the health inequalities between population groups. The Finnish Government's cross-sectoral action plan to reduce inequalities both in society and health has been praised also here in the World Conference. With the action plan, the Finnish Government continues the pioneering work for which Finland is so well-known," said Minister of Health and Social Services Maria Guzenina-Richardson.

"Reducing health inequalities requires measures that tackle the social determinants of health. People's health and wellbeing are influenced by, for example, housing, employment opportunities, dietary habits and the environment as well as the level of education and income. A narrow view does not make the world a better place."

Further information

Taru Koivisto, Director, tel. +358 9 160 73166, +358 50 3278352
Eeva Ollila, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 9 160 74032, +358 50 302 1291
Martta October, Special Adviser, tel. +358 9 160 74157

Gender equality conference in St Petersburg developed the work to combat violence against women and methods for gender equality policies

Tue, 4 Oct 2011 11:01:00 +0300

A new four-year co-operation programme: "Gender Equality Creates Sustainable Societies" between the gender equality sector of the Nordic Council of Ministers and North-West Russia has been launched. The main themes of the co-operation programme are gender equality training, zero tolerance against gender-related violence, gender mainstreaming as well active participation by men.

The co-operation programme was launched in St Petersburg in connection with a gender equality conference, Gender Equality Creates a Sustainable Society, which was arranged on 4 ^th - 5 ^th October by the Nordic Council of Ministers. During the conference Russian and Nordic politicians, government officials, researchers, representatives of NGOs and gender equality experts discussed and exchanged experiences about measures to decrease violence against women and help the victims. Annamari Asikainen, Chair of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Senior Officials Committee for Gender Equality in 2011, noted in her speech that "Violence against women is unfortunately present in all kinds of societies. However, together we can find methods to solve the problems."

The Vice-Governor for the Government of St Petersburg, Luydmila Andreevna Kostkina, will open the second day of the conference. Nordic government officials and the Council responsible for implementing gender equality policy in St Petersburg will discuss the structures, instruments and legislation required to implement gender equality policy. According to the Finnish Ombudsman for Equality between women and men Pirkko Mäkinen, who spoke at the conference, it is important that gender equality is promoted by political actions, but also legislation is needed. "Intervention in discrimination and securing legal protection should be dealt with by legislation", she emphasized.

The conference is a part of the activities of Finland's presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2011. It is arranged in co-operation with the Nordic Council of Ministers' Information Office in St Petersburg.

More information:

Annamari Asikainen, Senior Officer, Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 50 512 5617, forename.surname@stm.fi
Mia Mäkinen, Project Coordinator, Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare, tel. +358 20 610 7261, mia.k.makinen(at)thl.fi
Maria Sagitova, Adviser, Nordic Council of Ministers, Information Office in St Petersburg, tel. +7 812 336 7580, ms(at)norden.ru
Silje Bergum Kinsten, Senior Adviser, Nordic Council of Ministers, tel. +45 3396 0251, siki(at)norden.org

Minister Arhinmäki: Gender quotas for boards of listed companies

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 10:15:00 +0300

The Finnish minister in charge of gender equality affairs Mr Paavo Arhinmäki proposes including an objective of applying gender quotas to the boards of listed companies in the Government Action Plan on Gender Equality. If women's status in decision-making in the business world does not improve otherwise, legislative measures are needed according to Arhinmäki.

"If an equal representation of the genders is not reached in the listed companies in Finland by the year 2013, I propose laying down legal provisions on gender quotas on the boards of listed companies, a minimum of 40 per cent of both genders," Arhinmäki stated at a seminar on women's status in political decision-making held in Helsinki on 22 September.

Arhinmäki however pointed out that quota legislation is no gender equality automat and that neither is decision-making only figures:

"We need both female and male decision-makers who are willing to advance gender equality and bring gender equality issues to the political agenda. Studies regarding enforcement of quotas have shown that quota legislation does not automatically lead to taking gender equality into account when making decisions. Equal decision-making also means that the consequences of decisions for women and men are already taken into account when preparing the decisions."

Arhinmäki hopes that Finland will show an active involvement and openness also in international contexts.

"Finland has much to give as far as equal decision-making powers are concerned. We however must keep our eyes open for good practices developed in other countries, too."

More information

Minna Kelhä, Special Adviser, tel. 040 6873835, forename.surname@minedu.fi

Nordic ministers for gender equality: Integrate the gender perspective into climate work

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:00:00 +0300

The connection between climate change and gender was discussed at the meeting of the Nordic ministers for gender equality affairs on 21 September 2011 in Helsinki. - Sustainable development and alleviating the impacts of climate change require equality between women and men, the ministers stated at their meeting.

The ministers discussed how different sectors could make more extensive use of the gender-specific information there is available on, among other things, the consumption of food and energy and on physical activity, which the gender equality sector has produced to intensify the work against climate change. A data bank on this will be published in November.

Climate change is the key theme of the Finnish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Nordic equality ministers have cooperated on this theme since 2008. Climate change is not only an issue for the developing countries but its impact is also felt concretely in the Nordic countries. During the recent heat waves, for instance, more women than men died in Sweden. The reasons for this are multifaceted, and more research is needed into the connection between gender and climate.

Women and men in the Nordic countries also influence the climate change by their own behaviour. There is evidence that for instance men's and women's different income levels have an impact on what they do during their leisure time and thus also on the climate. For instance, men use more often private cars while women most often use means of public transport.

During the meeting the ministers also touched on gender mainstreaming in the Nordic countries as well as some other gender equality themes. They also took a look at the events to be arranged under the Norwegian Presidency in 2012. The meeting was chaired by the Finnish Minister of Culture and Sport Mr Paavo Arhinmäki, who is also in charge of gender equality affairs in Finland. Minister Arhinmäki told his colleagues that Finland is preparing an action plan on gender equality that will focus on issues related to working life and education. The efforts to achieve equal pay for women and men and to prevent violence against women will also continue. The male perspective will be of particular importance in the Government action plan to reduce poverty, inequality and social exclusion.

The condolences of the Nordic Council of Ministers for Gender Equality

The Nordic Council of Ministers for Gender Equality has during today's meeting received the sad news of the death of former Secretary-General of the Nordic Council of Ministers Per Unckel after a short period of illness. "Per Unckel has through his life-work manifested our Nordic unity and affinity. As a region we stand stronger in the world thanks to his involvement and work. Today, our thoughts go to his family and persons close to him."

More information:

Annamari Asikainen, Senior Adviser, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 50 512 5617, forename.surname@stm.fi
Mia Mäkinen, Project Coordinator, National Institute for Health and Welfare, tel. +358 20 610 7261
Silje Bergum Kinsten, Senior Adviser, Nordic Council of Ministers, tel. +45 3396 0251

Culture gives added value to drug use prevention

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:14:00 +0300

Drug use and social exclusion can be prevented by means of culture. Cooperation in culture and welfare is a theme for the future, and it brings added value. However, the cross-sectoral work in the fields of culture, health and welfare must be promoted, and culture must be integrated into routine social and health services. The role of culture in drug use prevention was discussed in the Nordic Narcotics Forum that took place in Suomenlinna in Helsinki on 24-25 August 2011. The meeting made the 2010 resolution of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs concrete by taking up culture in drug use prevention as a specific theme in the Nordic countries.

Ms Ava Numminen, Regional Artist, lectured on the use of arts and culture tools in the prevention of harmful effects of drug abuse. Arts and culture give the clients versatile opportunities to express themselves, get to know themselves and build an identity free from drugs. They can also act as a gateway from the world of drugs.

Ms Miina Savolainen, Photographer and Social Educator and the head of a community art project called The Loveliest Girl in the World, discussed the method of empowering photography. For ten years Savolainen photographed ten girls who live in a children's home in Helsinki. The photographs allowed the girls to regard themselves as undamaged and precious.

During the Nordic Narcotics Forum, the representatives of the Nordic countries and the autonomous regions of the Åland Islands and Faroe Islands discussed issues relating to drug use prevention and treatment as well as prevention coordination and supervision. The annual Narcotics Forum gives an opportunity to continue and develop the Nordic narcotics cooperation which is based on discussions and exchange of experience. The Nordic Narcotics Forum is part of the Finnish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2011.

Further information:

Mr Tapani Sarvanti, Ministerial Counsellor for Social Affairs, MSAH, tel. +358 9 160 73850, forename.surname@stm.fi
Ms Elina Kotovirta, Senior Planning Officer; National Institute for Health and Welfare, tel. +358 050 354 71 66, forename.surname@thl.fi

Nordic countries seek new models for effective health promotion

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:30:00 +0300

Work to improve public health in the Nordic countries has long been pursued within the Nordic welfare state setting. The present economic climate has now prompted all the Nordic countries to step up efforts to develop new social operating models, service system practices and funding models for health promotion in order to ensure the continued favourable development of public health.

In the Nordic countries, public health is good on the whole and life expectancy is very high by international comparison: 79 years in Denmark, 80 in Finland, 81 in Norway and Sweden and 82 in Iceland. Many widespread chronic diseases have been decreasing for a long time. Although Finland topped the international statistics for mortality from heart diseases as recently as 40 years ago, the population is now close to the same good level of cardiac health as other Nordic countries. Even today, however, Finland has a higher number of deaths from heart diseases among men than any other Nordic country, while Denmark tops the statistics for women.

The positive development in life expectancy has been the result of broadening support across sectors of government in tandem with several successful public health initiatives. One of the most important has been the substantial decrease in smoking prevalence found in all the Nordic countries.

The consistent improvement in public health cannot, however, be taken for granted. In Finland, as in the other Nordic countries, there is an increase in diabetes cases linked to weight problems and lifestyle, while alcohol consumption is high and mental health problems are a widespread cause of disability pensioning. In the Nordic countries, weight problems are most prevalent in Iceland, Finland and Norway: Some 20 per cent of adults in these countries are obese. So far the Danes are the slimmest, with obesity levels of 14 per cent of men and 13 per cent of women. The consumption of alcohol in Denmark and Finland is just over 10 litres of pure alcohol per capita per year. The corresponding figure in Sweden is about 9 litres, while Norway has the lowest consumption in the Nordic countries at 6.5 litres per capita.

New health promotion structures in the Nordic countries

Effective health promotion and prevention of chronic diseases requires a broad-based and concerted effort from all sectors of society, not just the health sector. Measures will be required from political decision-makers, health care providers, municipalities, the business sector, NGOs, and the media.

In Finland, for instance, new health promotion networks have been created. The networks, led by hospital districts, facilitate collaboration between a number of local and regional organisations. Collaboration supports regional municipalities and the primary health care system, for which effective health promotion and the provision of statutory preventive services such as child health clinics and school health care can be a challenge. In Finland, not-for-profit NGOs play an important role in health promotion, especially when it comes to motivating and engaging the public in concrete actions.

Maria Guzenina-Richardson, the Finnish Minister of Health and Social Services, acknowledges the strong political support and wide range of intersectoral measures required for the promotion of public health and welfare. "Our government will see to it that the promotion of wellbeing and health as well as the reduction of inequality will be taken into account in all societal policy-making."

Professor Pekka Puska, Director General of the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), underlines the importance of strong national public health institutes or agencies. "They are extremely valuable in giving political ministries strong and permanent expert support and in providing local health services and many other stakeholders evidence based information guidance. These activities, together with national health monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes greatly help to promote and protect public health".

Sweden adopted a national public health policy in 2003 and is one of the few countries to have a national parental support strategy for all parents of children aged 0-18 years. The societal costs related to unhealthy lifestyle factors and accidents are more than 120 billion Swedish crowns per year. Dr. Sarah Wamala, Director General of the Swedish National Institute of Public Health emphasizes that these societal costs can be reduced by enabling individuals to choose a healthier lifestyle and for interventions to take a long-term perspective . Dr. Wamala adds that such initiatives should also take a life-course perspective: for example, targeting young children, young people and even people in old age in an integrated approach that brings together the efforts and initiatives of several stakeholders at various levels of society. Likewise, initiating public health trust funds would enable long-term investments in population health and consequently lead to health benefits and gains for Swedish society and its citizens.

Denmark has been inspired by WHO's Commission on Social Determinants of Health. A special analysis has been conducted in a Danish context to 1) increase existing knowledge of the causes of health inequality, and 2) to identify the interventions and countermeasures that are expected to have an impact in minimising health inequalities. The report "Health Inequality - Causes and Countermeasures" is to be the basis of a new political strategy on health inequality in Denmark. Dr Else Smith, General Director of the National Board of Health (Sundhedsstyrelsen) is convinced that social inequality in health is one of the most important challenges to be faced in the coming years.

In Norway strengthening prevention and health promotion on a national as well as regional and local level are central elements of the current health system reform. The newly launched Public Health Act sets out five key principles: Equity, Health in all Policies, Sustainable Development, the Precautionary Principle, and Participation. Responsibility for public health is seen as a 'whole of government' responsibility, to be met both nationally and locally. Pioneer municipalities have shown how health can be a cross-cutting priority area of local development, and have made vital contributions to the new Act.

"Only by firm integration of health and its social determinants as an aspect of all social and welfare development through intersectoral action, can we achieve good and equitable public health," says Director General of Health Bjørn-Inge Larsen. "The Nordic Public Health Conference in Turku will be an important arena for the exchange of experience on how to take action forward in the Nordic countries."

Dr. Geir Gunnlaugsson, the Medical Director of Health in Iceland says: "Good health for young children lays the foundation for good health in old age. Indeed, increased attention to healthy early childhood development can be one of the best investments a country can make for its future economic growth and general well-being." The Icelandic 6H Cube project is a good example of how holistic and co-ordinated health initiatives can improve health. The collaborative project between the primary health care services and the Public Health Institute of Iceland has brought about a standardisation of health education given by school nurses in compulsory schools for example by developing user-friendly teaching materials also available in internet.

The Nordic Public Health Conference in Turku

Good practices and Nordic models for health promotion feature at the 10 ^th Nordic Public Health Conference, which begins today in Turku in Finland. The theme of the three-day conference is ‘ Health Promotion at the System Level - How does the Nordic welfare model cope with today's challenges?' At the conference, some 500 experts will be focusing on issues such as the types of health-promoting measures that have an impact on different levels of society, ways of improving health equality, methods for using structural change to improve public health, and ways of converting knowledge into effective health promotion actions.

Further information

Director General Else Smith, National Board of Health in Denmark, Tel. +45 2075 9640, dir@sst.dk
Chair of Nordic Programme Committee Antti Uutela, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland (THL), Tel. +358 20 610 8619, forname.surname@thl.fi
Director General Pekka Puska, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland (THL), Tel. +358 20 610 6001, forname.surname@thl.fi
Medical Director of Health Geir Gunnlaugsson, Directorate of Health in Iceland, Tel. +354 510 1900, geir@landlaeknir.is
Director General Knut Inge Klepp, Division of Public Health, Norwegian Directorate of Health, Tel. +47 9576 0716, kik@helsedir.no
Director General Sarah Wamala Swedish National Institute of Public Health, Tel. +46 063 199 701, gd@fhi.se
Director Taru Koivisto, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland, Tel. +358 50 327 8352, forname.surname@stm.fi

Downward trend in smoking and alcohol use, increase in the use of snus among adolescents

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 10:00:00 +0300

The downward trend in daily smoking among adolescents continued over the last two years, and adolescents start experimenting with smoking at an older age than before in Finland. Alcohol use and binge drinking have also decreased among adolescents below the age of 18 years. On the other hand, snus use and exposure to narcotic drugs have become more common.

This information appears from the nationwide Adolescent Health and Lifestyle Survey 2011 carried out at the University of Tampere, School of Health Sciences. The questionnaire was responded by 4,566 adolescents aged from 12 to18 years. The survey, which is funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, has been conducted biennially since 1977.

The downward trend in experimenting with smoking and daily smoking of cigarettes continues

The experimentation with smoking among adolescents decreased at a steady pace over the period of survey from 1977 to 2011, and smoking is now experimented with at an older age than before. The downward trend in daily smoking, which began at the turn of the century, also continued over the last two years. Roughly every fifth person aged 16–18 (21 %) however still smokes on a daily basis.

Although the law regarding the sales of tobacco has been tightened up, the survey indicates that one in three girls and one in six boys aged 14 years manage to buy themselves tobacco in shops. According to researchers, the conditions for granting sales licences should further be tightened, the supervision intensified and sales licences withdrawn, where necessary. Those shopkeepers that act responsibly for the protection of children could be rewarded.

On the other hand, experimenting with snus has increased both among boys and girls. Snus use among boys has also increased since as much as 14 per cent of the boys aged 18 and 12 per cent of the boys aged 16 used snus in 2011. Although the sale of snus is forbidden in Finland, and it is only permitted to import small amounts of it for one’s own use, the researchers have found that snus is still too easily available to adolescents. The researchers propose imposing stricter restrictions on the import of snus.

Alcohol abstinence among adolescents has increased

The proportion of girls and boys aged 12 and 14 years reporting abstinence is now the highest during this century. The proportion of non-drinking adolescents increased, and alcohol use and binge drinking decreased in the age groups 12 to 16 years.
Alcohol use and binge drinking among adolescents have been decreasing since the beginning of this century. Based on the survey of 2011 this favourable trend seems to continue in regard to those aged below 18.

From the point of view of public health, the increased alcohol abstinence among adolescents can be considered a most desirable development, and it should be boosted. According to researchers, it is justified from the health policy perspective to keep the excise duty on alcohol at a sufficiently high level.

Social exposure to drugs more common

An increasing number of young people know persons that have experimented with drugs. According to the survey, the proportions of adolescents with at least one or several acquaintances that have experimented with drugs are increasing. Adolescents still get the major part of the drugs from their friends and acquaintances.

More information

Susanna Raisamo, University Researcher, University of Tampere, tel. 040 5773 413
Arja Rimpelä, Professor, University of Tampere, tel. 050 569 8285
Reetta Siukola, Senior Officer, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. 050 3602802