Maria Grönroos. Gender Equality Information Services in Finland – a report on information and documentation . Working Group Memorandums of the Ministry of

Social Affairs and Health 2005:13. ISSN 1237-0606, 952-00-1766-6 (print) 952-00-1767-4 (PDF)

The Rapporteur ad int. was commissioned to prepare a proposal on a permanent arrangement for information and documentation related to gender equality in Finland.

The mainstreaming of gender equality promotion into all activities which Finland is obliged to carry out based on its commitments related to e.g. the UN and EU and the present Government Programme presupposes that the information basis (such as statistics, studies and registers) has been produced so that, from the equality point of view, information is easily available. The Rapporteur has surveyed the existing sources of information, discussed with users of research in the field and of gender equality information, as well as scanned possible organisations in which future activities could be placed. A brief description of corresponding units in other Nordic countries is given, in addition.

Based on the information she has received the Rapporteur proposes that

1. the operation of the existing Minna national portal on women's studies and gender equality (http://www.minna.fi), which was established on the initiative of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, should be secured even after 2005 by sufficient resourcing that guarantees its development, which is at least two person-years with sufficient funds for activities for the year 2006;

2. the Government should take measures to establish a new gender equality information service, so called Minna information service, starting from the needs for information and the user groups presented in the Rapporteur's report.

As the objective for the information service is suggested promotion of the work for gender equality by providing research-based and factual information on women, men, gender system and other factors affecting equality. As the three main tasks of the information service is proposed:

• maintenance and development of the present Minna portal;

• making the general national information service on women's studies, studies on men and gender equality and gender equality information available to a large range of users in Finland and abroad; and

• mainstreaming the general sources of information, i.e. promotion of gender and equality aspects in the production and development of mainstream sources of information in Finland.

According to the preliminary estimation by the Rapporteur, an annual budget of at least EUR 350,000 should be reserved for lauching the new information service. The starting point is an information service unit of at least five person-years, including maintenance and development of the Minna portal.

Key words : archives, equality, gender, information services, libraries, mainstreaming, scientific information, studies on gender equality, studies on men, women's studies