CEDAW Committee gave Finland recommendations on the realisation of the rights of women

4.11.2022

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) gave Finland recommendations on the realisation of the rights of women on the 31st of October 2022. The recommendations follow Finland’s eight periodic report on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Periodic reporting takes place every four years.

The Committee welcomed Finland’s progress for example in changing the definition of rape to consent-based, reforming parental allowances, reforming the Equality Act and adopting several institutional and political actions to improve equality.

The Committee will follow the implementation of five recommendations in an expedited procedure. Finland must report on these within two years:

  • gender-related hate speech,
  • repealing section 2 of the Act on Sterilisation,
  • ending mediation in cases of intimate partner violence and domestic violence,
  • improving representation of women on the candidate lists of political parties,  
  • improving representation of women in decision-making positions in the Defence Forces.

In addition, the Committee gave recommendations on, for example, violence against women, strengthening equality in education and employment, actions against human trafficking and strengthening equality in COVID-19 recovery measures.

The Human Rights Centre participated in the periodic reporting by providing a statement to the Committee in June 2021 and by providing additional information in September 2022. Furthermore, the Human Rights Centre participated in the Committee hearing, in which the Committee discussed the periodic report by the Finnish government. The statements by the Human Rights Centre and civil society organisations complemented the report of the government.

The recommendations of the CEDAW Committee and other material related to the eight periodic reporting can be found from UN Treaty Body Database. You can find the press release of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland on the matter here.