Executive Director of UN Women Sima Bahous to visit Finland

Executive Director of UN Women Sima Bahous will visit Finland on 3–4 December. She will meet President of the Republic Alexander Stubb, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio and Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen. Bahous will also participate in annual consultations on UN Women’s work and results at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

UN Women promotes gender equality, the elimination of discrimination and the strengthening of the status, opportunities and rights of women and girls. The organisation also supports local and national organisations that promote women’s rights. In recent years, it has enhanced its humanitarian action and operates in more than 40 conflict-affected countries.

"A gender-equal world is within our reach if we choose it," says Executive Director Bahous.

Taking gender equality into account in administration, legislation and policy-making is the cornerstone of promoting women’s rights. UN Women has achieved good results. Its efforts to strengthen gender equality legislation and policies impacted 2.8 billion women in 78 countries in 2022–2023.

Strengthening the rights of women and girls is one of Finland’s development policy priorities. Finland provides substantial support to UN Women. This year, Finland’s core funding to the organisation totals EUR 19 million. Finland has also funded country programmes in Tanzania, the Middle East and North Africa, among other countries.

“UN Women plays a crucial role in putting women and girls at the heart of the UN’s work. Finland cooperates with UN Women in linking gender equality, digitalisation and technology in its role as a leader of the Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality. Finland has a lot to offer in this area,” says Minister Tavio.