Prime Minister appointed a working group to find solutions for halting the growing inequality
Prime Minister Juha Sipilä has appointed a working group to address the inequality issues. The task of the working group is to search for new practices and means to halt the social segregation which has continued for quite some time. This will take place within the budget framework and without increasing public expenditure.
The aim is to secure the conditions for all people living in Finland to make it in the society and to contribute to making Finland into a country where equality and non-discrimination are respected. The working group is chaired by Professor of Sociology Juho Saari.
Reaching the objective requires reallocation of the available public resources and reassessment of the regulation. Cross-sectoral policy objectives must be further specified from the perspective of mitigating inequality.
Special attention is to be drawn to early childhood education, reconciliation of family and working life, education, interfaces between work, unemployment and exclusion from labour force, housing, overindebtedness and immigration.
The term of the working group ends on 31 March 2018. The working group will give proposals on the guidelines for the necessary reforms so that they can be discussed at the Government for further preparation in late spring 2018.
Composition of the working group
Chair
Professor of Sociology Juho Saari
Members
Director General Elli Aaltonen
(Deputy: Director of Community Relations Olli Kangas)
Director General Juhani Eskola
(Deputy: Director Tuire Santamäki-Vuori)
Director General Olli-Pekka Heinonen
(Deputy: Professor Kirsti Lonka)
Mayor Anna-Kaisa Ikonen
(Deputy: Director Markku Tervahauta)
Director Karina Jutila
(Deputy: Executive Director Juha A. Pantzar)
Executive Director Juha Kaakinen
(Deputy: Director Päivi Hentunen)
Executive Director Ulla Nord
(Deputy: Medical Director Kaarlo Simojoki)
Inquiries: Riina Nevamäki, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, tel. +358 9 1602 2009, Juho Saari, Professor of Sociology, tel. +358 40 828 1027