Right to Choose project launched under the patronage of President Sauli Niinistö

The Right to Choose project, which was launched on 20 August, aims to reduce sexual harassment and violence against women and girls. The project is run under the patronage of President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö.

The project has a website righttochoose.fi or choose.fi, containing links to social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter.

The project will organise national seminars at upper secondary schools to select Right to Choose ambassadors. After going through training, these ambassadors will spread the message in their own schools. In addition, the project will produce four short films, which will be released in spring 2015.

The project will go there where young people already are – social media, schools and various events as well as the world of magazines and blogs.

Project targeted at 15–25-year-old girls and women

The project is targeted at 15–25-year-old girls and women. It aims to enhance their ability to recognise sexual harassment and violence and provide them with tools to deal with such incidents. At the same time, girls and women are given information on criminal proceedings and support services for victims.

Everyone has a right to sexual integrity

The project emphasises that you do not need to hide your looks or sexuality and you are allowed to enjoy them with the person you choose – harassment and violence are the perpetrator’s stupidity and often crimes too. There are ways to deal with them.

- The basic idea of the project is that the right to sexual integrity and self-determination on the one hand, and the right to enjoy one’s own sexuality on the other hand, are as unrestricted as the right to breathe,” says the project coordinator, Ms Elina Katajamäki from the Ministry of the Interior.

The project, to be carried out in 2014–2015, is supported by the EU Progress programme, and it is also part of the Internal Security Programme.

The project is coordinated by the Ministry of the Interior and its main partners are the Finnish Red Cross, the Women’s Line, the rape crisis centre Tukinainen, Lyömätön Linja service in Espoo and the Police University College. The project also cooperates with the Cosmopolitan magazine.

For further information, please contact Senior Adviser Elina Katajamäki, the Right to Choose project coordinator, tel. +358 295 488 376