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Women as ministers in independent Finland

Women in Finland were the first in the world to receive full political rights. Universal suffrage and the right to be a candidate in national elections were entered into law already in 1906. A year later, 19 women were elected to the first Parliament. One of them was Miina Sillanpää, who in 1926 was the first woman to become a government minister. The number of women in politics has increased steadily. A total of 88 women have served as ministers in the governments of independent Finland. Here we present them and their achievements.

Female ministers from 1917

social benefits
All female ministers »
Photo of minister

Katri-Helena Eskelinen

Photo of minister

Eeva Kuuskoski

Photo of minister

Helena Pesola

Photo of minister

Marjatta Väänänen

1917

Universal suffrage is expanded to municipal elections

1919

Right to be gainfully employed without the husband’s consent

1926

First female minister (Miina Sillanpää)

1926

Act on women’s eligibility for government posts

1927

First female professor (Alma Söderhjelm)

1930

Marriage Act: a wife is no longer under the guardianship of her husband

Female ministers 1917 - 1936

All female ministers »
Ministereitä ei löytynyt

1937

Maternity Benefits Act

1943

Statutory school meals

1944

Act on maternity and child health clinics

1948

Adoption of the child benefit

1950

Abortion is permitted on medical grounds

Female ministers 1937 - 1956

All female ministers »
Ministereitä ei löytynyt

1962

Convention on equal pay is ratified

1970

Abortion for social reasons is possible

1972

Contraceptive services ensured by law

1972

Council for Gender Equality is established

1973

Act on Children’s Day Care enters into force

1975

Paternity Act and Child Maintenance Act

Female ministers 1957 - 1976

All female ministers »
Photo of minister

Katri-Helena Eskelinen

Photo of minister

Marjatta Väänänen

1985

Act on home care allowance

1987

Act on Equality and Act on the Ombudsman for Equality

1988

First women priests ordained

1990

First female Minister of Defence (Elisabeth Rehn)

1991

Fathers get the right to a six-day paternity allowance

1995

A woman as Minister for Foreign Affairs (Tarja Halonen)

Female ministers 1977 - 1996

All female ministers »
Photo of minister

Katri-Helena Eskelinen

Photo of minister

Eeva Kuuskoski

Photo of minister

Helena Pesola

Photo of minister

Marjatta Väänänen

2000

A woman as President of the Republic (Tarja Halonen)

2001

Act on Registered Partnerships

2003

A woman as Prime Minister (Anneli Jäätteenmäki)

2007

Female majority in the Government of Finland

2015

Equal Marriage Act

2017

Finland establishes the International Gender Equality Prize (IGEP)

Female ministers 1997 -

All female ministers »
Ministereitä ei löytynyt
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