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3.9.2026 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has published a job evaluation model to help organisations assess what constitutes equal work or work of equal value. The EU Pay Transparency Directive requires Member States to make available and easily accessible to employers analytical tools or methodologies that support and guide the assessment and comparison of the value of work. Thus, the new model will support the national implementation of the Directive.

22.10.2025 | The gender pay gap has narrowed slowly in Finland. A new research project will produce, for the first time, an extensive long-term economic analysis of the factors that have contributed to the changes in the pay gap. 

2.2.2023 | Finland has implemented tripartite Equal Pay Programmes for four government terms, but the need for them has not gone away. The pay gap between women and men has narrowed slowly. This information comes from an overall assessment of the Equal Pay Programme that was published today.

6.3.2026 | The 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) will take place in New York from 9 to 19 March 2026. Finland will be represented at the session by a broad-based delegation led by Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, who is responsible for gender equality issues.

7.10.2025 | The Nordic ministers responsible for gender equality and LGBTI will meet in Hämeenlinna on 7 October. The meeting will be chaired by Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen.

28.6.2024 | The Government and central labour market organisations have negotiated joint equal pay measures for the period 2024–2027. The aim of the Equal Pay Programme is to further reduce the gender pay gap. In addition to the measures set out in the Programme, there are other measures underway to reduce the pay gap.

2.9.2022 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has launched an overall assessment of the equal pay measures introduced during this government term. The assessment covers the joint Equal Pay Programme 2020–2023 of the Government and central labour market organisations, and a number of the Government’s own projects promoting equal pay.

18.5.2022 | A research project entitled Working careers and occupational segregation behind the gender pay gap, which is funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, studies the career development of women and men and changes in occupational structures in light of long-term statistical data. In particular, it examines how career changes and changes in duties are connected to the gender pay gap.

16.6.2021 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has launched a project to study and develop the assessment of the requirements of work from the perspective of equal pay. The project on work of equal value, which is linked to the Government Programme, will determine what criteria different pay systems use to assess the requirements of work and what these criteria mean for equal pay. Based on this, the possibilit...

18.1.2021 | Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Equality Thomas Blomqvist, Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen, Minister of Education Jussi Saramo and the heads of central labour market organisations will meet on Tuesday 19 January to discuss equal pay. The meeting will focus on how to implement the joint Equal Pay Programme adopted in late 2020. The aim is to reduce the average pay gap between women and men faster.

7.11.2022 | A recent report shows that Finnish higher education institutions still have much work to do in promoting equality for teaching and research staff. Commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Culture, the project examined how gender equality, non-discrimination and diversity in higher education communities are realised and promoted in Finnish higher education institutions. The project’s final report was published on Monday 7 November.

22.2.2022 | The ‘Gender impacts of collective agreements from the perspective of equal pay’ project, which is funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, examines collective agreements from the perspective of gender equality. The research focuses particularly on the impact that collective agreements have on the achievement of equal pay.

21.12.2022 | Finland supports UN agencies in their work to promote stability and human rights. Authoritarian states, conflicts, the food and climate crises and the COVID-19 pandemic are increasing inequality and weakening security and wellbeing worldwide.

23.2.2023 | The Government's cross-sectoral working group on gender equality has assessed the progress of the action plan and prepared a final report. The final report concludes that a large number of the measures in the gender equality action plan were achieved, despite the crises that shook the world. The Government discussed the progress of the Action Plan for Gender Equality in its evening session on 22 February.

3.12.2021 | EU ministers responsible for employment and social affairs will discuss the directive on adequate minimum wages as a way of combating in-work poverty. Other items on their agenda include pay transparency and gender equality in the labour market.

26.9.2023 | International trade impacts the goods and services that are produced and consumed in countries. It also affects employment opportunities and working conditions. Not everyone is able to benefit, however. Disadvantaged groups, such as persons with disabilities have limited access to the opportunities generated by trade and they disproportionately shoulder adjustment.

10.3.2023 | Women’s average annual income has increased EUR 25 more than men’s due to reforms of social benefits and taxation carried out this parliamentary term. Income differences between genders have narrowed in Finland, but only slightly, according to a report commissioned by the Ministry of Finance.

16.6.2023 | The ‘Dismantling segregation’ development project carried out by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health dismantled gender segregation in the labour market by strengthening collaboration between the business sector and education institutions in the Ostrobothnia regions, Eastern Finland, the Häme region and Southeast Finland. The project activit...

8.8.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of EUR 14.8 billion for the Ministry and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 475 million less than in the 2025 Budget. The funding of wellbeing services counties is not included in the appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government. Instead, it falls under the main title of the Ministry of Finance.

24.5.2021 | The Ministry of the Interior has submitted the draft equality and non-discrimination action plan for rescue services for statements. The aim of the action plan is rescue services that actively and systematically promote equality in the long term. The draft action plan will be out for comments from 24 May to 30 June 2021.

4.9.2026 | Finland needs entrepreneurs.

9.10.2023 | The Finnish Government proposes about EUR 16.2 billion in appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its administrative branch for 2024. This is slightly over EUR 134 million more than in the 2023 Budget. The increase is due to needs assessment changes in pensions, for example, and to the implementation of reforms set out in the Government Programme.

15.2.2023 | During 2019–2023, the Government’s working capacity programme sought solutions to the employment problems of people with impaired capacity to work. At the same time, the programme developed more effective services to support working capacity. The closing event of the programme on 15 February examined the employment of people with impaired work capacity from the perspective of social sustainability, inclusion and the service system.

8.4.2021 | The Finnish Government launched the International Gender Equality Prize in 2017, when Finland celebrated the centenary of its independence. The purpose of the prize is to promote gender equality in global contexts and to promote discussion about equality. The nominations are open until 16 May 2021.

29.11.2024 | The EU’s Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council will meet in Brussels on 2 December 2024. Minister of Employment Arto Satonen will represent Finland at the meeting.

28.8.2023 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health proposes appropriations of about EUR 16.15 billion for the Ministry and its administrative branch for 2024. This is about EUR 0.4 billion more than in the 2023 Budget. The increase is mainly due to changes in the needs assessment.

28.11.2025 | Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio spoke at the opening ceremony of the Shelter Coalition in Kyiv on 27 November 2025.

17.9.2021 | The Government has completed its proposal for the family leave reform, and the proposal will now proceed to Parliament for consideration as decided by the Government on 16 September. The reform is scheduled to enter into force on 1 August 2022.

7.3.2022 | Dear audience, ladies and gentlemen

21.9.2021 | On 20 September 2021, Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen listened to the views of Vantaa upper secondary students on future working life. The discussion centred on young people’s wellbeing and equal opportunities to study and work in the EU. The event was part of the Government’s “We are Europe” tour.

21.10.2021 | A state-owned special assignment company named Työkanava Ltd will be established in Finland. Its task is to promote the employment of people with partial work ability who are in the most difficult labour market position. The company would support their skills so that the people could find employment in the open labour market after working at Työkanava.

8.11.2021 | Working life in Finland is strongly divided by gender. This means that many sectors and jobs have a clear majority of either female or male employees. Segregation maintains narrow gender stereotypes, prevents the full utilisation of skills, has a detrimental effect on the functioning of the labour market and is also reflected in the pay gap and, consequently, in pensions.

2.3.2023 | The Act on Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement and Cooperation on Occupational Safety and Health at Workplaces will be amended to improve the enforcement of the provisions on wage dumping and the monitoring of issues affecting indoor air quality. The powers of the occupational safety and health (OSH) authorities to enforce the provisions on wage dumping will be extended, and in future, the OSH authorities will be obliged to notify other authorities of problems with indoor air quality.

23.9.2024 | The Ministry of Education and Culture’s proportion of the 2025 budget proposal is EUR 8.45 billion, which is some EUR 411 million more than in the 2024 Budget. The proposal implements the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's Government, which aims to invest, even in a difficult economic situation, in raising the level of education and training and improving the conditions for conducting science, research and development.

9.10.2023 | The Ministry of Education and Culture’s proportion of the 2024 budget proposal is EUR 8.0 billion, which is EUR 274 million more than in the 2023 Budget. The budget proposal implements the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's Government by raising the level of education and competence of the entire population. The measures in the budget proposal aim to strengthen the effectiveness of science and improve the conditions for conducting research and development.

19.9.2023 | The Government aims to strengthen general government finances, increase immigrants’ own responsibility for integration and improve the position of immigrant mothers. The Government’s proposed amendments to the Integration Act, which will enter into force in 2025, have now been circulated for comments until 23 October 2023.

21.5.2025 | Cyprus and Finland are EU partners with strong maritime traditions and a shared interest in the advancement of European and global efforts to ensure that the future of maritime transport will be sustainable, safe, resilient and competitive.

13.3.2024 | On 13 March 2024, the Ministry of Transport and Communications published the results of a survey on the future need for broadband aid. The survey assesses previous broadband aid schemes, the current state of the markets and any need for a new aid scheme.

26.2.2024 | In accordance with established practice, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs invited civil society organisations (CSOs) to comment on Finland’s activities at the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council on 12 February. Representatives of more than 40 CSOs participated in a discussion with Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen. The discussion focused on the rights of children and the safety...

17.2.2023 | Children and young people have the right to participate and be heard in matters that concern them. The project of the Ministry of Justice has developed methods, compiled good practices and produced communication and training materials on the participation and consultation of children and young people, aimed at authorities.