Search

18.6.2025 | Today, the Government appointed the Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations (ETNO) for the next four-year term 2025–2029.

18.3.2025 | Differences and disparities related to origin and ethnicity are strongly visible in various areas of children’s and young people’s lives, such as education, working life, health, wellbeing, inclusion, family life and safety. This is evident from a study by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) on the realisation of ethnic equality among people under 30 years of age in Finland.

11.3.2025 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo invited representatives from Finland’s six largest cities (Helsinki, Espoo, Tampere, Vantaa, Oulu and Turku), immigrant organisations, religious communities and public officials to explore ways to promote good relations between population groups in Finland. The event was organised in cooperation with the City of Vantaa on 11 March.

15.3.2022 | The secretariat of the Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations has been contacted a number of times regarding hate speech and harassment directed towards Russian speakers living in Finland. The Advisory Board condemns all racism, hate speech and other harassment against people of Russian origin, Russian speakers and people from the former Soviet Union in Finland. Adults are responsible for ensuring that there is zero tolerance for intimidation and bullying against children and young people.

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.

14.10.2024 | The Government discussed the recommendations, decisions and conclusions issued to Finland by the international human rights monitoring bodies on 3 October. The discussion was held as part of the implementation of the Government's equality statement. Based on the discussion, the State Secretaries of the parties in Government decided on further measures related to the recommendations.

18.7.2023 | On 17 July 2023, the Government appointed a working group to prepare a Government communication on promoting equality and non-discrimination in Finnish society. The working group was appointed for the period from 17 July 2023 to 31 August 2023.

16.11.2022 | On 15 November 2022, the Ministry of Transport and Communications published a summary of the comments on the draft government proposal on amending the Act on Electronic Communications Services with regard to the must-carry obligation for radio programmes. The proposal will not be submitted to Parliament during this government term, but its preparation will continue in the working group of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

16.11.2022 | On 15 November 2022, the Ministry of Transport and Communications published a summary of the comments on the draft government proposal on amending the Act on Electronic Communications Services with regard to the must-carry obligation for radio programmes. The proposal will not be submitted to Parliament during this government term, but its preparation will continue in the working group of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

5.2.2026 | According to the Government Programme, Finland’s annual refugee quota is 500 persons. In its plenary session on 5 February, the Government decided on which refugee groups would be included in this year’s quota and how many places would be reserved for each group.

21.10.2025 | The Prime Minister’s Office has awarded a total of EUR 240,000 in discretionary government grants for work to combat racism in 2025–2026. The grants were available to civil society organisations representing ethnic minorities and were intended to strengthen the organisations’ core activities and develop new ways to combat racism.

18.12.2024 | The Prime Minister's Office organised the first national anti-racism forum for civil society organisations on Friday 13 December at Paasitorni in Helsinki. The event, which is part of the Government’s action plan for combating racism and promoting equality, brought together some 170 professionals from across Finland who are working to combat racism.

28.11.2024 | Finland will receive 500 refugees under the refugee quota in 2025. In its plenary session on 28 November, the Government decided on which refugee groups would be included in the quota and how many places would be reserved for each group.

17.12.2024 | The Ministry of the Interior has submitted to the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman a follow-up report on the preparation of the allocation of the refugee quota. The report requested by the Ombudsman was also submitted to the Chancellor of Justice. As the matter is of major importance to society and of interest to many, the Ministry of the Interior will make the report available to the public.

5.9.2024 | On 5 September, the Government adopted a resolution on an action plan for combating racism and promoting equality. The action plan elaborates on the statement on promoting equality, gender equality and non-discrimination in Finnish society, which the Government submitted to Parliament on 31 August 2023.

11.7.2023 | Finland promotes the implementation of democracy, the rule of law, and the fundamental and human rights. A society built on trust and good relations between population groups arises from the fact that everyone in Finland can trust that their rights and the principles of gender equality, equality before the law and non-discrimination will be respected and that they will be able to improve their own lives.

13.10.2022 | The military coup in Myanmar last year shocked the people and stalled the country’s positive development. Despite the crisis, Pekka Shemeikka, Head of Mission at Finland’s Embassy to Myanmar, sees a lot of potential in the country and its 55 million inhabitants provided that a credible way out of the conflict is found.

18.3.2024 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and representatives of key immigrant organisations, human rights organisations, municipalities, businesses and labour market organisations met on 18 March to discuss concrete measures to ensure equality in a diversifying Finland.

31.8.2023 | On 31 August, the Government adopted a statement to Parliament on measures to promote equality, gender equality and non-discrimination in Finnish society.

31.8.2023 | On 31 August, the Government adopted a statement to Parliament on measures to promote equality, gender equality and non-discrimination in Finnish society.