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29.4.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is requesting comments on a change to the national vaccination programme that would mean offering the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine to everyone who is pregnant. The vaccine is safe for both the mother and the foetus, and it would prevent the majority of severe whooping cough cases in babies under three months of age.

12.9.2024 | Discrimination on grounds of pregnancy is widespread in working life, according to a report commissioned by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health from Statistics Finland. One in four pregnant people experience pregnancy discrimination in Finland.

16.3.2026 | The EU General Affairs Council (GAC) will meet in Brussels on Tuesday 17 March to discuss the EU’s next multiannual financial framework and continue preparations for the March European Council. The ministers will also agree on amendments to the European Election Act and review the progress of the 2026 European Semester. Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Joakim Strand will represent Finland at the meeting.

13.3.2026 | On Friday 13 March, the Ministerial Committee on EU Affairs discussed the new EU Bioeconomy Strategy and outlined Finland’s positions for four council meetings to be held next week. 

22.12.2025 | As of 1 January 2026, an employment relationship may be terminated on less weightier grounds if the employee violates the obligations arising from the employment relationship. Whether sufficient grounds for dismissal exist will continue to be based on a comprehensive consideration, and dismissal may not take place for a minor or discriminatory reason.

12.6.2025 | From 1 July 2025 onwards, pregnant people will be offered the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine as part of the national vaccination programme. Studies show that vaccination during pregnancy is effective in protecting newborns from getting whooping cough. The vaccine is safe for both the mother and the foetus. Having the vaccine will be voluntary.

15.5.2025 | The Government proposes that Parliament amend the Act on Organising Healthcare and Social Welfare Services, the Act on Cross-Border Health Care and the Act on Organising Healthcare, Social Welfare and Rescue Services in the Region of Uusimaa. The proposed amended acts are scheduled to enter into force on 1 October 2025.

6.2.2025 | The Government adopted a resolution on the Government Action Plan for Gender Equality 2024–2027 at its session on 6 february 2025. The Action Plan contains 50 measures, and it has a strong emphasis on the prevention of violence against women. The Action Plan is based on the Programme of Prime Minister Orpo’s Government.

31.3.2025 | The working group on population policy has submitted its memorandum ‘Measures to boost the birth rate and support people to have children’ to Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen. Feedback on the memorandum containing the working group’s proposals can be submitted until 7 April 2025 to support the relevant consultation event.

27.8.2025 | Finland has granted core funding from the 2025 development cooperation appropriation as follows: EUR 25 million to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), EUR 19 million to UN Women, EUR 3 million to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), EUR 1 million to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and EUR 1.5 million to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

20.12.2022 | The President of the Republic has approved the amendments to the Abortion Act. In future, a pregnancy may be terminated solely based on the pregnant woman’s request until the end of the twelfth week of pregnancy. In the 1970 Act, an opinion by two doctors was required in most cases for the termination of pregnancy, and grounds had to be presented.

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.

5.12.2022 | Finland’s additional support will help the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) provide mobile health services, safe births and family planning for women who have been forced from their homes by the drought and food crisis in Somalia.

1.8.2022 | The family leave reform enters into force on 1 August 2022. The new types of parental leave will mainly apply to parents expecting a child on or after 4 September 2022.

14.12.2021 | A tripartite working group prepared a number of legislative amendments for the implementation of the Work-life Balance Directive and the Finnish family leave reform. In addition, the group compared the current labour legislation with the Government’s objectives to improve gender equality at work and in families.

20.12.2022 | From 1 January 2023 onwards, the wellbeing services counties must provide necessary non-urgent healthcare services for undocumented persons and persons whose status resembles that of an undocumented person. 

13.1.2022 | The number of parental leave days will increase and there will be more flexibility for parents to take leave. The reform aims to increase equality in working life and between parents and to take better account of different types of families. The new types of parental leave will mainly apply to families where the child’s estimated date of birth is 4 September 2022 or later.   

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.

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.

Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriön JULKAISUJA | 2025:1 JU LK A ISU JA | 2025:1 Hallituksen tasa-arvo- ohjelma 2024–2027 H allituksen tasa-arvo-ohjelm a 2024-2027 Hallituksen tasa-arvo-ohjelma 2024–2027 Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö Helsinki 2025 Sos...