Peace and Hope for Pride
Throughout the month of June, we are celebrating International Pride Month. The theme of Helsinki Pride this year is ‘Peace and Hope’. We all have the right to peace. We all have the right to hope. They have been selected as this year’s theme for a good reason.
Drawing Lessons from Pioneering Countries for Finland's Well-being Economy Steering Model
A project at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) is working on a proposal for a well-being economy steering model for Finland that would strengthen wellbeing-oriented policymaking in Finland. A workshop, organized by THL and the OECD WISE Centre on 21–22 November 2023, brought together officials from pioneering countries to discuss the functionality and application of governance practices for a well-being framework. Furthermore, the workshop provided insights for Finland to develop its own steering model.
Climate crisis is a health and human rights crisis
The International Health Organization WHO has stated that climate change is the single biggest threat facing humanity in the 21st century. According to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC, approximately 3.6 billion people live in contexts that are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
The future of the century-old maternity clinic in wellbeing services counties
Finland’s maternity clinic system celebrates its centenary this year. The system began in a renovated log cabin room of the Children’s Castle hospital in Helsinki.
Reports on problems, choices and basic principles of Finnish social security system completed
The Social Security Committee started its preparations for a social security reform by identifying problems in the current social security system and by describing its choices and basic principles. The results of this work are now published in five reports compiled by the committee’s five divisions.
Nordic co-operation is also important for safeguarding the rights of LGBTI people globally
On Tuesday, 30 November 2021, the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and Ministry of Justice co-organised a seminar on the wellbeing and safety of LGBTI people as part of the programme for the Finnish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.
World's greatest threats directly impact occupational safety and health
The Global Risks Report of the World Economic Forum includes extreme weather and climate action failure, infectious diseases and digital inequality in the list of world’s greatest threats in 2021. These issues also directly impact occupational safety and health (OSH).
Exceptional law-drafting under normal circumstances (Law-drafting challenges)
Law-drafting is a multi-stage process, which requires a wide range of professional competences and cooperation between multiple instances. In the Covid-19 situation, this work has been performed across ministries and in cooperation with agencies and research institution experts as well as practical actors.
People need help quickly in times of crisis
For over six months, the COVID-19 epidemic has put an unprecedented strain on people’s mental coping and wellbeing. It is important that those who feel anxious or worried seek help in these exceptional times. Sometimes it takes courage to seek help, and it is fortunate that many have been brave enough to reach out and ask for help.
Päivi Mattila-Wiro and Wiking Husberg: Technostress and personal data protection risks — new challenges for occupational safety and health
Work may not compromise the health and safety of employees. There is no ambiguity in this respect. However, it is a challenging objective to reach in a rapidly changing world of work.
Social Security Committee to begin tackling the problem of complexity in social security
The Social Security Committee, which started work in spring 2020, will first determine which social security problems it will seek to solve. Before the summer holidays, the Committee outlined four sets of key social security problems: 1) the complexity of social security; 2) combining employment and social security; 3) minimum social security, basic social security and housing; and 4) coordination of services and benefits.
The coronavirus changed everyday life — it pays to care for your wellbeing
The coronavirus outbreak in spring has changed everyday routines. After the initial shock, some people are even better than before. For others, a possible new wave of the virus and their own future may be frightenining and a source of anxiety. Managing daily life may be difficult.
Pasi Pohjola: The best way to avoid coronavirus infection
The recent public discussion on face masks has been lively and varied. Knowledge and scientific evidence have been used quite well, but also in a way that is too selective and prone to overinterpretation. Unfortunately, all too few have considered the matter relative to the epidemic situation in our country and the primary means to prevent infections.
Pasi Moisio: Open knowledge base enables transparency of committee work and a research-based approach
In accordance with the principles of the Social Security Committee, all those involved in the Committee’s work must have at their disposal the same information about social security. This places the preparation and decision-making processes related to the reform on an equal footing. We want also other people to be able to monitor and assess the preparation and decision-making concerning the reform on the basis of the same information. This can only be achieved by means of a shared and open knowledge base.
Social assistance reform now underway – work aims to help the most vulnerable people in society
I have launched a reform of the Act on Social Assistance and appointed a working group to carry it out. Now is the right time for reform. We have been gathering experiences from the transfer of basic social assistance to the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela) over the past few years. In doing so, we have found several areas that need fixing.
Merja Heikkonen: Preparing a national action plan for the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities amid COVID-19 crisis
Fundamental and human rights have attracted attention like never before because of the decisions made in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Restrictions on movement and assembly, among others, have been imposed. Human rights issues are not, and should not, be themes that gain relevance during crises; they deserve our full-time attention and dedication.
Pasi Moisio: Parliamentary members of the Social Security Committee share views on social security problems
The Social Security Committee has started its work by mapping problems associated with social security. The Committee’s parliamentary members have been asked to provide their initial views on the main social security problems that the Committee should seek to solve. Thus, we are not trying to solve the problems yet, but to define the problems to be solved.
Johanna Laisaari: Children’s rights must also be protected under emergency conditions
The COVID-19 epidemic has shown us in practice how important the rights of children are under emergency conditions. Over the past few months, the rights of children have been considerably restricted around the world. Restrictions have been placed on education, social relations and physical activities. At the same time, the rights of children to security, basic care, play and leisure time have also been reduced in practice.
Pasi Moisio: The most important task of the Social Security Committee
The Social Security Committee has started its first and perhaps most important task: defining the problems to be solved by the social security reform.
Maija Miettinen: Are recommendations sufficient to improve palliative care in Finland?
How can palliative care and terminal care be strengthened so that the final phase of life is as good as possible? We have been working on this in the working group for several months now.
It is time to use Economy of Wellbeing approach to guide the decision-making
The economy is in crisis. Wellbeing is unevenly distributed and not everyone has equal opportunities in society. We are concerned about the state of the environment. The world of work is changing, and ageing of population will change the demographic structure. Now, if ever, is the time to talk about wellbeing broadly.
Krista Kiuru: Testing for coronavirus to be increased considerably in Finland
Finland’s COVID-19 testing strategy is based on the principle of test – trace contacts – and treat. This strategy was adopted for tracing infections at the start of the epidemic. At the same time, our central aim has been to increase the testing capacity.
Kirsi Varhila: Finland started preparing for the coronavirus disease before it hit the headlines
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for ensuring that Finland is prepared for both unexpected and gradually emerging situations that affect, or may affect, healthcare and social welfare services one way or another.
Social security reform benefits from committee work
Committee work brings facts and contradictions into the open. Specifying different perspectives and values serves as a model even for other societal discussions.
Mental health is valuable capital at workplaces
mental health is capital of individuals, families, communities and society, and mental care should be taken care of and invested in. This also applies to working life, as the mental health of the population affects the productivity of working life and employment as a whole.
Minister Krista Kiuru:
Health and social services reform will be carried out focusing on services, reforming the structures simultaneously
Now people need to wait weeks to see a doctor. Clients are lost in a jungle of services when trying to find the right service. These stories have been repeated in the news for too long. It is time to complete the health and social services reform.
Kirsi-Marja Lehtelä
What unites us? – Nordic countries continue discussing
The 70th Session of the Nordic Council starts this week in Oslo and its agenda includes various topics, such as culture, environment, sustainable development, international cooperation, and other matters relating to the current challenges facing our welfare states.
Minister Mattila:
Chronic diseases can and should be reduced globally – Finland to lead the way
By international standards, Finland has been successful in preventing chronic, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). That is why we can venture to set an example for others.
Combatting violence against women together
In December last year, Prime Minister Juha Sipilä announced the recipient of the International Gender Equality Prize. The prize goes to Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel in recognition of her career and her commitment to women and girls globally.
All children who are in Finland are protected, including children seeking asylum
All children have a right to protection, no matter whether they are born in Finland or somewhere else.
International Gender Equality Prize recipient is a glass ceiling breaking role model
The International Gender Equality Prize established by the Government of Finland was awarded on Thursday, 14 December to Angela Merkel.
A lifelong bond is created in everyday moments
Early childhood is full of new things, of joy, confusion, fatigue, and love. Family leaves are fathers’ right. They offer an opportunity to fathers to share everyday life with their children. It is important to use this opportunity as a man grows into fatherhood in interaction with his child.
From policy to practice in gender equality between Roma women and men
In May 2017, a two-day event focusing on gender equality was organised for Roma women and men as part of the project Building a Roma Platform financed by the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the EU.
International community must work for gender equality
Finland has made much progress in gender equality work. Our long history in promoting women's rights goes back to 1906 when Finland became the first country in the world to grant women full political rights.
Finland – a world leader in health technology
Health technology could be the engine of new growth in Finland. The Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation Tekes and IBM have concluded a collaboration agreement on developing a digital health and wellbeing ecosystem in Finland.