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Equal pay Equal pay is a fundamental and human right. Under the Finnish Equality Act, people performing the same work or work of equal value must receive the same pay, irrespective of their gender. Reducing pay gaps is a central equality issue and...

Gender equality The MSAH plays a key role in promoting gender equality by preparing legislation, monitoring the situation of gender equality nationwide, coordinating the development of activities on gender equality and promoting the implementation...

Equality in working life Equality in working life must be promoted particularly in pay, working conditions, terms of employment, recruitment, career development, and reconciliation of work and family life. Act on Equality Between Women and Men, i....

Gender Equality in working life Equality in working life must be promoted particularly in pay, working conditions, terms of employment, recruitment, career development, and reconciliation of work and family life. The Gender Equality Act obliges em...

Disability policy promotes equality Disability policy is made up of society’s actions and policies that ensure equal opportunities, rights and services in Finland for persons with disabilities. What are the principles of Finland’s disability polic...

Gender Equality Act promotes gender equality and prohibits gender-based discrimination In Finland, the Act on Equality between Women and Men, or the Gender Equality Act, lays down obligations to promote gender equality. The Ministry of Social Affa...

8.12.2025 | This year, the International Gender Equality Prize was awarded to Masha Foundation , a Ukrainian public organisation which carries out significant work to help Ukrainian women overcome the psychological consequences of war and other violence.

25.11.2025 | Finland will publish its new national Action Plan for the Istanbul Convention on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The objective of the Istanbul Convention is to ensure that every girl and woman has a future without violence. Finland’s new action plan, covering the years 2026–2033, outlines several long-term objectives and lists altogether 37 practical measures.

3.12.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has published the Non-Violent Childhoods Action Plan for 2026–2033 aimed at preventing all forms of violence against children. The plan, which will be implemented at the government level, is based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Lanzarote Convention and national statutes that require all forms of violence against children to be combated.

6.6.2025 | ​​​​​​​The Baltic Pride Conference, taking place in Vilnius on 6 June, will discuss the inclusion and rights of LGBTI people. The event will be opened by State Secretary Laura Rissanen as part of Finland’s Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

10.12.2024 | The third National Action Plan on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was published today. The Action Plan sets out the measures to promote the implementation of the Convention in different administrative branches in 2024–2027. 

Gender mainstreaming Gender mainstreaming is a strategy for promoting gender equality, and it means that the gender perspective is taken into account in all decision-making. The Gender Equality Unit of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health coo...

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.

8.12.2025 | Kansainvälinen tasa-arvopalkinto jaettiin tänä vuonna ukrainalaiselle Masha Foundation järjestölle, joka tekee merkittävää työtä auttaakseen ukrainalaisia naisia selviämään sodan ja muun väkivallan psykologisista seurauksista.

Amended legislation on health checks for children and young adults Categories: Publication date: 22.12.2025 The timing and content of health checks at child health clinics and schools, and in student healthcare and oral healthcare will be regulate...

Rational, or sensible, pharmacotherapy is effective, safe, of high quality, economical and equal.

United Nations (UN) The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health takes part in shaping Finland’s UN policy with respect to social, health and gender equality affairs. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health participates in the preparation of conven...

Contact information Communications Unit / VIE Communications Unit / VIE Iina Bister, Communications Specialist Communications Unit / VIE Address Meritullinkatu 8, 00170 Helsinki Phone number +358295163015 Email [email protected] Mariina Cervera Li...

National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Cancer is a common disease in Finland. The number of cancer deaths in the country has fallen considerably over the past decades, and as many as two out of three people with cancer recover from the disease. Howeve...

Amended legislation on health checks for children and young adults Type: Press release Categories: Publication date: 22.12.2025 Request for comments: Legislative amendment would extend right of small alcohol producers to sell their products direct...

The mission of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is to safeguard people’s functional capacity, livelihoods and services so that we can live in a stable, equitable and sustainable society.

The principle of organising prenatal screening tests to find out whether the pregnancy is developing normally is that all pregnant women are offered voluntary, free-of-charge, uniform and high-quality screening tests and, when necessary, further tests on an equal basis.

International and EU affairs The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its administrative branch engage in proactive international and EU cooperation that promotes health and social policy. As part of the Government, the Ministry is responsibl...

Roma policy in Finland The overall objective of Finland’s National Roma Policy is to promote the inclusion, participation and equality of the Roma in different spheres of life. The policy programme is a comprehensive action plan, prepared in coope...

National Advisory Board on Romani Affairs The task of the Advisory Board on Romani Affairs is to enhance the equal participation of the Roma population in the Finnish society, to improve their living conditions and socio-economic position and to p...

Preparedness in Wellbeing Services Counties The Government proposes amendments to the Act on Organising Healthcare and Social Welfare Services concerning preparedness, readiness and incident management in both normal and emergency conditions. The ...

Violence against children and its prevention The authorities work to prevent violence against children in many ways and in broad cooperation with various parties. The key national plans coordinated by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health incl...

The Child Strategy is Finland’s national long-term plan for strengthening the wellbeing and rights of children, young people and families with children.

Gambling Policy Programme improves prevention and reduction of harm The Gambling Policy Programme, prepared under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, sets guidelines for the prevention and reduction of harm caused by gambling up to 2030. It...

Mental Health at Work Programme Mental wellbeing is a success factor in working life and a driver of employment. The Mental Health at Work Programme emphasises the importance of adopting preventive measures and promoting mental health in working l...

Contact information The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Telephone: +358 295 16001 (Government switchboard) Postal address: PO Box 33, FI-00023 Government, Finland Visiting address: Meritullinkatu 8, 00170 Helsinki Telefax: +358 2951 63415 (r...

The Ministry The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (MSAH) is one of the 12 ministries in the Government. The Ministry's tasks promote the good health and functional capacity of people promote healthy living and working environments secure suff...

Department for Safety, Security and Health The Department for Safety, Security and Health handles issues pertaining to: organising environmental healthcare and health protection alcohol, tobacco and drug policy and the prevention of harm caused by...

nordic cooperation

Frequently asked questions Why the family leave reform is needed? Currently, parents take family leave unevenly. This is especially detrimental to the position of women in the job market and their income, which has both short- and long-term effect...

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen The National Coalition Party Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen is responsible for matters covered by the Department for Insurance and Social Secu...

NAPE – Committee for Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence The Committee for Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (NAPE) is responsible for the coordination,monitoring and evaluation of the measures required unde...

Actions to reduce the use of tobacco and nicotine products The key actions to reduce the use of tobacco and related products are: as high product prices as possible (price and tax policies) smoke-free environments banning tobacco product marketing...

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health guides, directs and develops legislation on occupational healthcare.

Vera Inspection ICT System The Finnish ICT application Vera is in use in the occupational safety and health administration. In the Vera Inspection ICT System, the inspection report and other enforcement documents are compiled as structured documen...

Government branch The administrative branch of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health includes several independent institutions and agencies, which implement the ministry’s objectives in society and participate in Government Programme projects....

Welfare and health promotion The Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health supports the welfare of people in Finland via social and health services and by ensuring income security. Legislation » Many areas of health legislation enhance welfare...

Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health contributes to coordinating the Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland, which is funded from the one-off EU recovery instrument ‘NextGenerationEU’. The Sustainabl...

Occupational safety and wellbeing at work Shortly The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for legislation, policies and international cooperation related to occupational safety and wellbeing at work in Finland. The aim is to ensur...

International examples to help Finland create governance model for wellbeing economy 4.12.2025 8.46 The economy of wellbeing offers tools for policy makers to secure the preconditions for a good life both for the current population and future gene...

Responsibilities in preventing domestic and family in the Ministry’s branch of government The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) coordinates the nationwide work to prevent domestic and family violence. It also coordinates the network o...

Other authorities’ responsibilities in the tobacco and nicotine policy The Finnish Supervisory Agency (the market surveillance of the products and the surveillance of marketing bans), and municipalities (the surveillance of the entire Tobacco Act ...

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health provides overall guidance and prepares legislation on student health care in secondary and higher education.

According to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Decree on the prescription of medicines (1088/2010), special attention must be given to the safety of pharmaceuticals.

Family benefits The purpose of the benefit system for children and families is to safeguard the subsistence of the child and those responsible for his or her care, and to support the care of the child. The benefits are applied for at the Social In...

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health steers and develops chemicals legislation, which also covers colourants and auxiliary ingredients used in tattoos and permanent pigmentations.

9.4.2026 | 1 ADI-ROM(2025)26 Restricted Strasbourg, 9 March 2026 COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON ROMA AND TRAVELLER1 ISSUES (ADI-ROM) 13th meeting Strasbourg, 1-2 April 2026 Explanatory Memorandum Recommendation to the member States on desegregation and inclusion po...

COVID-19 disease in Finland Shortly Since July 2023, COVID-19 has been classified as a monitored communicable disease instead of a generally hazardous communicable disease. Vaccinations continue to be the most important way to protect against seri...

Press releases about Coronavirus Current Issues More healthcare professionals to be allowed to administer vaccines Type: Press release Publication date: 25.4.2024 13.56 New Pandemic Preparedness Plan takes account of experiences during COVID-19 er...

Child welfare Shortly The objective of child welfare is to guarantee children’s right to a safe growth environment, development and special protection. The aim is to provide support at the earliest possible stage at schools and maternity and child...

14.1.2026 | Gendered vulnerabilities of boys and young men must be taken into account when planning education and health and social services. The latest report calls for a shift from gender neutrality to gender-sensitive policymaking that recognises differences between genders and identifies specific needs. It proposes that raising competence levels and preventing violence should be set as shared national goals across all work with children and young people.

7.10.2021 | The Government has finalised the implementation plan for the National Child Strategy. The plan includes a total of 30 new measures to secure the wellbeing of children and young people and to strengthen their rights. 

Radiation accidents A radiation accident is a rare incident that may be caused, for example, by an accident at a nuclear power plant, other use of radiation or the transport of a radiological agent. Despite the rarity of such accidents, the health...

13.2.2026 | Together Against Cancer – Human-Centred Cancer Prevention and Care National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Finland National Cancer Strategy 2026–2035 Contents Summary 3 Strategic objectives 5 Current situation and operating environment 6 Cancer in Finl...

18.2.2026 | 1 Joint conference statement Roma and Sinti Women in the Public Sphere: Turning Voices into Change 3 December 2025 I. Core values of equality and human rights We, the participants of the multi-country conference “Roma and Sinti Women in the Public...

22.11.2019 | Prime Minister Antti Rinne’s Government aims to improve gender equality in society and make Finland a leading country in gender equality. Preparing a broadly based action plan for gender equality and creating a monitoring system covering all state administrative sectors are among the means to achieve these objectives, according to the Government Action Plan.

Data Protection Contact information Data Protection Officer Data Protection Officer Lassi Kauttonen The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Department for Communities and Functional Capacity tietosuojavastaava.stm(at)gov.fi Controller The Minis...

Client and patient safety The safety of care and services is part of the overall quality of healthcare and social welfare. Safe care and services are evidence-based and effective. They are provided in the right way and at the right time. Client an...

Strategic and Financial Management Unit The Strategic and Financial Management Unit assists and supports the Permanent Secretary and is in charge of developing the Ministry’s strategic leadership. The Unit is responsible for advancing and developi...

Prevention of alcohol and drug related harm and addictions The aim of public authorities is to prevent and reduce the risks, harm and problems caused by the use of alcohol, tobacco and nicotine products as well as drug use and gambling. The Minist...

20.5.2020 | 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.

Working for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health All employment relationships in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health are public-service employment relationships. Public-service employment relationships always adhere to the Public Servan...

15.12.2017 | The International Gender Equality Prize established by the Government of Finland was awarded on Thursday, 14 December to Angela Merkel.

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health Minister of Social Affairs and Health Wille Rydman The Finns Party Minister of Social Affairs and Health Wille Rydman is responsible for all other matters covered by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, ...

4.3.2025 | Uusi laki YK:n vammaisyleissopimuksen toteuttajana Merja Heikkonen Neuvotteleva virkamies, pääsihteeri 4.3.2025 YK:n yleissopimus vammaisten henkilöiden oikeuksista, CRPD (SopS 27/2016) • Sekä sopimus että lisäpöytäkirja ratifioitiin Suomessa 2016...

1.12.2025 | The EU ministers will attend the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council in Brussels on 1 and 2 December 2025. On both days, Finland will be represented by Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso.

10.12.2025 | An independent group of experts has conducted a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform, which was published on 10 December. Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso, Minister of Local and Regional Government Anna-Kaisa Ikonen and Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen consider the findings valuable.

8.12.2025 | Det internationella jämställdhetspriset gick i år till den ukrainska stiftelsen Masha Foundation som gör ett betydelsefullt arbete för att hjälpa ukrainska kvinnor att klara av de psykologiska följderna av krig och våld.

Kansallinen ikäohjelma vuoteen 2030 Tavoitteena ikäkyvykäs Suomi Periaatepäätös Valtioneuvosto, Helsinki 2022 Valtioneuvosto This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohi...

Provisions will be laid down on the principles according to which the inclusion of services and methods in the range of services and their removal will be implemented in public healthcare and social welfare. The possibility of enacting provisions on a national actor who can make a binding decision on the inclusion of the method in the range of public services will be investigated.

31.10.2025 | Healthcare and social welfare 2040 vision Views and proposals of Ministry of Social Affairs and Health officials regarding needs for changes to the healthcare and social welfare service system Permanent Secretary Veli-Mikko Niemi In “Healthcare an...

The Committee for Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (NAPE) is the coordination body required under the Council of Europe Convention (Finnish Treaty Series 53/2015, the so‑called Istanbul Convention), responsible for the coordination, monitoring and impact assessment of the measures necessary for the Convention’s implementation. [This is a machine translation, we do not guarantee the quality and accuracy of the translations produced.]

The Government appointed a parliamentary monitoring group to support the legislative drafting project launched by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health to lay down the principles for the national choice of effective services and methods. [This is a machine translation, we do not guarantee the quality and accuracy of the translations produced.]

24.4.2026 | [Utlysning av statsunderstöd] 8.4.2026 1 (5) [Johanna Laine] [VN/37967/2025] Social- och hälsovårdsministeriet Sjötullsgatan 8, Helsingfors | PB 33, 00023 Statsrådet 0295 16001 | stm.fi | @STM_Uutiset UTLYSNING Införandet av den allmänna hälsomäta...

5.12.2025 | Country report: ECDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment for Finland, 2024 Under Article 8 of the Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 ASSESSMENT ECDC ASSESSMENT Country report: ECDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness Assessment for Finland, 20...

18.12.2020 | The Government and central labour market organisations have negotiated joint equal pay measures for the period 2020–2023. The Equal Pay Programme aims to reduce the average pay gap between women and men. The aims would be achieved through agreement and pay policies, development of pay systems, harmonising work and family life, and reducing gender segregation in working life.

Siirretään ns. vapaaehtoisten mielenterveys- ja päihdepalvelujen sääntely mielenterveyslaista ja päihdehuoltolaista sosiaalihuoltolakiin ja terveydenhuoltolakiin. Samalla pyritään parantamaan kyseisten palvelujen saatavuutta, saavutettavuutta, vaikuttavuutta ja palvelujen kokonaisuutta.

19.12.2017 | Over the coming years, violence against women and threat of violence will be prevented through more than 40 measures. This work will be carried out in several administrative branches together with non-governmental organisations. The objectives will be achieved, for example, by developing cooperation, support services for victims and treatment programmes aimed at perpetrators as well as by collecting data and compiling statistics in a more effective manner.

5.12.2025 | 1 Classified as ECDC NORMAL Appendix 10 - Country follow-up to ECDC PHEPA recommendations Following the PHEPA mission conducted in your country, the final ECDC assessment report includes a series of recommendations aiming at supporting your countr...

26.11.2019 | Non-Violent Childhoods, the new action plan for the prevention of violence against children, contains 93 measures for preventing violence against 0–17-year old children and youth. It will be implemented during 2020–2025.

14.3.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health held a stakeholder event on 11 March to discuss the pandemic treaty that is currently being negotiated under the World Health Organization (WHO). The aim of the treaty is to strengthen international preparedness for pandemics and other public health emergencies. 

8.12.2025 | Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriön JULKAISUJA | 2024:31 JU LK A ISU JA | 2024:## Oikeus osallisuuteen ja yhdenvertaisuuteen YK:n vammaisten henkilöiden oikeuksien yleissopimuksen kansallinen toimintaohjelma 2023–2027 Kansallinen m ielenterveysstrateg...

26.9.2024 | Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen will attend a High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance in New York on 26 September 2024. Minister Grahn-Laasonen will deliver Finland’s address at the meeting, highlighting as a new theme the importance of the gender perspective in comprehensive antimicrobial resistance prevention.

8.12.2025 | Seurantaraportti: YK:n vammaisten henkilöiden oikeuksien yleissopimuksen kansallinen toimintaohjelma (2020–2023) SOSIAALI- JA TERVEYSMINISTERIÖN JULKAISUJA 2023:24 Seurantaraportti: YK:n vammaisten henkilöiden oikeuksien yleissopimuksen kansalline...

22.9.2025 | The Finnish Government proposes EUR 14.8 billion in appropriations for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and its branch of government for 2026. This is about EUR 0.5 billion less than in the 2025 Budget.

13.11.2025 | A national collaboration model is being proposed for Finland to strengthen collaboration among key stakeholders in clinical research and make it easier for patients to access new treatments. The FinTrials collaboration model also aims to strengthen Finland’s position as an attractive country for clinical trials and increase investments in the sector. The proposal was made by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra at the request of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

Nationellt åldersprogram fram till 2030 För ett ålderskunnigt Finland Principbeslut Statsrådet, Helsingfors 2022 Statsrådet This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohib...

10.12.2025 | The wellbeing services county reform is progressing towards the set objectives throughout Finland, but there are still many issues left to address. This is according to a broad-based interim evaluation of the wellbeing services county reform made by an independent expert group.

6.9.2024 | 15 April 2024 Ministry of Social Affairs and Health policy on international and EU cooperation for 2024–2027 The policies of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health on international and EU coopera- tion for 2024–2027 guide the Ministry and its a...

2.6.2023 | SUOMEN SÄÄDÖSKOKOELMAN SOPIMUS SARJA Julkaistu Helsingissä 31 päivänä toukokuuta 2016 (Suomen säädöskokoelman n:o 398/2016) Valtioneuvoston asetus 27/2016 vammaisten henkilöiden oikeuksista tehdyn yleissopimuksen ja sen valinnaisen pöytäkir- jan v...

9.2.2023 | The Government has adopted a resolution on Finland’s third National Roma Policy (ROMPO 3). The key objective of the National Roma Policy for 2023–2030 is to support Roma inclusion, participation and equality and to end discrimination by tackling antigypsyism.

9.12.2025 | Uppföljningsrapport: Nationellt handlingsprogram för FN:s konvention om rättigheter för personer med funktionsnedsättning (2020–2023) SOCIAL- OCH HÄLSOVÅRDSMINISTERIETS PUBLIKATIONER 2023:25 Uppföljningsrapport: Nationellt handlingsprogram för FN:...

24.6.2024 | C O P E N H A G E N I N S T I T U T E F O R F U T U R E S S T U D I E S Future trends & opportunities in the health and well-being sector J U N E 2 0 2 4 P E T E R A A D A L N I E L S E N The Institute at a glance P A G E 3 CIFS is an independent,...

23.11.2023 | The minimum staffing level for care personnel in units providing 24-hour care for older people will rise from the current minimum level of 0.65 employees per client to 0.7 employees per client on 1 January 2028. During the transition period, the service structure will be developed and a number of measures will be taken to improve the availability of healthcare and social welfare personnel. 

11.12.2023 | 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.