Nordic gender equality ministers to meet in Hämeenlinna

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

7.10.2025 8.56 | Published in English on 7.10.2025 at 19.09

Press release

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.

The ministers will discuss, among other things, how the Nordic countries can work together to promote gender equality in a time when gender equality and human rights are being challenged globally.

Gender equality is about human rights and the preconditions for social justice. According to the United Nations, a quarter of the world’s countries have taken steps backwards in gender equality.
“The Nordic countries have a long tradition of promoting gender equality, and other countries look to us as an example. But today, the global efforts to advance gender equality are not just moving forward. There is also a real and justified concern that, in the future, our children will have fewer rights, not more. That is why the Nordic countries have an important role to play in advancing the rights of women and girls and promoting gender equality, both at home and internationally,” says Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, who is responsible for gender equality issues.

The Nordic countries are known for their tradition of gender equality and for defending the rights of women and girls. The Nordic ministers for gender equality collaborate closely especially in international forums. Cooperation plays an increasingly important role in a time when gender equality-related rights that have already been achieved are being revoked.

“We are deeply concerned about the direction of development and the growing opposition to gender equality and the rights of sexual and gender minorities, also in the Nordic countries,” says Grahn-Laasonen.

Men and boys as stakeholders and co-beneficiaries in advancing gender equality

The meeting will also discuss gender equality for boys and men, for example involving men and boys as stakeholders and co-beneficiaries in advancing gender equality.

The Nordic ministers responsible for gender equality and LGBTI have commissioned a report on the situation of men in the Nordic countries. It is estimated that there are 50,000–70,000 young people at risk of social exclusion in Finland, and most of them are boys and men.

“It is extremely important to find concrete ways to tackle the social exclusion and weaker learning outcomes of men and young boys, for example,” says Grahn-Laasonen.

Meeting is part of Finnish and Åland co-presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers

During the Finnish and Åland co-presidency, gender equality cooperation focuses on equal pay, gender-based violence and the wellbeing of people belonging to gender and sexual minorities. We also focus on examining the significance of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which were adopted 30 years ago, from a Nordic perspective and on discussing what elements of the Platform for Action have not yet been realised.

The ministers will participate in a panel discussion on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the national Gender Equality Days event in Vantaa on 8 October.

Inquiries:

Mia Mäkinen, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 163 075 (Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers and Nordic cooperation)
Hanna Onwen-Huma, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 163 233 (gender equality)
Laura Rissanen, State Secretary, tel. +358 295 163 632

Email addresses are in the format [email protected]