📋 Tender Overview
The communication sets out a number of actions to promote equality and combat racism. Many of the measures are based on the Government Programme, but there are also new measures. The Government will allocate sufficient resources to them in its budget session within the spending limits.
Under the Prime Minister's leadership, a round table discussion on the promotion of equality and non-discrimination is held annually. Under the Prime Minister's Office, anti-discrimination expertise will be gathered and an anti-racism campaign will be launched together with labour market, sports, culture and non-governmental organisations.
The work of the Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations and dialogue with civil society organisations will be strengthened. The preventive work of the police and Anchor work will be developed.
The Government will also launch a development programme for equality and non-discrimination covering the entire education system. The participation of children with an immigrant background in early childhood education and care will be increased and the appropriation level of gender equality funding used in early childhood education and care and basic education will be stabilised.
The communication emphasises that, according to the Government Programme, integration in Finland is achieved through work. Non-discrimination in working life is promoted together with labour market organisations. For example, business services include services that combat recruitment discrimination. The transition of immigrant women into the labour market will be promoted and organisations' opportunities to support employees facing discrimination and racism will be improved, for example by utilising training for professionals.
The legislation tightens penalties for the exploitation of workers and strengthens controls. Acts of hatred against Jews, Muslims, Christians and other religious groups will be prevented and Holocaust denial will be criminalised. We will explore the possibility of criminalising at least the use of symbols of Nazism and communism when they are used to promote ideas.
The Government will also intensify its own activities to promote non-discrimination, equality and non-discrimination. In international forums and in the EU, Finland will continue its long-standing human rights policy to promote and defend the rights of women, girls, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, gender and sexual minorities and other persons in a particularly vulnerable position.
The Government has submitted a communication to Parliament, where it will be discussed during the autumn session starting next week.
