Working to ensure violence-free future for every girl and woman – Finland to publish its action plan for Istanbul Convention
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.
The action plan is an instrument for the national implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention. The convention recognises that men and boys, too, can be victims of domestic violence.
Violence against women is a serious human rights violation
“Violence against women is a serious human rights violation that undermines the safety and wellbeing of individuals. It is also a major gender equality problem that erodes society as a whole. The Istanbul Convention aims to eradicate violence by strengthening prevention, by improving services for victims and other parties involved and by ensuring that perpetrators are held criminally liable for their actions,” Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen says.
Finland’s Committee for Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (NAPE) coordinates, monitors and evaluates the national implementation of the Istanbul Convention. It also draws up the national action plans.
The action plan has four sections: preventing violence; supporting victims of violence and providing services for all parties involved; preventing repeated violence and holding perpetrators criminally liability; and coordinating the action plan’s measures. The new plan is a follow-up on two previous actions plans, the first covering the years 2018–2021 and the second the years 2022–2025.
Seminar celebrating the Istanbul Convention
The Istanbul Convention entered into force in Finland in 2015. For ten years, it has guided Finland’s interadministrative efforts to prevent and combat violence. To celebrate these ten years, a seminar will be held on 25 November. The action plan will be published at the seminar. Minister Grahn-Laasonen will open the seminar. After her, Suzanne Innes-Stubb, the spouse of the President of the Republic, will address the seminar, followed by several experts.
“Violence against women is a serious problem that requires constant attention. The Istanbul Convention was an important step forward. However, much remains to be done to create a society where everyone sees gender-based violence as unacceptable. This seminar and the publication of Finland’s new action plan are a topical opportunity to acknowledge the work done in this field and to reflect on future needs,” Suzanne Innes-Stubb says.
- Seminar celebrating the Istanbul Convention on 25 November at 12–15.30
- Action Plan for the Istanbul Convention for 2026–2033
- The seminar is streamed live:
Follow the seminar online
Inquiries:
Minna Viuhko, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 163 470, firstname.lastname(at)gov.fi
Eemil Nuuttila, Special Adviser to the Minister of Social Security, tel. +358 295 250 101, firstname.lastname(at)gov.fi
Jenni Krogell, Senior Specialist, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, tel. +358 295 247 709