Good News from Thu, 15 December, 2011:

Equality is Finland’s best brand value

I was recently on a trip to Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country with 250 million inhabitants. Among the people I met there was Indonesia’s Minister for Equality and Ombudsman. The reception I got was superb and I noticed that great respect was afforded to me, to my experiences as a Ombudsman for minorities, and to my country. It transpired that Indonesia has modelled itself on Finland, having created its own ombudsman, and the country’s Minister for Equality told me that Finland served as their role model.

Finland has much to give the world and our role in it is to promote equality and non-discrimination. Finland should have a powerful role on the world stage.

Working for peace is the basis of our co-operation with other countries. On a global scale poverty is the biggest problem and those who suffer most from it are girls and women the world over. In the long term poverty can only be reduced through education and by targeted eradication of inequalities between men and women. Finland’s aid policy should be directed so that it reinforces especially the position of women and children.

Last week the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to three women, all of whom have fought for peace and human rights in their own countries. One of these was Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the President of Liberia.

In 2002 Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Elisabeth Rehn together published a report on how armed conflicts impoverish women. The book is an important reminder of how positive the role of women is in building peace. It also reminds us of the appalling conditions children and women endure during wars. Equality is one of our most important exports and we have to work for it.

Eva Biaudet
Ombudsman for Minorities and RKP (Swedish People’s Party) Presidential Candidate

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Comments (1)

Brian Joyce Mon 2 January 2012 at 13:21
As a lecturer on International degree programmes and an entrepreneur for over 20 years in Finland I have to say I agree with much of this document about racism in Finland www.the-latest.com/files/Finnish%20Racism%201.doc and how there is an implicit blocking process towards diversity in the workplace. By diversity I mean the inclusion of immigrant students and workers. I also believe that many politicians and voters are gullible to the "Finland is best propaganda" spread by institutions and the press. I also believe Finland has a quasi-democracy and the voters have been short changed by their representatives for the last 30 years. See this report http://www.toivoajatuspaja.fi/mp/db/file_library/x/IMG/33857/file/Quasi-Democracy_LOW.pdf. However there is much good in Finland, that's why I've stayed with my family for so long but please don't compare yourself to other cultures in a näive or arrogant fashion.

Regards

Brian Joyce