The cornerstone of unity

9
WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE
AND THE 40 PERCENT QUOTA
The gender perspective should be taken into consideration in all decision-making, at all levels and at all stages. 
In the Beijing World Conference on Women in 1995, women’s rights were declared human rights. If women do 
not have the opportunity to participate in decision-making, these rights cannot be fulfilled. The proportion of 
women in Finland who are involved the political decision-making process has increased promisingly, but the 
po
litical sphere has long been divided into men’s and women’s sectors. Women’s sectors were social affairs, 
health and education politics, but women have successfully worked in areas that have traditionally been 
considered male territory, such as the Prime Minister and the Ministries of Defence and Finance. In practice, 
women have proved themselves equally competent as decision-makers and experts. Our next objective is to 
increase the proportion of women involved in economic decision-making. 
At the turn of th
e 20th century, the Finnish women’s movement struggled for universal suffrage and the right 
to stand for election. Working-class women participated in organising the general strike of 1905, and a hundred 
years ago Finnish women won full political rights in public elections. At the same time, the Finnish system of 
representation was changed from a Diet of Four Estates into Europe’s most democratic single-chamber 
parliament (innovation no. 1). 
Nineteen women were elected in the first parliamentary elections, almost a tenth of the total number of MPs. 
Nine of them represented the Social Democrats and ten were from other parties. 
Women have voted eagerly, and since 1991 they have been more active than men. Political power has been 
concentrating in Finnish women
’s hands; the nation voted Tarja Halonen into office as the first female President 
of the Republic of Finland in 2000, and backed her again in 2006. Riitta Uosukainen served as the first female 
Speaker of Parliament in 1994
–2002, and Anneli Jäätteenmäki was appointed the first female Prime Minister in 
2003. 
The first female minister in Finland was Miina Sillanpää, who was appointed Minister for Social Affairs and 
Health in 1926. Women’s proportion of ministerial posts rose to over 40% in 1990s and in 2003 the number of 
women in our government equalled the number of men. 
The proportion of female MPs remained low for a long time. Between 1962
–1991 it varied between 13.5 and 
38.5%, but in the 2015 parliamentary elections nearly 40% were women. The proportion of women taking part in 
elections has increased without quotas. The proportion of women elected in municipal elections has also 
increased. 
Gender quotas have been applied in Finland to indirectly elected government and municipal decision-making 
bodies since 1995. According to the general rule, equality requires at least 40% representation of both sexes. 
Gender balance is also mandatory in administrative boards and boards of directors in municipal or state-majority 
companies, as well as other governing or administrative bodies formed by elected officials. However, women 
have only marginal representation in economic decision-making. This matter requires attention in private 
companies too, for it would undoubtedly bring economic benefits. 
Tuula Haatainen 
– Chair of the Council for Gender Equality (1995–2003), Minister of Education (2003–
2005), Minister of Social Affairs and health, Minister of Equality (2005
–2007) 

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