Country Profiles

Finland

Context

There exists a strong political and financial commitment to global sexual and reproductive health and family planning (SRH/FP) within Finnish development policy and cooperation.

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In 2022, Finnish ODA reached a total of 1.534 million Euros, equivalent to 0.58% of the country’s GNI. However, for 2023, ODA is projected to be approximately 0.42% of GNI. Following the parliamentary election held in April 2023, a new government was formed. As outlined in the new governmental programme, there will be reductions in ODA over the course of this four-year parliamentary period. Nonetheless, in its new programme, the government has pledged to advance SRH within its development cooperation.


The Finnish Report on Development Policy across Parliamentary Terms was adopted in 2021, to ensure greater continuity in development policy when administrations change. The new policy reinstates that one of the main goals of Finland’s development cooperation is to promote the rights of women and girls, including SRHR. This is expected to be replaced by a new Report on Development Policy and Foreign Trade drafted in 2024.

Policies & funding

Finnish ODA tends to concentrate on the rights of women and girls. Finland spent 48 million Euros on SRH/FP in 2022, which is approximately the same level as in the previous year. After adding support to other programmes more focused on governance initiatives for gender-responsiveness, the country’s contribution to SRHR amounts to almost 65 million Euros.

When it comes to multilateral development cooperation and specifically UN organisations, Finland’s priority is to support gender equality and reducing inequality. For this reason, amongst the UN organisations, Finland prioritises UNFPA, UN Women and UNICEF. Core funding to UNFPA has been on a rising track since 2017, at the level of 17.5 million Euros in 2018, 20 million Euros in 2019 and 33 million Euros in from 2020 to 2022. UNFPA hence remains the largest receiver of Finnish core funding among the UN organisations, which indicates Finland’s strong commitment to SRH/FP related issues.

Finland also funds international NGOs through its ODA. In 2022 Finland set SRHR as one of the priorities for INGO funding. This confirms the promotion of SRHR as one of the key goals of Finnish development cooperation. Finland is expected to fund the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) with 3.5 million Euros, Ipas, with 3.5 million Euros, and MSI Reproductive Choices with 8 million for 2021–2024.

Moreover, Finland supports SRH/FP in several fragile states: Afghanistan, Somalia, Myanmar, Iraq and Syria and its neighbouring areas through UNFPA and Marie Stopes International.

Forecast

In its new programme, the government outlines that Finland has demonstrated a commitment to the United Nations’ recommended level of allocating 0.7% of GNI for development cooperation. But due to the prevailing economic circumstances, there will be reductions in development cooperation assistance during the current government’s term, which will be implemented gradually while considering the existing international commitments. As part of the upcoming Report on Development Policy and Foreign Trade, the government will delineate its development policy priorities and formulate a multi-year plan for development funding.

Internationally vocal

Finland had a strong, progressive voice in the 2030 Agenda process in support of human rights and gender equality, including FP. Women’s and girls’ rights and gender equality continue being main priorities in Finland’s development cooperation.

Finland is also active at the EU level: in 2021, the country joined the Team Europe Initiative focusing on SRHR in sub-Saharan Africa. In a recent evaluation of the Finnish development policy influencing in the EU, SRHR and gender equality were highlighted as the key areas where Finland has been vocal.

chamiya mohamad

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