Väestöliitto, The Family Federation of Finland works in the fields of social affairs and health. Väestöliitto was founded in 1941 and composed of 31 member organizations. Väestöliitto has 100 employees. In addition about 80 child minders work part time. The Chairman is Mr Reino T. Hjerppe, Ph.D. (Pol.Sc.) and the Managing Director is Ms Helena Hiila-O´Brien, M.Sc. (Pol.Sc.).

Väestöliitto’s Global Development Unit promotes global sexual health and rights. This is done through advocacy work and global education, by conducting overseas development projects, by doing project-related research work and by providing training and expert consultancies.

The basis for these activities is the Programme of Action of the UN International Conference on Population and Development, ICPD (Cairo 1994), which emphasizes individual rights, empowerment of women and promotion of people’s health and well-being and which calls for universal access to sexual health services and information by 2015.

Väestöliitto’s first development cooperation project started in 1985 in Mexico. Currently there are two ongoing projects, in Malawi and Nepal. In addition Väestöliitto is currently conducting two projects in Russia. The main focus in these projects is in promoting sexual health and rights of women and young people as well as male involvement in sexual health issues.

 

OUR GOAL

The main goal of Väestöliitto’s Global Development Unit is to promote sexual health and rights and gender equality.

The aim of the activities is that every individual and couple can freely, responsibly and with informed choice decide about issues related to their own sexuality, such as forming close relationships, getting married, using contraception and having children.

Through awareness raising, dissemination of information, provision of training and service delivery Väestöliitto’s development cooperation projects aim at strengthening the position of girls and women, promoting safe motherhood, decreasing unwanted pregnancies and preventing sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS.

The aim of the advocacy and global education work is to increase the knowledge of its target groups on the significance of sexual health and rights in improving the status of girls and women, achieving gender equality, increasing people’s well-being and promoting sustainable economic and social development.