Ombudsman for Equality

Gender equality plans in educational institutions

As part of the overall reform of the Act on Equality between Women and Men in 2005, the Finnish Parliament incorporated into it an obligation for gender equality plans to be drawn up in educational institutions. Section 6b of the Act puts educational institutions under the obligation to draw up an annual gender equality plan with the aim of developing the operation of the educational institution, as a collaborative effort involving staff and student representatives.

The obligation applies to establishments such as vocational schools, polytechnics, universities, upper secondary schools and adult education centres. In addition to bodies arranging training or education leading to a qualification or degree, the provision covers liberal adult education and educational institutions offering short-duration courses. The provision does not set any minimum requirements for the number of staff or students and therefore the obligation covers a very wide spectrum of educational institutions. Only comprehensive schools are not bound by this obligation.

A gender equality plan of an educational institution must contain an assessment of the gender equality situation within the situation and of any related problems. Necessary measures to be taken to promote equality in the educational institution shall be written into the plan. Special attention must be given to the attainment of gender equality in student selection, organization of teaching, evaluation of study performance, and to measures aimed at the prevention and elimination of sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination. A gender equality plan must contain a review of the implementation and results of the previous plan.

The plan may be incorporated into the curriculum or some other plan drawn up by the educational institution. It may be agreed locally that the gender equality plan is updated at least once every three years rather than on an annual basis. However, the needs of the educational institution or measures to be recorded in the gender equality plan may require updating the plan more often, for example annually.

The duty of the Ombudsman for Equality is to supervise compliance with the Equality Act and to promote the purpose of the Act by means of initiatives, advice and counselling. According to the Equality Act, the Ombudsman for Equality may place a matter involving negligence of the obligation to draw up an equality plan before the Equality Board. The Equality Board may, on the proposal of the Ombudsman for Equality, and if necessary, under penalty of a fine, impose an obligation on the educational institution that has neglected the obligation concerning equality planning to draw up an equality plan within a specified period of time.