Finland, take a lesson from Down Under

Finland's reputation for gender equality is well-established and well-earned. It was the first country in Europe to grant women both voting rights and the right to stand for parliament. Under Sanna Marin, it had the world's youngest female prime minister. The World Economic Forum's 2023 Global Gender Gap Report ranks Finland second worldwide.

By many measures, the concept of equality appears deeply embedded in Finnish society.

You know what else seems deeply embedded in the Finnish society?

Violence against women.

It's among the worst countries in Europe when it comes to domestic violence.

The IPH (Intimate Partner Homicide) rate in Australia is 0.32 per 100,000 women per year.

The same rate in Finland is about 0.64.

Double that of Australia.

Double.

??

In recent years, Australia has launched a coordinated, multi-level campaign to combat gender-based violence. The federal government has committed $1.3 billion over ten years to its "National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children."

What’s being done in Finland?

This is a genuine question; for obvious reasons, I am not exposed to what's going on in the media or public discourse there, nor am I on top of how much is being invested in the issue. I am, however, pretty damn sure they haven't allocated the population-pro-rated equivalent of €163 million to the cause.

This commitment here in Australia, however, extends beyond mere funding – it's visible in daily life and public discourse.

The nation's public awareness campaigns, backed by $46 million over four years (2022-23 to 2025-26), demonstrate this through first-rate content that tackles the root causes of gender-based violence.

Australia has always done public awareness campaigns well; for this one, check out this, or this.

These campaigns are visible where people are - social media, traditional media, or even out there on the street.

Or at the gym.

At my gym, the "16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence" campaign is prominently displayed, with equipment bearing important messages:

I was also reminded of it walking in the park, where the path was adorned with this reminder:

These initiatives are supported by practical resources. The federal government's respect.gov.au website offers comprehensive guides for individuals, families, and communities. State-level resources, such as Victoria's Respect Victoria program, provide additional support and guidance tailored to local needs.

Some might question the effectiveness of such campaigns, but research supports their impact. More importantly, these initiatives send a clear message: violence against women is not acceptable, and positive change is possible through concerted action.

The accompanying financial investment shows what the societal values are. (And yes, I'm aware the arguably badly inadequate investments here too - but it's something, and that something appears to be much more than some so-called leading countries with worse statistics are doing.)

If Finland accepts its current levels of violence against women as an unchangeable reality, it's not just a failure of policy – it's a failure to protect its citizens, and coming from a leader like Finland, that would be...to be charitable, not good.

It's also not good enough to just have nice rhetoric around it; social change needs investment.

The question isn't whether Finland can do better – it's whether it will choose to do so.

A government task force could use a study trip Down Under and take some lessons home.