Interview: “Development funding should prioritize initiatives at the intersection of gender equality and digital transformation”

Ambassador Katri Viinikka has been serving as the Ambassador for Gender Equality at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland since September 1, 2018. Prior to this, Ms. Viinikka was the Ambassador of Finland to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Permanent Representative of Finland to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. On 21-22 October 2024, Ambassador Katri Viinikka was a key speaker at the Beijing+30 Regional Review Meeting, participating in the panel on closing the gender gap. In this interview, the ambassador reflects on effective practices for closing the gender gap, how can we accelerate the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, and Finland’s multistakeholder approach to advancing gender equality.

What good practices have helped close the gender gap, particularly in Finland's innovation and technology sector?

Closing the gender gap in the innovation and technology sector requires efforts at all levels, with the meaningful participation of women and girls being crucial. In Finland, segregation in education and the labor market remains a significant issue. Women are still less likely than men to pursue STEM fields.

Finland actively advocates for gender equality in STEM both internationally and nationally. Recently, we have strengthened the work of the STEM Centre, a science education network of universities, to inspire children and youth, especially girls, to pursue STEM.

It is essential for all educational institutions, from early childhood to universities, to implement effective gender equality plans. These plans should address gender norms and stereotypes. Research in Finland has shown that girls' confidence in their math abilities significantly decreases after just two years of schooling, despite having similar capabilities to boys. What has changed is the girls’ perception of themselves, as they have learned that it is not a “girly” thing to do.

Yet, attracting girls to STEM is just the first step. Tackling discriminatory practices that hinder women's career development is equally important. Employers can lead by example, particularly by ensuring parental leave for both parents.

When used correctly, technology and innovation can promote gender equality and accelerate the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action. How can we achieve this?

Digital literacy must extend beyond basic computer skills to ensure women and girls can fully benefit from remote education, mobile banking, and digital health services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 88 percent of children worldwide were out of school, with remote schooling options limited in many developing countries. With technology and innovations, more girls could access quality education in the future.

Women and girls must also become leaders and investors in the digital sector. Currently, women-led startups receive only two percent of global venture capital funding, reflecting broader gender inequalities. Events like Slush, a major startup gathering in Helsinki, have highlighted this issue and the need for greater inclusivity.

It is also important to allocate development funding to initiatives at the intersection of gender equality and digital transformation. Our national development finance institution – Finnfund – has invested in companies providing digital platforms for farmers and vendors, many of whom are women.

However, technology also enables phenomena that undermine gender equality, such as technology-facilitated gender-based violence. What urgent measures and partnerships are needed to address this?

Finland is deeply committed to combating technology-facilitated gender-based violence as part of our broader efforts to promote gender equality. As a growing form of violence, technology-facilitated gender-based violence should be included in all strategies addressing sexual and gender-based violence.

Recent research in Finland shows that digital violence is the most common form of violence in young people’s relationships. Our national Generation Equality Youth Group has been particularly active in this area, publishing the “Right to Be Online” manifesto, which raises awareness and proposes concrete actions for creating a safe online environment. Tech companies must be involved in these efforts.

Expanding and amending legal frameworks, along with providing services and support to survivors, is essential. Finland has made recent legislative changes, including amending the Criminal Code to make severe online sexual harassment punishable and addressing non-consensual dissemination of sexual images. Gender is now considered an aggravating factor to prevent hate speech against women.

Raising awareness is also crucial. For example, Finnish police have increased their focus on tackling online violence through training, capacity building, and developing online tools.

Speaking of technology and gender equality, could you elaborate on Finland's role as a co-leader in the UN Women Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality?

As a co-leader of the UN Women-coordinated Action Coalition on Technology and Innovation for Gender Equality, Finland has emphasized the intersection of technology, innovation, and gender equality.

A key takeaway from our experience is the importance of inclusivity. The multilateral process thrives when diverse voices are integrated from the start. By focusing on gender equality in technology and innovation, we ensure that critical perspectives, often overlooked in decision-making, are taken on board.

The Action Coalition’s blueprint played an instrumental role in shaping CSW67 (Commission on the Status of Women) in 2023. It demonstrated how multi-stakeholder partnerships can inform and advance inter-governmental processes and also contributed to the development of the Pact for the Future and the Global Digital Compact.

How has Finland implemented a multistakeholder approach to advance gender equality, and what role does the Generation Equality Advisory Group play in this effort?

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland has convened the Generation Equality Advisory Group, which brings together experts from public and private sectors, civil society, tech companies, line ministries, and the tech sector’s social partners.

One inspiring example comes from a Finnish listed tech company that set its gender parity goal at 49-49, with the remaining two percent reserved for non-binary individuals. This approach signals that non-binary people are also welcome in the workforce.

Lasting change requires multi-stakeholder collaboration. Engaging the private sector in the Generation Equality process is absolutely essential. I extend my gratitude to all our partners - private sector, civil society, and government – for their shared commitment to this important journey.