Survey: Eighty per cent of Finns believe that global eradication of poverty and reduction of inequality is important

A recent survey also found that 62 per cent of Finns continue to believe that development cooperation is very or quite important. As in previous years, opinions were divided between those who took a more positive approach to development cooperation and those who held a more negative view.

An annual survey commissioned by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs shows that Finns’ support for global eradication of poverty and reduction of inequality has remained at a high level. Eighty per cent of Finns believe it to be very or quite important.

Development cooperation continues to have broad support: according to the survey, 62 per cent of Finns consider it very or quite important. The impact on world stability is considered the strongest justification for development cooperation (33 per cent). About one-fifth (21 per cent) of the respondents do not see any justification for development cooperation. More and more respondents say that they have lately taken a more positive approach to development cooperation (22 per cent; 13 per cent in 2023). As in last year, one-third of the respondents hold a more negative view.

The survey indicates that support and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine are something that Finns particularly care about (75 per cent of the respondents). Nearly 90 per cent of Finns believe that providing humanitarian assistance for Ukraine is important. More and more people consider it important that businesses take part in development cooperation and in solving development issues (69 per cent). 

Finns are strongly divided in their opinion on development cooperation. The dividing lines observed in previous surveys are still there.

Women consider development cooperation clearly more important than men do. Seventy-five per cent of women believe that development cooperation is very or quite important. The corresponding figure for men is 48 per cent. Among young people (aged 15 to 24), the figure is 75 per cent.

The educational background is another factor that has a significant impact on attitudes: the lower the level of education, the less significance is given to development cooperation. As regards party affiliation, there is a notable division between the Greens and left-wing parties and the Finns Party. These differences in background variables are largely present throughout the survey data.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has commissioned the market research company Taloustutkimus to carry out the opinion survey on development cooperation for more than 20 years. This year’s survey was conducted as an online panel on 27–31 May 2024. The target group of the survey is Finns aged over 15 (excl. Åland). The total number of respondents is 1,024. The results have been weighted to be representative of the Finnish population and the most recent party support. The margin of error is ± 3.2 percentage points.

• Survey (in Finnish, pdf)(Link to another website.)