Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Lenita Toivakka to World Bank Group Advisory Council on Gender and Development

Press release 69/2016
18 April 2016

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Lenita Toivakka has been invited to membership of the World Bank Advisory Council on Gender and Development. She is the first Finnish member serving in this high-level Advisory Council, which fosters equality and development.

"It's a great honour to be a member of the group. It gives me an opportunity to promote the key priorities of Finland's development policy, such as advancement of women's economic empowerment. It is very important that women take part in working life. In Finland, we are well aware that gender equality is economically sensible," says Minister Toivakka, who participated in the Advisory Council's meeting for the first time in conjunction with the Word Bank's spring meeting.

In her addresses, Minister Toivakka emphasised the impact of technology and different digital solutions on women's participation in economic life, the importance of education and the reconciliation of work and family. In many countries, lack of safe day care prevents women's entry in working life.

The Advisory Council was created in 2011 and its task is to promote gender equality questions in the World Bank Group's work. At present, the Advisory Council focuses on the World Bank Group's Genger Equality Strategy, adopted in 2015, and the materialisation of the UN sustainable development goals. The Advisory Council has 22 members, who represent the World Bank's member countries, private sector and civil society. Invited members serve for a two-year term and membership is not transferable.

Inquiries: Diplomatic Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Marja Koskela, tel. +358 40 352 0463.