Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka visits Finland

Press release 97/2016
18 May 2016

Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the South African Executive Director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women, will visit Finland on the invitation of Minister for Trade and Development Lenita Toivakka on 19–20 May.

Mlambo-Ngcuka will also meet with the President of the Republic, Sauli Niinistö, who belongs to the HeforShe -initiative's Impact Champions group, which consists of heads of state and government and leaders from the worlds of business and academia. During the visit, she will also meet representatives of the Finnish business sector and visit the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament.

The aim of the visit is to discuss, among other things, the cooperation between Finland and UN Women, Finland's new development policy guidelines, and the organisation's cooperation with the private sector. Additionally, the discussions will focus on the new goals and action plan of Agenda 2030 on sustainable development and the World Humanitarian Summit, which will be held in Istanbul on 23–24 May.

Strengthening the status of women and girls is one of the four priorities of Finland's development policy. Finland has been a strong supporter of UN Women since the organization started its activities in 2011 and continues to be among its biggest financiers. This year, Finland's so-called core funding to UN Women is EUR 10 million. In addition, Finland supports the organisation's programmes in, for example, Kenya, Tanzania, Nepal, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan and Kosovo and regional projects in North Africa and the Middle East.

UN Women is the leading proponent of the rights and status of women and girls. The organisation aims to ensure equal rights and opportunities for all irrespective of gender. The organisation plays an important role in the implementation of Agenda 2030 and especially in achieving its gender-related goals: achieving gender equality and ending discrimination against all women and girls and eliminating harmful practices by 2030 in every part of the world.

Inquiries:
Marjaana Ettala, Desk Officer, Unit for UN Development Affairs, tel. +358 295 351 683
Marja Koskela, Diplomatic Adviser to Minister Toivakka, tel. +358 295 350 633

The Foreign Ministry's email addresses are of the format [email protected]