4-form proposals made to expedite equality

A working group tasked with finding a way to prevent and reduce inequality between various demographic segments in a report said, although people’s lifestyle has improved in general, but not all the members of the society have managed to keep up with the positive developments.

The working group on Wednesday submitted to Prime Minister Juha Sipilä its final report along with a number o proposals made under four categories: safeguarding, restoring, intensifying, and rescuing measures, said a government press release.

“The standard of living, quality of life and lifestyles of people in Finland have improved on an average, but all have not managed to keep up with the positive developments. The working group was assigned to narrow the gap experienced by those who feel that they are not on board and to facilitate participation in the society,” said the working group’s chair Professor Juho Saari.

The prime minister had formed and appointed the working group about one year ago to find out how to prevent and reduce inequality.

The working group has already completed its tasks and is now proposes taking measures in a number of different spheres of life. Its assignment was to find new practices and means that would create opportunities for all the people living in Finland to get along with the mainstream society as well as have a role to play in the society.

The working group has divided its proposals into four categories: safeguarding, restoring, intensifying, and rescue measures.

Reducing inequality requires a systematic review of the measures that the public authorities are responsible to take to safeguarding people's capacity to assume responsibility, to take initiatives and to act independently.

The group's proposals focus on creating a policy to reduce inequality, developing democratic institutions and child- and youth-oriented services, and reducing inequality in housing.

The restoring measures proposed by the working group are aimed at establishing clearly formulated consistent benefits and service structures that also support people’s capacity to resume independent living.

The working group also recommends harmonising income transfers and services so that they would be more motivating, and would also reconcile work and family life in order to reduce inequality. It considers raising the level of skills and knowledge to a level that would help people bypass unemployment, when changes take place in the working life. In addition, the working group also proposes that reforms to the policy against over-indebtedness, in certain sectors applying to integration, and in substance abuse and mental health services should be targeted at measures to prevent and reduce inequality.

Moreover, the rescue services proposed by the working group support the disadvantaged groups of the Finnish population avail of the opportunities to participate in rescue operations side by side the other rescuers. The proposals tabled by the working group focus on halving the homelessness, strengthening participatory communities, restructuring social rehabilitation as well as the services offered to substance abusers and people receiving substitution treatments, in addition to various services offered the prisoners on probation, for instance.

The working group’s report also proposes initiating a programme of actions to prevent and reduce inequality among the population. In addition to the actual proposals, the working group also suggests that a number of inequality preventing measures be incorporated into the ongoing projects and be incorporated into health and social policy guidelines.