Clear gender gaps remain among Helsinki residents

There are gender differences in many different areas of life for women and men living in Helsinki, said the City of Helsinki in a press release referring to statistics.

There are clear differences in pay, experiences of violence and harassment, the number of people suspected of crimes and the mental wellbeing of young people.

For the second time now, the city authority reviewed the situational picture of gender equality by compiling statistical information classified by gender using selected indicators.

Most of the indicators are connected to three monitoring areas at the city level: health and wellbeing, City strategy and sustainable development indicators. A similar review was last published in 2021.

Gendered differences can be found in all areas of life under review (health and wellbeing, safety, education and work, inclusion and discrimination).

The differences in Helsinki reflect the generally accepted perceptions of the differences between men and women. Homelessness, for example, is more prevalent among men than women, and women feel less safe than men.

There are also clear gender differences in the experiences of mental wellbeing and sexual harassment among young people: statistics show that the situation of girls is significantly weaker than that of boys. Most underage people suspected of crimes are boys.

The observed differences have remained similar throughout nearly all of the indicators that were examined in the previous corresponding review. However, the experience of the quality of life of women has deteriorated and it is no longer better than that of men.

The decreased mobility among boys in grades 4 and 5 that was highlighted in the previous review has improved according to most recent data.

Girls in lower secondary school and upper secondary level studies have very poor experiences of inclusion more frequently than boys, but a similar gender difference is not found among those who are 20 years old or older.