First National Child Strategy aims to build a Finland that respects children’s rights
Finland has now completed its first National Child Strategy. In 2020, the parliamentary committee which was responsible for preparing the Strategy formed a common view of the vision for a child- and family-friendly Finland that spans government terms.
The Strategy is based on three key ideas, which are to respect the rights of all children, take due account of children in society and support the wellbeing of children.
Towards a Finland for all children
The Strategy will create a genuinely child- and family-friendly Finland that respects the rights of the child.
The rights and status of children will also be mainstreamed, ensuring that children are consistently taken into consideration in all activities alongside with other members of society. Children will be informed of their rights.
The status of children in a vulnerable position will be secured, and their needs will be recognised better.
Implementation of Child Strategy ensures realisation of children’s rights
The National Child Strategy will guide the preparation of an implementation plan for each government term.
The implementation of the Strategy will ensure that the rights of all children are realised as fully as possible. It will also support the inclusion of all children and their right to a future.
The Strategy must be implemented through cross-administrative collaboration, involving a wide range of stakeholders in society, the civil society as well as children and adults of different ages and representing a variety of population groups.
Child Strategy covers all children and young people under 18 years of age
The National Child Strategy applies to all children and young people under the age of 18. In addition, the families in which children live and young adults in the transitional stage between childhood and adulthood are taken into account in the Strategy and its implementation.
One of the objectives of the Strategy is to increase the inclusion of children and young people. An event about the Child Strategy will be held for children and young people on Wednesday 17 March 2021.
Parliamentary committee formed a common view
The parliamentary committee based its work on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and prior studies, and it prepared the Strategy in collaboration. The Strategy is based on the four general principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child — non-discrimination; the child’s best interests as the primary consideration; the child’s right to life, survival and development; and the inclusion of the child.
“I am very pleased with the work carried out jointly by all members of the parliamentary committee and with the fact that we formed a common political will. We had a clear vision of how the Child Strategy will help build a Finland that respects the rights of all children and be a good place for children to be born and grow up in,” says Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru, who also served as chair of the committee.
Johanna Laisaari, Secretary General for the National Child Strategy