Finland
Country Profile
Finland is not among the largest donors of ODA, but it is a strong and long-standing supporter of SRHR. The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has chosen UNFPA as a flagship of UN organisations that receive Finnish funding, and annual funding to UNFPA has increased steadily from 2009 € 15 million to 2012 € 29 million. Overall ODA in 2012 was 1 124 million euro and according to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland the funding for population policy and programmes and reproductive health was 43,34 million euro (2011).
The SRHR-funding for bilateral programmes have diminished in 2011, because of the EU efficiency and coherence policy. Health is not among the priority sectors of Finland, hence the total health funding including SRHR-funding in bilateral programs have decreased. Finland has decided to end its bilateral SRHR programme in Nicaragua due to the country’s poor governance and violations against democracy and human rights. The programme ends when existing project agreements expire in the end of 2012. SRHR funding in Nicaragua will continue through UNFPA and CSO. Afghanistan will become one of Finland’s priority countries meaning increased funding for Afghan programmes. Finland is one of the biggest supporters of SRHR in Afghanistan and funding for this area is expected to increase as well.
Government adopted Finland’s Development Policy Programme in February 2012, which steers Finland’s development policy and development cooperation for the next four years. Finland pursues human rights-based approach to development. The priority areas Finland emphasises in its development policy and development cooperation are: a democratic and accountable society that promotes human rights; an inclusive green economy that promotes employment; sustainable management of natural resources and environmental protection; as well as human development. Amongst the cross-cutting objectives of Finland’s development policy are gender equality and reduction of inequality. Finland sees that SRHR as one of the main means for attaining these objectives.
