UN General Assembly
2019

Trust in each other is also closely linked to equality between genders and among generations. The future of our planet lies on the shoulders of today’s young women and men. The inclusion of women and young people in peace processes, conflict prevention and mediation has proven to be decisive. We are approaching the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most progressive policy documents ever for advancing the rights of women. Unfortunately, there is not much cause for celebration. We are deeply worried to see that sexual and reproductive health and rights are now being questioned. Finland remains strongly committed to advancing the rights of women. Respect for universal human rights is the key to a peaceful and just world. Finland strongly believes in multilateral cooperation on human rights, with the Human Rights Council as its cornerstone. Accordingly, we have announced Finland’s candidacy for the Human Rights Council for the period from 2022 to 2024.