Equality Committee

The Equality Committee monitors and assesses the achievement of equality and non-discrimination for the city’s personnel and in the services provided by the city in accordance with the Espoo story and in compliance with legislation. The Committee may be asked for an opinion on a matter in preparation, particularly from the point of view of equality and non-discrimination.

The tasks of the Equality Committee are to make initiatives and proposals to the City Board and the committees for the promotion of equality and non-discrimination and to monitor the implementation of these values in the concrete activities of municipal services and in the city’s personnel policy in accordance with the requirements of the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life and the Plan for Equality and Non-discrimination approved by the City Board on 16 January 2017. The City Board decides on the guidelines of the Equality Committee and on the commencement of activities in accordance with the guidelines.

The chairpersons of the Equality Committee act as mediators in the handling of cases of harassment of elected officials if the matters have not been resolved in other bodies. The method of operation is described in the ARVOKAS guide.

We also monitor the implementation of equality through the integration programme, the disability policy programme and the ageing policy programme. The committee is involved in the municipal equality network led by the Association of Finnish Municipalities.

The Equality Committee has been operating in Espoo since 1981. In 2017, in accordance with the decision of the City Board, the Finnish name of the Equality Committee was changed to highlight the principles of equality and non-discrimination, and the committee follows the action plan in its operations.

The Equality Act and the Non-discrimination Act oblige all employees of the city to promote equality and non-discrimination in all their activities.

The Equality Act, or the Act on Equality between Women and Men (609/1986), prohibits direct and indirect discrimination on the basis of sex and imposes an obligation to promote gender equality. The Act also includes the protection against discrimination of gender minorities and the obligation to prevent discrimination.

In the Non-discrimination Act (1325/2014), equality refers to the equal value of all people regardless of sex, age, ethnic or national origin, citizenship, language, religion or personal beliefs, opinion, disability, medical condition, sexual orientation or other personal characteristics.

In a fair society, personal characteristics, such as origin or skin colour, should not affect people’s access to education, employment and various services – basic rights belong to everyone.

In the Constitution of Finland, the principle of equality refers to both the prohibition of discrimination and the equality of people before the law. The Non-discrimination Act, the Criminal Code of Finland, the Equality Act and the labour legislation specify the prohibition of discrimination in different areas of life.

The City of Espoo’s equality and non-discrimination plans for services and personnel are not yet in an accessible form. You can request them by sending e-mail to kaarina.salonen(at)espoo.fi.

The meeting follows the Principles of Safe Space

Learning occurs at different paces, I give it time.
I operate on the principle of good will.
I respect, encourage and give space.
I build trust through my own actions.
I respect everyone’s physical integrity.
I give feedback and intervene.

At the Equality Committee of the City of Espoo, we have launched the TASSU equality prize, the aim of which is to promote activities by the City of Espoo and other operators in Espoo that enhance equality and non-discrimination. The TASSU prize is awarded annually. Over the years, various committees have renewed and developed the TASSU prize. This committee made the decision to include the TASSU award in its annual focus area, which in 2022 is to make anti-racist activities visible. The application period was postponed to autumn, and in 2022 the application period is 18 September–7 October 2022.

There are two categories in the contest. In addition to work communities of the city, service users in Espoo may nominate equality-promoting acts by the City of Espoo’s outsourced services or other third-sector operators, such as sports clubs or other organisations, to be awarded. The application can be completed in Finnish, Swedish or English.

The winners of the prize will be announced on Human Rights Day on 10 December, and the prizes will be awarded at Gumböle Manor on a separately agreed date.

Application: Submit your application by 23 October 2022(external link, opens in a new window). The application period for the prize is 18 September–23 October 2022. Participants will be contacted after the application period.

For more information, please contact: Ira Hietanen-Tanskanen, chair of the Equality Committee, Kaarina Salonen, presenting officer of the Equality Committee firstname.lastname(at)espoo.fi

In 2021, NeMo, the diversity group of the Espoo maternity and child health clinic, was awarded the TASSU prize in the city work communities category by the Espoo Equality Committee. The TASSU prize nominated by the residents of the City of Espoo was awarded to Shell HelmiSimpukka Vallikallio and K-Market Kilo for accepting pupils needing intensive special support for TET practical training periods.

In 2020, the City of Espoo Equality Committee awarded the Espoo work communities’ equality prize TASSU to the multilingual coronavirus pandemic helpline. In the category of the City of Espoo’s outsourced services or other third-sector operators in Espoo, the TASSU prize was awarded to the Haaveleiri camp for young people.

In 2019, in the category of the City of Espoo’s outsourced services or other third-sector operators in Espoo, the TASSU prize was awarded to the Naapuriäidit concept by Nicehearts. In 2019, the Espoo Equality Committee awarded the TASSU prize for the work communities of the city to the Espoo City Library and the Riilahti activity centre offering work and day activities to adults with intellectual disabilities for their joint project to support the employment of people with intellectual disabilities.

In 2018, the TASSU prize was awarded to Espoo Youth Services’ project against hate speech. In the partner category, Dementia Home Villa Tapiola Oy came out on top with its DigiTales method, which tells the life story of a resident and strengthens their identity. In 2017, the prize was awarded to the Entresse Library children’s team for engaging children to read, among its other activities.

Principles of Safe Space

Created on 2 November 2021 at a meeting of the Equality Committee.

The meeting follows the Principles of Safe Space

Learning occurs at different paces, I give it time.
I operate on the principle of good will.
I respect, encourage and give space.
I build trust through my own actions.
I respect everyone’s physical integrity.
I give feedback and intervene.

Approved Principles of Safe Space and background

Learning occurs at different paces, I give it time

We have embarked on a journey together and are constantly learning new things as a committee and as individuals. I understand the need for space to take in and process new information. A merciful attitude towards different paces of learning processes underlies my work. Each member’s unique role and way of working take shape over time.

I operate on the principle of good will

I am open, I do not assume: I am interested in the other person and what they say. My goal is to understand the message of the speaker, not to invalidate or disparage them. I understand that we come from different backgrounds and our approaches are refreshingly different. I increase my understanding with questions: Did I understand correctly what you meant? Tell me more? Please give your reasoning for that? There is no such thing as a stupid question.

I respect, encourage and give space

As a member, I take responsibility for interaction in the situation, with my mind on the task of the committee and its advancement. With the use of language, emphasis and non-verbal messages, I communicate my own attitude to others. I respect and encourage others to share their thoughts and also am receptive to others’ views. I let facts talk, I do not get personal.

I build trust through my own actions

I understand my role in creating a safe atmosphere. People can also bring up sensitive matters for discussion and trust that they will stay in the meeting. It is essential that a wide range of voices are heard and that positions are formulated in a joint debate. When I engage in open public discourse on issues discussed at a meeting, I make sure not to disclose the opinions expressed by others or information about the private life of others.

I respect everyone’s physical integrity

I undertake to protect members’ physical integrity at meetings.

I give feedback and intervene

If the interaction at a meeting is not respectful or violates the Principles of Safe Space, I will provide immediate feedback if at all possible. I will intervene in inappropriate conduct. Ultimately, the chairperson ensures that issues are dealt with and intervenes in case of inappropriate conduct.

Equality Committee

The meeting follows the Principles of Safe Space

Minutes

TASSU prize

Principles of Safe Space

Anti-racism Commitment