By Bosse Parbring
Already in 2005, a survey, commissioned by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Ministry of Education, suggested
the establishment of an information service for gender equality. The survey was conducted by Maria Grönroos, formerly employed
at NIKK, and currently Director of Kilden, the Information Centre for Gender Research in Norway. The need for an information service has been argued for repeatedly since then, but only now has the Finnish Government and Parliament chosen to allocate the money needed. The Information Centre will receive 180,000 euros in 2009.
The tasks of the information service will include producing information on gender equality, promoting development and research in the field and gender mainstreaming in the most common information sources. In addition, the Information Centre will function as a contact forum between the EU Gender Equality Institute and Finland.
The precise location of the information service has not yet been decided. Following the decision, the current Minna Portal for Women’s Studies will be closed when the new Information Centre for Gender Equality has been established.
