14.3.2024 New York: 18th International Helvi Sipilä seminar: Gender Responsive Budgeting – the Core Tool for Gender Equal future

Time: Thursday 14 March 2024 9.00–10.15 am EST (New York), 16–17.15 pm EET (Helsinki)
Place: Permanent Mission of Finland to the United Nations, 605 Third Avenue, 35 Floor, New York.

Welcome to the 18th International Helvi Sipilä Seminar at the UN CSW68. In the seminar, we will focus on how gender responsive budgeting can act as a powerful tool in improving the status of women. We look at the perspectives of the future and present concrete actions with which we can promote gender equality and raise women from poverty in our society.

The seminar offers an opportunity to delve deeper into researched knowledge about gender equality and presents practical tools and good practices that can be applied to gender-responsive budgeting. In addition, we discuss the commitment of the central government and its role in promoting gender responsive budgeting. 

Thank you everyone. The seminar was recorded and will be shared next week via https://akateemisetnaiset.fi.

The concept note can be downloaded from here (pdf).

PROGRAM (Draft)

9.00 am Welcome
Jutta Hartikainen, Finnish Federation of Graduate Women
Anne Pönni, Young Women’s Christian Association of Finland YWCA

9:10 am Opening
Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, Minister of Social Security, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

9:25 am Keynote
Zohra Khan, Senior Policy Advisor, Governance and National Planning, UN Women

9.45 am Discussion
Nadine Umutoni Gatsinzi, Chief Gender Monitor, Gender Monitoring Office, Rwanda
Inka Hopsu, Chair, the Coalition of Finnish Women Associations NYTKIS
Zohra Khan, Senior Policy Advisor, Governance and National Planning, UN Women
Hanna-Mari Manninen, Chair, UN Women Finland

10:10 Closing
Elina Kalkku, Ambassador, Permanent Representative (PR), Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN, New York

Organizers: Coalition of Finnish Women Associations NYTKIS, Finnish Federation of Graduate Women, National Council of Women of Finland, UN Women Finland and Young Women’s Christian Association of Finland

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Helvi Sipilä (1915–2009) was a Finnish lawyer, diplomat and the first female Assistant Secretary-General of the UN. Sipilä received numerous national and international awards including twelve honorary doctorates, and she was granted the honorary title of State Minister in 2001. She held global leadership positions in several organisations, including the International Federation of Women Lawyers and the International Council of Women.

The first international Helvi Sipilä Seminar was organized at the CSW50 in 2006 under the theme “She has Power in her Hands” to commemorate the Centennial (1906-2006) of Finland being the first country in the world to grant the Full Political Rights to all citizens over the age of 24 years.

Last updated 14 March 2024