The winner of the International Gender Equality Prize will be announced in December

The International Gender Equality Prize (IGEP) will be awarded by the Government of Finland on 2 December. The prize, which was awarded for the first time in 2017, is a recognition of internationally significant work to promote gender equality. German Chancellor Angela Merkel received the prize in 2017. She directed the prize money to a Nigerien organisation that defends victims of domestic violence. 

The 2019 prize ceremony will draw attention to issues that must be tackled in order to eliminate inequality. For example, discriminatory laws and practices still exist in all countries of the world. Changing such laws and actively implementing them would help to secure equal rights for all.

For example, many international agreements have been drawn up to implement economic and human rights, such as the UN’s Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The Beijing Declaration will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year, providing an opportune time to remind that equality does not progress without effort. In recent times, many accomplishments within gender equality have taken a backward step, even in the EU. 

Common values and the rule of law have been key themes during Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU. The rights of women and girls is an issue where Finland can demonstrate – by its own example and through the support it offers – that investments in gender equality are investments in sustainable wellbeing and the future. 

Finland strongly believes in gender equality and is committed to promoting the implementation of gender equality globally through its activities. The Government of Finland’s International Gender Equality Prize is one way to implement the UN’s 2030 Agenda objectives. 

The prize will total EUR 300,000. An open nomination period for the recipient of the award took place at the end of 2018. A jury of international gender equality experts selected the winner from among 300 proposals from more than 60 countries.

Programme

Monday 2 December, 2019
PRIZE CEREMONY, 15:00 – 16:30

Opening Music by Takomo Percussion

Opening Remarks
Anna-Kaisa Ikonen, Chair of the Tampere City Council

Address
Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Equality Thomas Blomqvist 

Awarding IGEP 2019

Pirkanpojat Boys’ Choir, accompanied by Jouni Rissanen

Panel Discussion
Facilitated by Tanja Auvinen, Director, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
Katja Iversen, President/CEO, Women Deliver, New York
Dean Peacock, Senior Advisor, Promundo, Cape Town
Eva Biaudet, MP and Chair of the National Council of Women of Finland Helsinki
Jukka Maarianvaara, Ombudsman for Equality, Helsinki
The 2019 IGEP Winner

Commentary
Dan Seymour, Director of the Strategic Partnership Division, UN Women

RECEPTION 16:30 – 18:00
Music by Aino Kurki, kantele (the traditional Finnish and Karelian plucked string instrument), and Saaramaija Żórawski, vocals, saxophone and flute
Opening remarks
Thomas Blomqvist, Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Equality in Finland

Commentary
The IGEP Winner 2019 

For futher information about the event at Tampere Hall
communications manager Anne Sivula, Tampere Hall, [email protected]
senior specialist Annukka Lyra, Prime Minister's Office, [email protected]
[email protected]
To event registration