Why promote equality?

Promoting equality brings many benefits to the municipality. Safeguarding the equality of municipal residents is a factor that helps both attract new residents and maintain existing ones. Non-discrimination work does not only concern improving the status of minorities, but also makes the municipality better for everyone.  A more equal municipality

• promotes the welfare of residents
• improves services
• reduces health inequalities
• reduces inequalities
• increases inclusion.

Equality guarantees the same opportunities for all

Non-discrimination is social justice, which results in many kinds of good things. In a fair society, a person’s status is not determined by such things as their skin colour or gender. Instead, they have equal opportunities to influence their lives and society. This promotes societal peace and good relations between population groups, while at the same time preventing exclusion and inequality.

Society's structures, such as legislation and services, may include hidden discrimination that puts one group in a less favourable position than others. The portion of society who are well-off do not notice structural discrimination because it is not visible in their everyday lives. On the other hand, it may be difficult for a person who is discriminated against to intervene in the poor service that they have received, and for this reason, they may try to avoid the service in question in the future.

The realisation of equality in municipal services increases the experience of fairness and inclusion and independent coping. The aim is often to also reduce the need for services. It is sensible and cost-effective to plan services so that people are referred to the right service at the right time.

People have different opportunities to use municipal services in terms of their knowledge, skills, finances, physical and social capacity. Services that are suitable for vulnerable users are suitable for most users. 

Discrimination, on the other hand, prevents and complicates a person from leading a good life. Discrimination results in insecurity, feeling of exclusion and health problems. People's opportunities to lead a good life and realise themselves are wasted.  

Equality also produces economic welfare. Discrimination is expensive in one form or another. In a viable municipality, trust between people, i.e. social capital, also helps to create economic capital. 

Active equality thinking increases the municipality's need to acquire information about the population and its diversity.  
Why promote equality (Gender Equality website, in Finnish)