Building Equal Municipalities

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Municipality for everyone
Equal services
Equal participation
Role of municipal employees and sectors in promoting equality
Better outcomes through cooperation

Municipality for everyone

All the municipalities' activities and decisions affect the daily life of its residents. This gives municipalities excellent opportunities to build a strong foundation for the realisation of non-discrimination and gender equality among residents.

In an equal municipality, everyone is treated equally regardless of the person’s gender, age, origin, nationality, language, religion and belief, opinion, family relationships, disability, health, sexual orientation or other personal characteristics. However, the idea of equality between people is not enough. Instead, we must actively work to promote equality and tackle discrimination in municipalities.

Inequality has an impact on the opportunities of municipal residents.

The residents of the municipality are a diverse group of people. People’s different resources and life situations affect the opportunities and and needs of residents. If we fail to consider these differences, it may lead to incresed inequality in the municipality despite various measures.

In fact, activities and services can increase inequalities if we don’t identify the different needs of people. Equality can only be achieved when it is ensured that all people, regardless of their situation and background, can benefit from a service.

What kinds of obstacles can municipal residents face in relation to municipal services or activities? Think about people for which the below statements may not be realised:

I can use municipal services in my own language.
I can see people who look like me in the municipal council.
I can find a suitable locker room when I go to a swimming pool or gym.
I can register for a sports course organised by the municipality online.
I can spend time outdoors late in the evening without fear.
I have never had to correct other people’s assumptions of my sexual orientation at school.
I can visit the library without having to consider whether there are stairs or thresholds on my route.
My possibilities for finding employment in municipal services are not worse compared to other jobseekers because of my name or my age.
I can take part in a paid art course without considering how much money I have in my account.
I can use the municipality’s online services with my online banking codes.

Equal services

Equality in services does not mean that everyone is offered same services in equal amounts. In fact, a service intended for everyone may be directly or indirectly discriminatory if not everyone can actually use it or if it is unreasonably difficult for some people to benefit from. A service is only equal if people’s diverse needs and possibilities of using the service have been taken into account in the planning of the service.

In addition to services intended for everyone, the municipality must allocate additional support or targeted services for people whose equality would otherwise not be achieved. In the planning of service packages and individual services, it is important to include competence in equality and user-centered design. Consideration of the different needs of customers ensures the effectiveness and suitability of the service.

Service accessibility checklist

People’s opportunities to use services depend on their knowledge, skills and financial, physical and social aspects. Municipal services must be implemented in such a way that it is possible and safe for everyone to receive the services they need.

Affordability of services. Offering services that are either free, affordable or tied to the resident’s ability to pay ensures that client fees do not prevent the service use.

Understandability of services. The better the objectives set for the services are in line with the meanings that residents give to the services, the more likely they are to use the services.

Location of services. The distance between services and residents may make it more difficult to access services. Transport and services offered in smaller localities promote the opportunities for residents living far from large population centres to participate in the activities.

Accessibility of the built environment. While an accessible environment makes everyone’s life easier, for many people, it is the prerequisite for independent movement and activities. Accessibility is affected by factors such as thresholds in buildings, stairs, door width and whether there is a ramp leading to a building. Access to lifts with assistive devices and accessible toilets are also important factors ensuring accessibility.

Communications and interaction. Information about the services must be available through multiple channels and the used language must be easy to understand. For example, information may not be provided only electronically. An interpretation service, easy language and visual instructions promote equal access to information. It is important to communicate about services in different languages.

Possibility to use the service through different channels. Services are only accessible if clients’ opportunities to use the service channels they deem most appropriate are safeguarded. For some, the possibility of using electronic service channels improves accessibility, while others find it important that they can use telephone or in-person services at a service point.

Social safety of services. Not all people trust authorities and services, for example because of fear of discrimination. This is why the services require developing the personnel's competence, accessible communications in different languages, and clear communicating who the services are intended for. Services may also introduce the principles of a safer space.

Respectful and equal treatment. Encountering each person with respect is important to ensure safe services. Instead of making generalisations and assumptions, it is important to ask clients about their own customs, values and culture. Respectful treatment is focused on the interaction between people and respect for diversity.

Equal participation

The task of the municipality is to promote the opportunities residents have to participate in and influence the activities of the region. The equal participation of residents in the planning of municipal decisions, activities and services reduces inequality in the municipality.

A situational picture lays the foundation for promoting equality

Effective work to promote non-discrimination and equality requires knowledge of the current state of inequality in the municipality. Municipalities can only take effective measures to prevent discrimination, intervene in it and promote the equality of residents based on knowledge. It is a good idea to assess the current state both at the municipal level and on a sector-specific basis, which enables focusing more on the special issues faced by each sector.

Data of equality in the municipality can be collected, for example, through interviews, surveys, workshops, consultations and statements of organisations and other stakeholders, with the help of experts by experience, observations, customer feedback and through outreach work and open meeting places.

Data collected nationally, regionally or in another municipality should also be utilised to create a situation picture. However, it is important to consider whether your municipality has special features related to equality not covered by others’ data.

Data collection requires equal methods of participation

The situation picture of inequality in a municipality is only comprehensive when the municipality has sufficient knowledge of the situations and needs of different groups. Statistics describing averages or surveys aimed at all municipal residents do not always provide sufficient information on all the most vulnerable groups.
In order to understand the situations and needs of all its inhabitants, the municipality must also reach the groups that are at risk of being neglected by the most common data collection methods. In this case, it is necessary to consider different methods for the equal participation of groups.

Checklist for equal participation:

Do you offer various, parallel ways to participate?
Do you look for suitable ways to participate together with the participant?
Is it safe for everyone to participate?
In which languages can people participate?
Is it possible to participate anonymously?
Can people participate in a place where they already spend their time?
What will the participation result in?

Role of municipal emplyees and sectors in promoting equality

Every municipal employee is responsible for promoting non-discrimination and gender equality, regardless of their sector and task. Promoting non-discrimination and equality is not a matter of opinion. As public authorities, municipalities and municipal employees have a statutory duty to promote the implementation of non-discrimination and equality.

Promoting equality and non-discrimination is particularly effective when it is carried out simultaneously on two levels: both as part of everyday work and through specific measures and projects.

Role of municipal sectors in promoting equality

Some of the municipal sectors are clearly connected to the themes of equality and non-discrimination, and are carrying out active promotion work. Meanwhile, other sectors may require more work to identify key development needs.

Education and early childhood education and care play a key role in promoting equality among children and young people and building an equal and non-discriminatory society. Key tools for the promotion efforts include statutory non-discrimination and equality plans.

Youth work, cultural, library and sports services support the wellbeing and promote the inclusion of residents. It is important that the services accommodate the different needs of municipality residents: for instance, does the library’s selection, art exhibition or guided physical activity also reach residents using easy language or sign language?

The built environment lays a foundation for residents’ everyday lives through housing, mobility and public spaces. The task of the sector is to consider solutions, for example, for the accessibility of buildings and the functionality of transport from the perspective of different user groups. The municipality and its services are also increasingly a digital environment, which means that accessibility must also be ensured online.

Social welfare and health care services will be a responsibility of the wellbeing services counties from the beginning of 2023. Municipalities are also responsible for promoting the welfare, health and safety of residents. In addition to a need for cooperation between different municipal sectors in the promotion of welfare and health, there must also be cooperation with the wellbeing services county to ensure a connection to the health and social services organised by the wellbeing services county. From the perspective of service coordination, the municipality should consider aspects such as how health and social services are presented on the website or in the municipality’s own services.

Employment and business services will be provided by municipalities in the future. Already, municipalities often support employment and business activities in the region. For example, municipalities can promote equality by investing in the employment of persons with partial work ability or by considering structural obstacles to the realisation of equality in working life together with employers in the region.

Many issues related to equality and non-discrimination among residents are not limited to the tasks of one sector only. Cooperation and sharing of information between different sectors is important.

Role of municipal decision-making and administration in promoting equality

Municipal councillors and other political elected officials can promote equality and non-discrimination in various ways in their activities, for example by:

requiring all draft decisions to include human impact assessment
actively highlighting equality issues
monitoring and communicating information related to equality
consulting specialists and target groups
ensuring the continuity and resources of equality work
strengthening their competence related to equality.

Executive local government officials are responsible for organising and allocating resources for the promotion of equality and non-discrimination in the municipality. The promotion of equality requires competence, planning, development and coordination in the municipality. A responsible party must be appointed and working hours and resources must be allocated for the efforts. It is also important that all municipal employees are familiarised with the basic issues, obligations, objectives and benefits of equality and non-discrimination.

Financial administration employees: The budget and other decisions related to general government finances affect different groups of people in various ways. If equality is only perceived as similar treatment, the budget may even increase inequality.

The work to promote equality requires both continuous resources and funds allocated to development measures. When assessing the budget from the perspective of gender equality and non-discrimination, particular attention should be paid to:

the gender impacts and effects on people of the overall objectives
allocation of resources (money, space, time, personnel work) by gender and groups of people
special equality and non-discrimination measures and funding reserved for them.

HR personnel can utilise recruitment methods that promote diversity in the recruitment of municipalities:

examine the diversity in your organisation in advance
use a diversity clause in job advertisements. The clause encourages people of different backgrounds, such as people of different ages and different genders and those belonging to various language, cultural or minority groups to apply for the job.
critically assess the Finnish or Swedish language proficiency level required in the task – would less be enough?
use anonymous or partially anonymous recruitment
communicate about your job advertisement in versatile channels and networks.

Communications specialists can employ various means for more equal communications:

Communicate respectfully about all people. Pay attention to the diversity of readers so that everyone can feel that the message applies to them. When referring to different groups of people, use appropriate terms that are up to date. Use glossaries and consult experts for help. Ask for advice if you are unsure whether an expression is appropriate.
Make sure you communicate in an accessible manner. As a rule, any content you produce in your work that is publicly shared online should be accessible under valid legislation. Clear and accessible contents benefit all residents of the municipality, but especially those who have perceptual difficulties, visual or hearing impairment, colour blindness, who use the computer only with the keyboard or whose mother tongue is other than Finnish or Swedish.
Select images that depict all residents of the municipality. Highlight diversity in the images you choose, for instance through the gender and gender expression, age, ethnic background, religious belief, sexual orientation or disability of those portrayed in them. Images of people belonging to minorities are often mostly only used to accompany texts concerning minorities, even though they would be suitable for other contexts.
Create a setting for equal and safe discussion. Ensure the accessibility of physical and virtual spaces and presentations. Consider whether it is necessary to introduce safer space rules to an event you organise.
Set zero tolerance for discrimination and hate speech. You are responsible for ensuring this at your events and facilities. Also encourage your partners to act the same way. Communicate about the rules of discussions, for example in the work community, events and social media. Think in advance about how to report a violation of the rules and how to intervene in the situation.

Better outcomes through cooperation

As a public authority, the municipality is legally obliged to combat discrimination and promote gender equality and non-discrimination in its activities. The equality and non-discrimination plan is an excellent tool for promoting equality and non-discrimination in municipalities.

Equality and non-discrimination plans concerning the activities can be prepared either together or separately. It is often worth combining them into a single document, as a gender perspective is essential in non-discrimination issues and vice versa.

As the municipal sector is extensive, it may not be possible or worthwhile to draw up targets and measures for all sectors in the municipality’s equality and non-discrimination plan. For this reason, it is often necessary to draw up separate sector-specific plans.

Checklist for drawing up an equality and non-discrimination plan

For each measure, indicate the responsible party and to whom the responsible person reports on the status of the measure.
Indicate the timetable for the implementation of the measures.
Put clear indicators in the plan for monitoring the progress of the measure.
The resources reserved for the implementation should be specified in the plan, and they should also be taken into account in the budget.
You can use rewards or penalties to accelerate the implementation of the measures.
You do not have to achieve everything with one plan. Take small steps forward.
Avoid overly vague expressions. The more concrete the objectives and measures in the plan, the easier it will be to put them into practice and monitor their implementation.
Remember to use a dual strategy. While equality must be incoporated into all municipal activities, there is also a need for targeted measures.

Equality and non-discrimination are included in all activities of the municipality

It is important to commit to promoting non-discrimination and gender equality in the municipality’s strategy, general finance and operational plans as well as in individual sectors. Otherwise, there is a risk that the work will be disconnected from other activities. The municipal strategy shows the management’s commitment and sets the direction for the work. Meanwhile, sector-specific plans can be used to address specific issues in a specific sector.

It is also important to include the equality and non-discrimination perspective in other key municipal programmes and processes: in decision-making, steering and management of operations and finance, organisation and production of services, and strengthening the vitality of the local area.

In order to promote equality in the municipality in a goal-oriented, systematic and long-term manner, the work must be provided with the necessary resources and structures. How many of the following are realised in your municipality?

Management is committed to promoting equality
The strategy and action plans include equality objectives
Earmarked resources have been allocated for promoting equality
An operational non-discrimination and gender equality plan
A non-discrimination and equality working group with representatives from all sectors
A non-discrimination and equality coordinator

Regional cooperation ensures effectiveness

Wellbeing services counties and other regional actors are also important promoters of non-discrimination and gender equality. Cooperation between municipalities and regional actors is essential to ensure equality between different population groups and to effectively prevent discrimination.

The statutory planning obligations of the public authorities concerning non-discrimination and gender equality also apply to the wellbeing services counties. Indeed, the plan is a good tool for coordinating cooperation between municipalities and regions. Regional equality and non-discrimination plan can also be drawn up as part of the region's welfare report, in which case the report must include a strong perspective on non-discrimination and gender equality.

Municipalities and wellbeing services counties should join forces when collecting information on residents in the area. Joint projects intensify cooperation and share lessons learned with both regions and municipalities.

Updated: Tue Dec 05 15:38:19 EET 2023