Expertise on gender equality and development cooperation

The Nordic countries have been supporting international equality objectives, Finland among them. They are internationally titled and graded to perform among the countries of high expertise of equality. (Jauhola and Kantola, 2016, pp.189-190.) In most of the experts' interviews, the Nordic welfare state is a model that is worth trying to achieve. The third interviewee was in Namibia after the development cooperation of Finland and Namibia was faded out during 2004-2007 (Valjas et al. 2008). Nevertheless, this person respects and follows development policies in terms of programs conducted in Namibia.

Of course, Finland is known for its equality ... like kind of a…how would I say ...

a pioneer in many ways. Concerning women's suffrage and our social structures.

In that sense, of course, and our development policy emphasized that equality is a cross-cutting theme and that it must be reflected in our project activities.

Tietenkin Suomi tunnetaan tästä tasa-arvon…niinku tälläsena..miten mä sanon…pioneerina monessa mielessä. Liittyen naisten äänioikeuteen ja siihen, niinkun meidän yhteiskuntarakenteeseen. Siinä mielessä tietysti ja sit meidän kehitysyhteistyöpolitiikassa korostettiin, että tasa-arvo on läpileikkaava teema, ja että se tulee näkyä meidän hanketoiminnassa.

(Interview 3)

Regarding Jauhola’s (2012, pp.316-317) findings, gender equality happens through the opportunities and possibilities that society offers to women to participate. The third expert draws a picture of Finland as a pioneer of gender equality and highlights social structures and women’s right to vote among the first countries in the world. Again, the welfare model would be the reason to provide opportunities and possibilities for women to be equally part of society. Also, an informant in the fifth interview presents that Finland is a country of example to others. According to the interviewee, many African states idealize Nordic development, including equality. The expert presents also, that Finnish actors of development cooperation have expertise in finding an appropriate way to present the message regarding equality; they had success in political dialogue.

The fourth expert signifies the good position of girls and women in Finland and presents the country as one of the top countries regarding the level of equality. The expert justifies the claim by referring to international recognition and statistical information. The informant does not specify the two latter during the interview. Because of occasionally rambling discussions and limited time, there was not a good opportunity to ask clarification during the interview. Expert in the second interview describes an understanding of equality as something that is so integral part of thinking that one is not even conscious of it. This person relates it as a characteristic of their generation in Finland. Consequently, the viewpoint is more individual and personal, whereas other experts highlight the achievements of the state and social model.

Examples above are part of the Finnish equality discourse, which emphasizes the viewpoint that equality has already happened here. Consequently, there is no need to do anything about inequalities, or equality is constantly advancing by itself, due to the welfare model. (Holli, 2002, p.13; Jauhola and Kantola, 2016, pp.189-190.) Comments of the informants in the first, third and seventh interviews are less typical for this discourse, the experts perceive Finland as a country of a high level of gender equality but simultaneously recognize inequalities in the society.

Even if Finland would enjoy a reputation as a country of high equality, inequalities are still existing in society. Jauhola and Kantola (2016, pp.189-190) present that even if women’s political representation in Finland would have been relatively high from the early state, the statistics of gender-based violence have been on a high level also. Inequalities in the Finnish society is less often presented in experts’ texts than a success story of women as equal citizen with men. The seventh interview signifies that issues regarding equality in Finland and Namibia are similar, but in Namibia, people have a lower income level.

Because not even here, even though we are in such a good ranking for equality, this is no utopia/Eden. So, the problems are pretty similar. They were just a little poorer there. So yes ... I was terribly often talking and attending all kinds of events where we shared our experiences.

Social mobility in Finland is so terribly, probably the fastest in the world. This means that in Finland, even the poorest girls got to school, got to study.

Koska eihän täälläkään vaikka me olemme tasa- arvon, niinkun aika hyvällä sijalla, niin eihän tää oo mikään onnela. Eli kyllä ne ongelmat on aika samanlaisia. Siellä oltiin vaan vähän köyhempiä. Eli tota…mä olin hirveen usein puhumassa ja osallistuin kaikenlaisiin tilaisuuksiin, joissa kerrottiin kokemuksiamme.

Suomessahan tää sosiaalinen mobiliteetti, on niin hirveen, varmaan nopeimpii maailmassa. Tarkottaa sitä, että Suomessa köyhienkin tytöt pääsi kouluun, pääsi opiskelemaan.

(Interview 7)

Jauhola and Kantola (2016, p.193) illustrate the way to speak about the particularity of Nordic and Finnish gender equality: inequalities are presented to be mostly in other countries and cultures. Therefore, it is more challenging to recognize and correct inequalities in their society. Additionally, by constructing the nation and national identity, the way to speak differentiates ‘us’ and the ‘others’.

The seventh interviewee emphasizes the similarity of Finland and Namibia due to characteristic of inequalities. The interview draws a difference between the two countries by arguing that girls from low-income families have better opportunities to go to school and study in Finland than Namibia. The third interviewee compares the Finnish and Namibian context in terms of inequalities and states that gender-based violence is an existing issue in both countries. According to the expert, Finland should not “go to teach” others but admit existing inequalities. S/he presents that especially domestic violence is a challenge both in Finland and Namibia.

Additionally, the first interviewee acknowledges gender-based violence as a social problem in Finland. Expert notes that despite the good reputation that Finland has internationally, there is room for improvement. Regarding the interviewee, Finns are more aware of existing inequalities than Namibians. Citation of the third interviewee is already presented at the beginning of the chapter Expertise on equality and development cooperation. The third interviewee speaks about equality as a result of the welfare model and Finnish women’s right to vote among the first women in the world.

Of course, Finland is known for its equality ... like kind of a…how would I say ...

a pioneer in many ways. About women's suffrage and our social structures.

Tietenkin Suomi tunnetaan tästä tasa-arvon…niinku tälläsena..miten mä sanon…pioneerina monessa mielessä. Liittyen naisten äänioikeuteen ja siihen, niinkun meidän yhteiskuntarakenteeseen.

(Interview 3)

It is typical to present men and women as similar categories within the welfare model, which favors female-friendly policies and enables women to join labor markets for instance. To achieve the ideal gender-neutral category, women are expected to become more men-like in their acts. (Kuusipalo, 2002, pp.212-213.) Expert in the first interview notes that Finnish women in Namibia have been as an example of women’s abilities to do the same work as men do. This person presents that when women become more men-like it increases wellbeing. The second interviewee describes Finland’s way to do advocacy work by the creation of a country image. Regarding this person, Finnish high-skilled workers have been mostly women. The expert illustrates that when women do work that is traditionally associated as men’s work, it is a way to give an example to Namibians how equality can manifest.

Diversity of gender includes an idea of different social factors affecting people’s gendered positions. Only one way to be a woman or a man does not exist, but for example, age or ethnic background affect on women’s rights and opportunities. (Kuusipalo, 2002, p.214.) The seventh interviewee recognizes the impact of poverty on women’s lives. The expert signifies that Namibian and Finnish women have differing situations due to the difference in income level. Also, area of living was signified in terms of diversity:

…different thing if you are in the capital or are you somewhere in the periphery of the countryside, it is a totally different world.

…eri asia et ootko pääkaupungissa vai ootko siellä jossain maaseudun periferiassa et se on ihan täysin erilainen maailma.

(Interview 2)

Even if the second interviewee’s way to present Finnish experts refers to the perception of women and men as similar, this person recognizes diversities. The informant states that Namibian girls’ opportunities vary due to their domicile: those who live in the countryside have more limited opportunities in their lives than girls who live in urban areas.