TURKU, Finland – In a significant step forward for reproductive health and equality in the workplace, Finland has officially joined the Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business, which is led by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund – the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency.
The announcement was made during a visit on 26 February 2026 by UNFPA Executive Director Diene Keita and Finland’s Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Ville Tavio, to Turku – which is a hub for Finnish pharmaceutical and medical technology innovation.
The Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business is a multi-stakeholder initiative that collaborates with private sector leaders to implement policies such as supporting menopause and maternal and menstrual health in workplaces globally.
Finland’s membership aligns its long-standing global leadership in sexual and reproductive health and rights with the influence of the private sector. Finland can leverage its national experience to help improve global standards, encouraging companies to move beyond vision to measurable action by adopting sexual and reproductive health and rights metrics as a core component of their environmental, social and governance frameworks.
“UNFPA is delighted to welcome Finland as the first-ever government to become a member of the Coalition for Reproductive Justice in Business,” said Ms. Keita. “With its low gender employment gap, Finland is showcasing the many benefits of investing in the health of female employees, and setting a powerful example that I hope inspires further action to achieve greater equality in the workplace.”
Focus areas: From parental leave to menopause
Finland brings significant policy credibility to the Coalition, particularly through its 2022 parental leave reform, which introduced equal, gender-neutral quotas to promote more balanced sharing of childcare. The partnership will also focus on emerging workplace issues such as menopause health – which is supported by Finland’s first national clinical guidelines on the topic – and menstrual health, as highlighted by recent tax reforms on hygiene products.
“Finnish health technology and our pharmaceutical industry can offer concrete solutions to improve the health of women and families globally,” Minister Tavio said.
Finland will advocate for women’s health in the workplace by leveraging existing domestic and international networks, such as the Women’s Health Hub Finland in Turku. This national initiative brings together businesses, research organizations and public actors to accelerate innovation in women’s health across their entire life cycle.
The announcement of Finland’s membership took place at the production facility of Bayer, an early corporate champion and co-chair of the Coalition that is also scaling up awareness-raising activities and providing support for their female employees going through menopause.
