One of Finland's oldest women's groups has sharply criticised the city of Helsinki for its homeless shelter policies. On Monday the Feminist Association Unioni said it has been housing some of the most vulnerable eastern European Roma women in its own facilities since a cold snap began on Friday. The NGO says that the 22 women would have other had no choice than to sleep outdoors or flee the country.
During the previous cold spell in January, Roma – mostly from EU member states Bulgaria and Romania – were offered emergency shelter in churches and various NGOs' facilities.
Frostbite symptoms
The feminist group accused city officials of claiming to allow anyone into emergency housing while actually banning Roma and other undocumented foreigners, or only if they agree to then leave the country. The group argues that repatriation will not resolve the problem of the Roma, whom they refer to in Monday's statement as "Europe's most marginalised minority".
Unioni says that a clinic for undocumented foreigners has treated a number of people with frostbite symptoms this winter.
It notes that complaints against the city's allegedly unconstitutional policies have been filed with the Parliamentary Ombudsman, and that the city is to respond to the claims by the end of April.
The politically non-aligned Feminist Association Unioni was founded in 1892, well before Finnish independence.