Dozens of human rights groups have issued a joint statement calling on the Finnish government to introduce extensive legislative and policy measures aimed at dismantling Finland's "system of structural racism".
The statement noted that the government's own legislative proposals — outlined in its programme for government published last year — as well as comments made by prominent members of the governing coalition are threatening to deepen structural racism in Finland.
A total of 33 organisations — including Amnesty, the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare, Save the Children Finland and the Family Federation of Finland — signed the statement.
The call comes as Finnish media reports that some 82 percent of people in Finland responded to a survey conducted by the Finnish Red Cross to say that they have either personally experienced or witnessed racism.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) is scheduled to hold a round-table discussion with representatives from immigrant organisations Monday.
According to Yle's information, the meeting will discuss how people from immigrant backgrounds might enter working life in Finland more easily than at present.
Orpo's government last week announced the launching of an anti-racism campaign aimed at encouraging organisations from different sectors of society — such as labour, sports, culture and business — to make specific pledges to fight racism and support equality.
The move comes in the wake of last summer's far-right and racism scandals which threatened to topple the governing coalition during its first few months in office.
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