The Second Periodic Report on the Application of the Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities

THE SECOND PERIODIC REPORT ON THE APPLICATION OF THE FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON THE PROTECTION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES FINLAND DECEMBER 2004 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................6 PART I..................................................................................................................................7 A. FOLLOW-UP OF THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST MONITORING CYCLE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FRAMEWORK REPORT....................................7 B. PUBLICATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST MONITORING CYCLE ......7 C. CONTRIBUTION OF THE CIVIC SOCIETY TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FRAMEWORK CONVENTION AND MEASURES TO DEVELOP THIS CONTRIBUTION...............................................................................................................8 D. DISCUSSION WITH THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE..............................................9 PART II .............................................................................................................................. 10 A. RESOLUTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS..................................... 10 RESOLUTION 1.................................................................................................................................. 10 RESOLUTION 2.................................................................................................................................. 10 RESOLUTION 3.................................................................................................................................. 11 RESOLUTION 4.................................................................................................................................. 13 B. APPLICATION OF THE FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ARTICLE BY ARTICLE ............................................................................................................................................. 14 ARTICLE 1............................................................................................................................................ 14 Human rights policy and minority rights in Finland........................................................................... 14 International treaty obligations........................................................................................................... 14 Example on international co-operation in the framework of the UN................................................... 15 Example of international co-operation in the framework of the Council of Europe............................... 15 ARTICLE 2............................................................................................................................................ 16 Nordic co-operation ........................................................................................................................... 16 Co-operation between Finland and Russia .........................................................................................16 Russia information service.................................................................................................................. 17 ARTICLE 3............................................................................................................................................ 17 Population register authorities ............................................................................................................ 17 Population ........................................................................................................................................ 18 Minority groups................................................................................................................................. 18 The Sami.......................................................................................................................................... 19 Roma................................................................................................................................................ 20 Swedish-speaking Finns .................................................................................................................... 20 Old Russians and other Russian-speaking population ........................................................................ 20 Tatars............................................................................................................................................... 21 Jews .................................................................................................................................................. 21 Åland............................................................................................................................................... 22 ARTICLE 4............................................................................................................................................ 22 Equality as a basic right.................................................................................................................... 23 Other new provisions concerning linguistic and minority groups............................................................ 23 Non-discrimination Act .................................................................................................................... 24 2 Act on the Integration of Immigrants ................................................................................................. 25 Nationality Act ................................................................................................................................ 26 Employment Contracts Act ............................................................................................................... 26 Act on the Protection of Privacy in Working Life...............................................................................27 Rights of social welfare clients............................................................................................................. 27 Social and welfare centres of expertise................................................................................................. 27 Human and basic rights monitoring conducted by the Chancellor of Justice .......................................... 28 Observations on complaints submitted to the Ombudsman by minority groups ..................................... 28 Prosecuting authorities and minority rights ......................................................................................... 29 Deputy Prosecutor General's decisions on minority issues .................................................................... 30 Racist criminality .............................................................................................................................. 31 Discrimination experienced by the Roma............................................................................................ 32 Employment of the Roma .................................................................................................................. 32 Roma and housing............................................................................................................................. 34 ARTICLE 5............................................................................................................................................ 35 Finnish legislation ............................................................................................................................. 35 Immigrant policy plan........................................................................................................................ 36 Supporting minority cultures .............................................................................................................. 36 Definition of a Sami.......................................................................................................................... 37 Questions related to the Sami land rights ........................................................................................... 38 Flagging on the Sami national day..................................................................................................... 42 ARTICLE 6............................................................................................................................................ 42 Office of the Ombudsman for Minorities ............................................................................................ 42 STOP – Finland Forward Without Discrimination.......................................................................... 42 JOIN – Joint Promotion of Anti-discrimination at Local Level......................................................... 43 JOINEHV Project.......................................................................................................................... 43 ETNA network............................................................................................................................... 43 Plan of action against racism and ethnic discrimination....................................................................... 43 Increasing tolerance and combating racism in the police administration ................................................ 44 Co-operation of the police administration with other authorities and with different non-governmental organizations....................................................................................................................................

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