Finnish society is among the most gender equal in the world, and in Helsinki we believe in and support equal opportunities for everyone. The city's leadership team includes an equal split of male and female employees as do the city governmental departments and other workplaces. Because talent is not dependent on gender.
In this My Freedom Story we meet Elena, a true world-citizen who has chosen Helsinki as her home base. She moved to Finland in 2011 and her initial plan was to return to Spain after her maternity leave. She has now been here for 10 years. According to Elena, the Finnish education and social welfare systems, the amazing teams she has worked with, and her own efforts have allowed her to develop as a professional here, all while being a single mom.
Elena
"I am a marketing and comms professional with over 15 years of international experience. I speak four languages fluently and Finland is one of the five countries I have lived and worked in. I arrived in Helsinki in 2011 for family reasons with a two-month-old baby."
Being equal in Helsinki
"In Helsinki, I have never been doubted because I am a woman or a mom. My value as a professional and the possibilities I have had to develop have never been reduced because of my family situation. For such a small city, Helsinki has an amazing education and welfare system and it has a great cultural offering in which kids can take part in different activities.
I have never owned a car and yet I can pick up my kids from school and take them to their hobbies and activities by public transport. I have the luxury of enjoying one of the best education systems in the world, as well as fantastic health care and a good social security system, so that I can focus on what really matters. Now, during Covid-19, new opportunities have arisen and I have the freedom to dare to work on my own entrepreneurial projects. Helsinki is a city that fully supports entrepreneurship and new beginnings."
