The Saami Council’s new project highlights gender equality issues in Sápmi

Photo: Saami Council / Piera Heaika Muotka

The Saami Council has received funding from the Nordic Equality Fund for a new project, “Gender Talks in Sápmi,” which begins in January 2024 and lasts until December 2025. The project aims to shed light on gender equality issues in Sápmi and promote constructive societal dialogue. The project is led by Tonje M. W. Johansen, with Anne Wuolab also contributing.

Tonje M. W. Johansen. Photo: Saami Council

The project seeks to address gender equality issues through discussions and lectures, both physical and digital. The Saami Council plans to engage Sámi individuals in leadership roles, Sámi youth, and Sámi organizations.

– The project is highly promising. The Saami Council now has an opportunity to work on this topic within the Sámi community and tackle various challenges. The project’s outcome should be beneficial for our society, says project leader Tonje M. W. Johansen.

Experiences more violence

Both Sámi women and men experience more violence than the majority population. On March 8 this year, a report on violence against Sámi women in Sweden was published. The findings were mostly similar to previous findings in Norway. However, this is the first report that includes statistics about LGBTIQA+ Sámi individuals. The figures on violence are concerningly high. In Sápmi, more women than men attain higher education, and these women are often at the forefront of Sámi institutions and organizations. The Saami Council also notes challenges in achieving gender balance in our workforce and in the different expert committees that we appoint in different forums. 

Anne Wuolab.

Sámi women face high risks of violence but are also strong and active in many areas of the Sámi society. This often raises the question, “Where are the Sámi men?” The Saami Council initiated this project because we see the need to delve into these paradoxes. Furthermore, we notice limited interest in gender equality issues and that these matters are not prioritized.

– We aim to show how to address these issues and highlight their importance and relevance for the entire Sámi community. We hope to expand opportunities for more people to work with Sámi issues by focusing on gender equality, says project advisor Anne Wuolab.

Will delve into challenging and complicated issues

Through the “Gender Talks in Sápmi” project we are going to organize physical discussions with Sámi knowledge holders on gender issues. Each meeting will focus on a specific topic related to gender equality, and the Saami Council aims to inspire discussions and reflections on different gender roles and their perception in Sápmi. Together with Sámi knowledge holders, we will delve into challenging and complicated issues, including violence, Sámi feminism, and masculinity in the Sámi society. However, we also want to highlight the positive aspects of Sápmi and how these areas can be strengthened and further developed. This is the focus of the project in 2024. The discussions will form the basis for the second phase of the project in 2025.

– Anne Wuolab will lead the discussions in the six knowledge hubs, and I am glad we have her as part of the project team. Wuolab has extensive expertise in gender equality and skillfully connects historical and current contexts. Her work strengthens our project, says Tonje M. W. Johansen.

Finnish Saami Central Association is a partner in this project.

• Overall project goals:

  • Ensure all aspects of gender equality is discussed in Sámi organizations and political forums.

    • Increase knowledge about the current state of gender equality in Sápmi.

    • Identify the need for actions, gaps in knowledge, and areas for further research.

    • Propose ways for Sámi organizations to work more systematically on gender equality issues.