Federation of Women Veterans in Finland

ENGLISH

During the Second World War in 1939-1945 there were approximately 100 000 women in Finland taking part in various tasks at the front and in the area of war operations. They served as nurses, nursing aides, doctors, lottas (the women's "Lotta Svärd" corps of the Civil Guard), "Green Sisters" an conscripted workers and women working in military administration. To obtain the same benefits for women as those granted to men the first associations of women were founded in Oulu and in Helsinki in 1970. At present there are 26 associations of women veterans, their average age being 86 years and the total number of members approximately 3 800.

The Federation of Women Veterans was founded in 1980 to unite the various associations into a central organization of national level, and to develop the veterans' benefits together with the male veteran organizations.

During these past few years women veterans have gained the same status in legislation as male veterans. The same benefits are not, however, granted to female veterans as to male veterans. The Federation of Women Veterans has collected both written and oral memoirs of women's wartime experiences in the areas of war operations. Many of these memoirs have been published either in the form of books or as articles. There is also a recent video and DVD program on women's voluntary work and the history and objectives of the Federation of Women Veterans in Finland.

A national summer festival is arranged annually. At these festivals approximately 800 - 1000 women veterans from every part of the country meet to recall past memories and simply to enjoy seeing each other. In summer 2006 the festival is arranged on August 12th at Kokkola.

The Federation of Women Veterans was accepted as a member of the World Veterans Federation in 1984, and it is represented on the Standing Committee on Women (SCOW).

The 25th Anniversary jubileum magazine was published in August 2005. Attached is an article on SCOW - Standing Committee on Women by previous president and the President of Honor Ms. Laine Maire Kyöstilä translated in English.

In 1993 the Federation established the Women Veterans' Foundation, the aim of which is to preserve knowledge of the role of the Finnish women in the fight for freedom and independence of their country for future generations, and to aid relevant research and publishing activities.

The President of Women Veterans in Finland is Ms. Kaarina Peltola and the two vice presidents are Ms. Kaarina Lukkaroinen and Ms. Helvi Hyrynkangas. The Secretary General is Ms. Soili Myllys.

The Federation publishes two or three issues of a membership journal "Front Woman" a year. The circulation of the journal is 6 000 copies. The editor-in-chief is Ms. Soili Myllys.

The Federation of Women Veterans in Finland celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2005 by arranging a summer festival both for members and co-associates/interest groups on the 30th August at Dipoli in Tapiola, Espoo.