Memorandum: Information on Preventing and Combating Forced Marriages

Brief Description

The Ministry of Justice published a memorandum that compiled up-to-date information on preventing and combating forced marriages as well as follow-up actions planned by the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Education and Culture. The memorandum was based on a study commissioned by the Ministry of Justice from the Institute of Criminology and Legal Policy of the University of Helsinki on forced marriages in Finland. The follow-up measures include improving the identification of risk factors related to honor related violence, which also has an impact on the prevention of female genital mutilation. As for the criminal code, the memorandum notes that the current legislation is sufficient but there is a need to increase awareness about forced marriage as a criminal offence.