Tarja Kaarina Halonen is a Finnish politician who served as the 11th President of Finland, and the first woman to hold the position, from 2000 to 2012. She first rose to prominence as a lawyer with the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), and as the Prime Minister's parliamentary secretary (1974–1975) and a member of the City Council of Helsinki (1977–1996). Halonen was a Social Democratic Party member of parliament from 1979 until her election to the presidency in 2000. She also served as a minister at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health from 1987 to 1990, as Minister of Justice from 1990 to 1991, and as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 2000.
The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra is a Finnish orchestra based in Helsinki. Its primary concert venue is the Helsinki Music Centre.
Susanna Ulla Marjukka Mälkki is a Finnish conductor and cellist. She is the daughter of Pirkko Liisa Vainio and the marine scientist Pentti Mälkki.
Miina Sillanpää was Finland's first female minister and a key figure in the workers' movement. In 2016, the Finnish government made 1 October an official flag day in honour of Sillanpää. She was involved in the preparation of Finland's first Municipal Homemaking Act.
Kerstin Hesselgren was a Swedish politician. Kerstin Hesselgren became the first woman to be elected into the Upper House of the Swedish parliament after the female suffrage in 1921. She was elected by suggestion of the Liberals with support from the Social democrats.
Sara Elizabeth Wacklin was a Swedish-speaking Finnish educator and writer. She was a pioneer in educating girls, and can be regarded as the first female university graduate in Finland. She can also be regarded as the first female writer in Finland.
Annie Fredrika Furuhjelm was a Finnish journalist, feminist activist, and writer. She was a member of the Parliament of Finland from 1913 to 1924 and again from 1927 to 1929, representing the Swedish People's Party of Finland (SFP). She was the first enfranchised woman in Europe to serve as a delegate to the International Women Suffrage Alliance and the first elected female legislator to speak before the British Parliament. She was awarded the Order of the White Rose of Finland for her service to the nation.
Emma Irene Åström was a Finnish teacher and Finland's first female university graduate.
Maria Tschetschulin (1852–1917), was a Finnish clerk. She was the first woman to attend university in Finland.
Tyyne Lilja Leivo-Larsson was a Finnish Ambassador and MP. She was the first Finnish woman to serve as Ambassador in Oslo from 1958 to 1966 and as Envoy to Reykjavík in 1958–1964 and the first Nordic woman, who led the government when she served as Deputy Prime Minister for Reino Kuuskoski in 1958.
Sanna Mirella Marin is a Finnish politician who has been Prime Minister of Finland since 10 December 2019. A member of the Social Democratic Party, she has been a member of the Parliament of Finland since 2015, and served as the Minister of Transport and Communications from 6 June to 10 December 2019. After Antti Rinne's resignation in the wake of the 2019 postal strike, Marin became prime minister on 8 December 2019. At 34, she is the third-youngest serving state leader, the youngest female state leader, and Finland's youngest-ever prime minister.
Brita Johanna (Riitta) Örö was a Finnish Ambassador and diplomat. She was the second woman to become an Ambassador of Finland when she was appointed as Finnish Ambassador to India in New Delhi on October 1, 1974.
Agda Meyerson was a Swedish nurse who became an activist to improve the education, pay and working conditions of her profession. She served as vice chair of the Swedish Nursing Association in 1910 and on the board of numerous nursing facilities. She is recognized as one of the pioneers of the profession in Sweden.
Elna Julia Sofia Kiljander was one of Finland's earliest female architects. She is remembered not only for her model homes and kitchens but also for her furniture designs. One of her most important designs was the Functionalist Ensi-Koti home in Helsinki.
Elina Haavio-Mannila is a Finnish social scientist and Professor Emerita of Sociology at the University of Helsinki where she served as the Docent of Sociology (1965–1971), Assistant Professor (1971–1992), and Professor (1992–1998).She is known for researching gender roles and gender in Finnish life. Much of the research in the latter field was done together with Osmo Kontula. In 1958, she became the first woman in Finland to earn the Doctor in Social Sciences degree.
Ulla Vuorela was a Finnish professor of social anthropology.
Maria Karoliina Ohisalo is a Finnish politician. She is a member of the Green League and has served as the party's leader since 2019. In the 2019 parliamentary election she was elected with 11,797 votes. She was named Minister of the Interior in the Rinne Cabinet and continued with her duties in the following Marin Cabinet.
Ester Ståhlberg, née Hällström was a Finnish writer and educator and the first First Lady of Finland. She was the wife of president Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg.
Hanna Kyllikki Snellmann is Professor of Ethnology and Vice-rector at the University of Helsinki. The focus of her research is on migration within and from the Arctic.
Jenny Maria Upari was a Finnish trade unionist and politician. A member of the Social Democratic Party, she was elected to Parliament in 1907 as one of the first group of female MPs. She was the youngest member of the first parliament, and also the first to take maternity leave. She remained an MP until the following year.
