Osita Ifezue<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2005, a few weeks into relocation to Finland, I experienced racism with a cruel awakening. A man spat at me going up the escalator at Helsinki Central Railway Station. Processing this incident made me reckon my blackness. You can imagine the pain and many questions that went through my mind. Before moving to Finland, I didn\u2019t gain consciousness of my blackness. This incident was the start of that awakening until. Before life in Finland, I identified as an individual of African descent, but now I am Black!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A poll published by Yle in 2020<\/a> shows that 43 percent of the 1000 people surveyed think racism is not a problem in Finland. This is a sad reflection of the state of racism in Finland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Solving the problems of racism should go beyond the optic of doing something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the elections in the United States companies, like Amazon, and Meta, cut their diversity, equality, and inclusion programs<\/a>. This buttresses the fact some institutions are not committed to promoting inclusion. The debate over diversity, equality, and inclusion rages on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Far more important is the need for those working on promoting inclusion and anti-racism initiatives to understand the challenges and the costs that come with exclusion due to racism.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Hence anti-racism initiatives should address the real problems associated with racism rather than lip service. Victims of racism develop a sixth sense to detect anti-racism programs that will work or not. It becomes like a compass to help separate the core issues of racial bias and solutions. Solving the problem or designing anti-racism programs requires a proper understanding of racism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Finnish government, on the 5th of September 2024, approved an Action Plan<\/a> with 62 measures to combat racism. It is laudable that the government is acknowledging racism is a major problem in Finland. Acknowledgment of racism as a problem in Finland doesn\u2019t go far enough. There remains a gap between participants of anti-racism programs and those designing programs. This disconnect comes from not addressing the real challenges of those dealing with racism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trust is a good foundation to build anti-racism initiatives on, which comes from listening to those dealing with racism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The focus should be to understand the needs of victims, which will offer fresh perspectives on dealing with racism! Examining what has worked, what needs improvements, and what we need to stop doing to address the challenges of racism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the Finnish Discrimination Ombudsman- Yhdenvertaisuus.fi<\/a>, Anti-racism is active<\/em> and conscious<\/em> action against all forms of racism. An important to note is that we cannot fully eradicate racism, but we make it difficult for racial injustice and violence to happen. Active<\/em> action demands that we give a strong voice to fighting racism. Not being silent when racism is in our favour. Being conscious <\/em>means we need to know and understand the problem we are trying to solve. In the words of the Finnish Prime Minister, Petteri Orpo \u201cWe must build a Finland that is safe and equal for everyone. We, the political decision-makers, cannot achieve this alone, the society as a whole needs to be involved. Every single concrete act to increase equality is valuable.\u201d<\/a> It takes a collective voice to address the burden racism has placed on the communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, a good number of anti-racism initiatives in the past don\u2019t involve those who are dealing with the problem in the solution-designing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hence victims of racial discrimination develop a sixth sense that kicks in when the solutions don\u2019t address the real challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those who don\u2019t have first-hand experience with racism cannot be the only ones designing the solution. It is like selling a product you have not tried, which makes it a tough sell.<\/em> To design anti-racism programs that work, a thorough understanding of what the problem is, and how to design a solution that is fit for purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The State of Inequality in Finland 2020 (2nd ed.)<\/a> a study compiled by Maija Mattila, and funded by Kalevi Sorsa Foundation shows the impact of racism and inequality. One of the research projects in the report was by Adjunct Professor Tuomas Zacheus, who studied experiences of racism and discrimination among ninth-graders, and a follow-up study of students in the third year of the upper secondary level, in some Helsinki and Turku schools. The finding shows racism affects people\u2019s optimism for the future. <\/em><\/strong>The recommendation is that teachers did seriously with any kind of name-calling or racial violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHow To Start Addressing The Real Problem of Racism?<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n