Rural proofing in Finland origin, methodology, experience and - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Rural proofing in Finland – origin, methodology, experience and prospect RURAL post 2020: more ambitious, more transversal! Brussels 4 May 2017 Hanna-Mari Kuhmonen, Rural Policy Council

Finland is one of the most rural countries within the OECD

Finland from the rural point of view Regiona onal class ss Surface face (%) (%) Populat ation on (%) (%) Inner er urban an 0,2 31, 1,5 area Outer er urban n 0,6 26,5 area Peri ri-urban urban are rea 4 11 11 Local centres tres in in 0,2 6 rural areas Rural areas s 10,8 7 close se to urban n areas Rural heartland tland 15,9 12 12 areas s Sparse sely 68,3 6 populated ed rura ral areas s 3

Origin of rural proofing in Finland (1/3) • Impacts of decisions and policies often vary on rural and urban areas due to different features; long distances and sparse population are typical for rural areas • Finland is a very rural country  need for a tool with which rural aspects can be more systematically integrated in the preparation and decision making processes • Rural proofing - helps to ensure that impacts on rural areas are recognized so that they can be taken into account before the decision is made - contributes to equality of rural and urban areas and fair treatment of rural residents and actors - increases awareness of rural aspects and circumstances 4

Origin of rural proofing in Finland (2/3) • In 2007 the Rural Policy Committee appointed a working group to prepare rural proofing approach into Finnish structures • OECD rural policy review on Finland (2008) gave a recommendation to improve and strengthen rural proofing  ” Requiring the different Government departments, at all levels, and all public bodies, to demonstrate (through a checklist) that they have taken rural interests into account in framing and implementing policy and to include within their regional strategies a breakdown according to the rural typology or at least identify the extent to which their strategies will benefit rural areas. ” • Rural proofing was first time included as a measure in the national Rural Policy Programme 2009-2013 5

Origin of rural proofing in Finland (3/3) Political support and will for rural proofing: • Government Report to the Parliament (2009): Recommendation to ministries to use rural proofing in preparation of policies and decisions when there are regional impacts. • Parliament’s Comment to the Report (2010): Parliament calls for rural proofing as a preliminary to national decision making when there are regional impacts.  But no obligatoriness for rural proofing; rural proofing has always been voluntary in Finland 6

Basic principles for rural proofing • Rural proofing is seen as an approach • Process is important  engagement of different actors • General checklist can be applied according to the situation, but there is no one way or model to implement rural proofing  key is to include rural aspects in preparation and decision making processes • Emphasis is in the preparation phase before the decision is taken  offers chance to modify the decision if rural impacts seem to be negative • Emphasis is in sparsely populated rural areas which are most vulnerable for impacts • Rural proofing should be integrated in existing processes 7

Methodology and process In different phases of the process it can be used different methods; data analysis, learning cafes etc. 8

Use of spatial data • Useful to demonstrate for instance location of people, enterprises, services etc. • Helps to understand better the nature of different parts of the area and impacts on them • Support for instance planning of service delivery in rural areas 9

Experience: rural proofing as a tool in the municipal reform A fter municipal mergers new municipalities are often large and consist of different types of areas (for example City of Oulu) The questions raised during the municipal reform: • How to ensure that different areas will be developed equally? • How to ensure that democracy will function and people in rural areas will be heard? • How to ensure that people in rural areas will receive local services?  Rural proofing helps to make rural aspects visible and enable taking them into account 10

Experience: Strengths • Rural proofing helps to make rural visible and to raise awareness of rural issues • The findings from rural proofing process can be used in further development work • The rural proofing process has improved the cooperation among actors • Rural proofing can strengthen place-based approach in policy making  rural proofing at local level reveals impacts on places • Rural proofing works best at local and regional level  possible impacts can be seen in more concrete way 11

Experience: Challenges • Rural proofing is voluntary  irregular use of rural proofing • Limited resources and lack of time to develop and implement rural proofing • Lack of actors in charge of rural proofing • Many impact assessments have to be done  rural proofing is not prioritized • Rural areas need to be respected and valued before meaning of rural proofing is understood and accepted 12

Current situation and prospect • Since 2008 Government has appointed as one task for the cross-sectoral Rural Policy Council to develop, promote and follow up rural proofing • Rural Policy Council will prepare an action plan for rural proofing which will define responsibilites and contact persons for rural proofing at different levels • Ongoing regional government reform is remarkable change which enables strengthening of place-based policy; rural proofing should be integrated in the process • Goal: rural proofing will be systematically used at all levels 13

Conclusions • Rural aspects should be taken into account at all levels  enabling flexibility in implementation (place- based policy) • Impacts become reality in local communities  rural proofing as a place-based approach is important in shaping the future of those communities • At the EU level - it is important to make rural visible - it is important to encourage rural proofing in the EU actions especially at regional and local levels - rural should be one aspect when assessing impacts of new legislation 14

Thank you for your attention! ☺ More information: www.ruralpolicy.fi Hanna-Mari Kuhmonen Senior Officer Vice Secretary General of the Rural Policy Council hanna-mari.kuhmonen@tem.fi 15