Survey of the well-being of Sámi children and youth and the realisation of their rights in Finland

This survey will collect up-to-date experiences of the well-being of Sámi children and youth and the realisation of their rights in Finland. The experiences will be collected through interviews and an electronic questionnaire. The survey will cover Sámi children and young people aged 11–17

and will be conducted in cooperation with Finland's Sámi community. We will apply for a communal consent to the survey from the Sámi Parliament. 

The surveys will be taken by Sámi children and young people from different parts of Finland, both in the Sámi home region and elsewhere. 

The survey will discuss well-being and the realisation of rights in terms understandable to children and young people and from their perspective. 

Interviews of Sámi children and young people

The survey will start with interviews of 11–17-year-old Sámi children and young people. We aim to conduct 20 themed interviews in different parts of Finland. Children and young people can take part in the interviews alone, in pairs or in groups of three. The child or young person can choose to take the interview in either Finnish or in Northern, Inari or Skolt Sámi through an interpreter.

The interviews will be conducted by Senior Researcher Elina Weckström, Research Assistant Karri Kekkonen and Planning Officer Outi Kekkonen. 

Questionnaire for Sámi children and youth 

Based on the interviews, a questionnaire form will be drawn up of the key issues brought up by the children and young people with regard to well-being and the realisation of their rights. The questionnaire will be available in Finnish and Northern, Inari and Skolt Sámi.

We hope that many Sámi children and young people will take the questionnaire, both in the Sámi home region and beyond. A link to the questionnaire will be published when the questionnaire has been completed.

Results

See the publications

The results of the survey will provide decision-makers, researchers and professionals working with Sámi children with up-to-date information to support their decision-making, development and activities.

Read more

In 2008, the Office of the Ombudsman for Children conducted a survey of the well-being of Sámi children and the realisation of their rights. Sámi children and young people were interviewed for the survey.

Rasmus, Minna 2008. ”Sápmelašvuohta lea dego skeaŋka” ”Saamelaisuus on kuin lahja” : Saamelaislasten hyvinvointi ja heidän oikeuksiensa toteutuminen Suomen saamelaisalueella. Lapsiasiavaltuutetun toimiston selvityksiä 2008:1. (Publication in Finnish)