Social innovation: Happy Finnish taxpayers offer Pakistan example of well-served society

Visiting experts share how their government tackled crime, corruption and social services.

KARACHI:

Finland’s struggle from a poverty-ridden nation to becoming a country that ranks fourth for global competitiveness according to the World Economic Forum hinges on ‘a hundred plus social innovations’ adopted by the government and its people, according to former Finnish health minister Dr Vappu Taipale.

Speaking at a ‘meet the press’ gathering organised by the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Taipale along with her husband, psychiatrist and social activist, Dr Ilkka Taipale, elaborated on the social innovations of their native land.

Dr Ilkka has compiled a book that highlights these ideas and concepts. It was recently translated into Urdu by a Pakistani living in Finland, Arshad Farooq. ‘Samaja Akhtraat’ has 108 chapters, which have been written by more than a 100 prominent Finnish educationists, doctors, politicians, economists and other members of society who share their experiences on what these innovations are and how they can be adapted by other nations.

As a result of adopting these concepts, Finland now has a close to zero crime rate and boasts just as little corruption with practically empty prisons. “Education, particularly of women, is of great significance and importance,” Vappu said. “Education comprises 10 per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) while health is seven or eight per cent,” Ilkka added. In comparison just about two per cent of the Scandinavian country’s GDP is allocated to the army.

The Taipales are also associated with the International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) and have been to several countries to promote their anti-weapons rhetoric. The local affiliate of the IPPNW is Pakistan Doctors for Peace and Development (PDPD). PMA president Prof. Dr Tipu Sultan is a member of the PDPD.

“There must be strong political will for such steps to be implemented,” Sultan said. Quoting Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s famous speech where he said, “Even if we have to eat grass we will have nuclear weapons”, Sultan wryly remarked, “Well, the time has come that we are literally eating grass as food prices are soaring out of control.”

Sharing more Finnish secrets of success, Ilkka said that the country was divided into autonomous municipalities rather than provinces. Residents of a particular municipality contribute about 18.5 per cent of their salary to the municipal kitty which is then responsible for education, social welfare and the health needs of the people.

Equality for men and women is another crucial point. It is the subjective right of all children under seven years of age to attend kindergarten. In addition, primary school to university is free for all citizens. So while taxes are steep, taking between 40 and 60 per cent of a citizen’s income, Ilkka said that the Finnish were ‘happy taxpayers’ for all the benefits they received in return.

Using her expertise in the health sector, Vappu touched on Pakistan’s struggle against (non)communicable diseases, particularly polio. “The most important tool is prevention, prevention and prevention,” she said. “It [prevention] should be cheap, easy and available to everyone.” She argued that if a government spent more on health than the military they would have a healthier, happier population and enjoy peace and stability.

Another aspect Ilkka touched on was the drastic reduction of traffic-related deaths. “Over the course of five years we managed to cut traffic-related deaths by half,” he said. “We did this by adopting five steps: Respecting the speed limit, mandatory helmets and seatbelts, separate tracks for pedestrians and bikes and sanitising the four-way intersections.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 23^rd,  2012.