Human security in a new era: Finnish reflections and global implications

Eva Biaudet is a well-known human rights activist and the former Minister of Health and Social Services of Finland, also responsible for gender equality issues. In May 2019, she started her sixth term in Finnish Parliament. She is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Grand Committee. She is also the chair of the Party Council of the Swedish People’s Party. Between her terms as an MP she served in Vienna as the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. After her time in Vienna, she continued to work on human rights issues as the Ombudsperson for Minorities and, later, Non-Discrimination Ombudsman. Since 2015, she has served as President of the National Council of Women of Finland, an umbrella organisation for 60 women’s organisations.

Kerstin Stendahl served as the OSCE Chair in Office Special Representative on Climate and Security during Finland’s OSCE Chairpersonship in 2025.  She is currently the Special Envoy on Environment Security at Finland’s Ministry of the Environment, building on extensive experience in international environmental governance and diplomacy acquired through senior roles in both the United Nations system, the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Finnish Government.

Maria Mekri is a peace and security expert with a focus on innovation in conflict prevention and peace technologies. She currently serves as the Executive Director of SaferGlobe and previously worked as the Thematic Lead for Peace and Security at the United Nations Technological Innovation Lab (UNTIL) Finland, as well as Conceptual Framework Manager for the EU‑funded IECEU project. Her background spans business, project management, and consultancy, supported by academic degrees from Brandeis University, Cambridge University, and Haaga‑Helia University of Applied Sciences. She is also trained in crisis management, peace mediation, and peace negotiation.

Jyrki Ruohomäki is a Finnish expert in political conflicts, peace processes, and international relations. Since 2016, he has served as Head of Research at the Crisis Management Centre (CMC) Finland, leading projects on peace operations and civilian crisis management. His expertise spans divided societies, state- and nation‑building, democratization, and security sector reform. He earned his PhD in 2008 with research on the Northern Ireland peace process and later expanded his work through fellowships at Columbia University and the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study.

Katja Creutz is the Programme Director of the Global Security and Governance research programme at FIIA and an Affiliated Research Fellow at the Erik Castrén Institute of International Law and Human Rights at the University of Helsinki. A specialist in international law, her expertise spans state responsibility, human rights, and global governance. She holds a Doctor of Laws and a Master of Laws from the University of Helsinki, as well as a Master of Political Science from Åbo Akademi University. Creutz has previously served as a Research Fellow at the Erik Castrén Institute and as Executive Editor of the Finnish Yearbook of International Law. She has published widely on responsibility in international law, non‑state actors, human rights, and Nordic legal issues.