The Zonta Club Helsinki Capital held its monthly meeting at the Media Museum and Archive, also known as the Merkkimuseo, where we visited the Oikeus Ääneen (Right to Vote) exhibition, guided by Saila Linnahalme, director of the Merkkimuseo.
Women gained the right to vote in 1906. The year 2026 will mark a milestone in voting rights.
Gaining the right to vote required decades of persistent work. The Oikeus Ääneen exhibition highlights the role of women in the history of freedom of speech and expression. The exhibition highlights women who, at different times and from different positions, have demanded the right to be heard, influenced social debate and paved the way for others to have their voices heard.
The exhibition focuses on four notable women in Finnish history: Fredrika Runeberg, Minna Canth, Ellen Thesleff and Miina Sillanpää. They lived in times when the status of women and perceptions of equality were very different from today. Each wanted to change the world in her own way through writing, speaking, art and networking for the common good.
The exhibition reminds us that women’s right to express their opinions and participate in decision-making has been the result of a long struggle – and this work continues today.
Saila Linnahalme, Director of the Museum of Finnish Design
Photos and text by Anja Hurme
ZC Helsinki Capital