Utvärdering av demokratipolitiska handlingsprogrammet 2017–2019 och handlingsplanen för grundläggande och mänskliga rättigheter 2017–2019

Den 16 februari 2017 godkände statsminister Juha Sipiläs regering genom ett principbeslut av statsrådet demokratipolitiska handlingsprogrammet och handlingsplanen för grundläggande och mänskliga rättigheter för 2017-2019. I december 2019 valde justitieministeriet genom anbudsförfarande en forskargrupp vid juridiska institutionen vid Östra Finlands universitet för uppgiften med att utvärdera handlingsprogrammen. I utvärderingen rekommenderas det att verksamheten ska fortsätta i statsrådets nätverk för de kontaktpersoner för grundläggande och mänskliga rättigheter samt det demokratipolitiska nätverk som har samordnat beredningen och genomförandet av handlingsprogrammen. I utvärderingsrapporten framförs kritik mot att många centrala frågor om grundläggande och mänskliga rättigheter lämnades utanför handlingsprogrammet. I utvärderingen rekommenderas det att man i arbetet med handlingsprogrammet för grundläggande och mänskliga rättigheter under statsminister Sanna Marins regeringsperiod ska använda oberoende forskning för att sätta upp mål samt utveckla indikatorer för uppföljning av politiken för grundläggande och mänskliga rättigheter. Det arbete med demokratipolitiska handlingsprogrammet som har inletts under Marins regeringsperiod understöds. Verksamheten inom demokratipolitiken och politiken för grundläggande och mänskliga rättigheter ska också i fortsättningen samordnas separat. De enskilda utvärderingarna av handlingsprogrammen borde dock ersättas av mer helhetsbaserade utvärderingar av politiken för grundläggande och mänskliga rättigheter och demokratipolitiken och/eller mer långsiktiga utvärderingar

Demokratiapoliittisen toimintaohjelman 2017-2019 sekä kansallisen perus- ja ihmisoikeustoimintaohjelman 2017-2019 arviointi

Pääministeri Juha Sipilän hallitus hyväksyi valtioneuvoston periaatepäätöksenä 16.2.2017 demokratiapoliittisen toimintaohjelman sekä perus- ja ihmisoikeustoimintaohjelman vuosille 2017–2019. Oikeusministeriö valitsi joulukuussa 2019 tarjouskilpailun perusteella Itä-Suomen yliopiston oikeustieteiden laitoksen tutkijaryhmän arvioimaan toimintaohjelmat. Arviointi suosittaa toimintaohjelmien valmistelua ja toimeenpanoa koordinoineiden valtioneuvoston perus- ja ihmisoikeusyhteyshenkilöiden verkoston sekä demokratiapoliittisen verkoston toiminnan jatkamista. Arviointiraportissa arvostellaan sitä, että monet perus- ja ihmisoikeuspoliittisesti keskeiset kysymykset rajautuivat toimintaohjelman ulkopuolelle. Arviointi suosittaa, että pääministeri Sanna Marinin hallituskaudella perus- ja ihmisoikeustoimintaohjelmatyössä käytetään riippumatonta tutkimusta tavoitteenasettelussa ja kehitetään indikaattoreita perus- ja ihmisoikeuspolitiikan seurantaan. Demokratiapoliittisen toimintaohjelmatyön jatkaminen on kannatettavaa siten kuin se Marinin hallituskaudella on aloitettu. Toiminnan koordinoinnin tasolla demokratiapolitiikkaa ja perus- ja ihmisoikeuspolitiikkaa tulee käsitellä jatkossakin erillään. Yksittäisten toimintaohjelmien arviointien sijaan tulisi siirtyä arvioimaan perus- ja ihmisoikeuspolitiikkaa sekä demokratiapolitiikkaa kokonaisvaltaisemmin ja/tai pidemmällä aikavälillä

Multiplexed readout of kinetic inductance bolometer arrays

Kinetic inductance bolometer (KIB) technology is a candidate for passive sub-millimeter wave and terahertz imaging systems. Its benefits include scalability into large 2D arrays and operation with intermediate cryogenics in the temperature range of 5 -- 10 K. We have previously demonstrated the scalability in terms of device fabrication, optics integration, and cryogenics. In this article, we address the last missing ingredient, the readout. The concept, serial addressed frequency excitation (SAFE), is an alternative to full frequency-division multiplexing at microwave frequencies conventionally used to read out kinetic inductance detectors. We introduce the concept, and analyze the criteria of the multiplexed readout avoiding the degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio in the presence of a thermal anti-alias filter inherent to thermal detectors. We present a practical scalable realization of a readout system integrated into a prototype imager with 8712 detectors. This is used for demonstrating the noise properties of the readout. Furthermore, we present practical detection experiments with a stand-off laboratory-scale imager.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Occupational injuries and diseases in fish farming in Finland 1996–2015

Background: The agriculture, forestry and fishing industry sector has high rates of occupational injuries. Fishing has globally particularly high occupational fatality rates, but injuries and illnesses to people working in its sub-sectors, aquaculture and fish farming, are not well understood. Materials and methods: This study characterised injuries and occupational diseases to fish farmers and people employed on fish farms in Finland using national employment and accident insurance (workers’ compensation) data.  Results: A total of 392 injuries and 18 occupational diseases were compensated during 1996 to 2015 to fish farmers and people employed on fish farms in Finland. The average injury rate was 3.2 injuries per 100 employed persons with no significant trend over time. Two of the injuries were fatal. Injured persons were primarily male (87.2%), in 45–54 year age group (39.1%), and working in coastal areas (49%). Com- mon injury characteristics included: incident type: slips, trips, and falls (37%); location: building, structure or ground level surface (28%); injured body part: hand or finger (25%); type of injury: dislocation, sprain, strain (35%); and lost worktime: 1 to 2 weeks (26.9%). Seven out of 18 occupational diseases occurred to women, most resulting in cumulative trauma from fish processing.  Conclusions: The injury rate in fish farming corresponds to rate in all industries combined in Finland, and is higher than the rate in available Nordic statistics on fish farming. Fish farming injuries could be reduced further by slip resistant surfaces, protection of hands and fingers and ergonomics in processing.

Cost-minimization modeling of venous thromboembolism diagnostics: performing limited compression ultrasound in primary health care reduces costs compared to referring patients to a hospital

Background: The aim of this retrospective study was to determine whether diagnosing a deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in primary health care using limited compression ultrasound (LCUS) can save resources compared to referring these patients to hospital. According to the current literature, LCUS is as safe as a standard protocol based on a whole-leg ultrasound (US).Methods: We created a standardized patient for this cost-analysis model based on 76 patients that were referred to hospital for a suspected DVT. Travel distance to the health care centre and hospital was calculated based on the home address. Hospital costs were acquired from the hospital price list and Finnish legislation. Time spent in the hospital was retrieved from hospital statistics. Time spent in the health care centre and travelling were estimated and monetized based on average salary. The cost of participating physicians attending a US training course was estimated based on the national average salary of a general practitioner as well as the course participation fee. A cost-minimization modeling was performed for this standardized patient comparing the total costs, including private and public costs, of standard and LCUS strategies.Results: The total costs per patient of standard and LCUS pathways were 1151.52€ and 301.94€ [difference 849.59€ (95% CI 800.21€-898.97€, p Conclusion: Using LCUS in diagnosing DVT in primary health care instead of referring these patients to the hospital is shown to save a significant amount of public and private resources.</p