The Finnish All-Party Parliamentary Group on Population and Development (APPG) believes that it is the obligation of the Members of Parliament to contribute to global gender equality and women's empowerment. MPs should also defend people's rights to make their own decisions freely and responsibly on intimate relationships, marriage, children and contraception. MPs should especially speak up for girls' and women's sexual health and rights as well as their right for education. The APPG works actively in the Finnish Parliament by highlighting current issues on global population development, meeting policy-makers and civil society representatives working in the field of Finnish development policy, producing position papers, doing parliamentary questions and influencing decision-making and funding in the field. The Group also collaborates closely with other European groups on Population and Development, in particular with those in Baltic and Nordic countries. The Finnish APPG was established in 1995 by the initiatieve of Väestöliitto, the Family Federation of Finland. From the beginning the APPG has been open for all MPs interested in promoting the aims of the group. Ms Marjatta Vehkaoja was elected as the first chair of the APPG. In 2000 the APPG took part in establishing the European Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (EPF), which serves as an umbrella organisation for all European Parliamentary Groups. Ms Vehkaoja served also as the first chair of the EPF in 2000-2003. The current chair of the APPG, Ms Minna Sirnö, was elected as a board member of the EPF in 2006. Chairs: Ms Minna Sirnö (Left Alliance), 2006- Ms Irina Krohn (Green League), 2003-2006 Ms Marjatta Vehkaoja (Social Democratic Party), 1995-2003