A/HRC/8/24 Page 5 educational issues. It is however clear that the discrimination Roma face will still need further efforts. There are negative attitudes and direct and/or indirect discrimination towards both the traditional Finnish minorities, especially Roma, and some of the new immigrant minorities. The Government is concerned about multiple discrimination, which is often directed, for example, at immigrant and minority women living in Finland. Regarding Roma, the Head of Delegation referred to a good practice used in Finland. The Advisory Board on Romani Affairs set up in 1956 constitutes a cooperation body between the Roma and the authorities. The Advisory Board has influenced the development of Finnish legislation and administration in issues related to Roma. Advisory Boards on Romani Affairs have also been set up at local level in Finland. 10. As for the Sámi people, the Government had committed to safeguarding their rights to maintain and develop their own language and culture on the basis of cultural autonomy. Finland has, for a long time, tried to settle the rights of the Sámi to the regions traditionally used by them in a manner acceptable to all parties. Drafting a Government bill on the issue requires a common view on a model that is also acceptable to the Sámi. The intention is to prepare such a bill during the current term of the Government. 11. The extent of violence against women is a serious problem in Finnish society. Reducing violence against women is also a priority for the Government. To address this objective, the capacity to intervene in such violence, to provide support and to seek help will be improved. Cooperation has been improved, particularly between the social welfare authorities and the police, in order to secure quick help and to ensure the continuity of the help chain. Family violence against children and sexual abuse of children and young persons seriously violate child rights. The purpose of the Child Welfare Act that took effect at the beginning of 2008 is to ensure that the rights and interests of the child are taken into account in child welfare measures, and to guarantee the child and his/her parents the supportive measures and services they need. The purpose is also to promote child-specific and family-specific child welfare measures. The fact that cases of family violence against children are pending in courts reflects a change in the atmosphere in Finnish society. 12. For procedural legal protection to be ensured, competent authorities and courts in Finland must process all matters without delay. Nevertheless, both the European Court of Human Rights and the national supreme guardians of the law have paid attention to the excessive length of proceedings in administrative authorities and courts. Therefore, it has been ruled that in some cases Finland has not managed to comply with the right to fair trial. Structural changes in the Finnish judicial administration, namely reduction of the number of district courts and increases of their personnel, are in preparation in order to deal with the backlog of cases. In administrative courts, procedural provisions are being specified, cases are being dealt with by smaller court compositions, and documentation is more often in electronic format. In line with the interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights, the merits of a system of just satisfaction are also being studied in Finland. 13. Nonetheless, and although there still remains work to be done in Finland, the Head of Delegation stated that she is confident to say that the overall human rights situation in Finland is of high quality. It is also clear that Finland needs to be constantly ready to respond to new challenges in the protection and promotion of human rights, both nationally and internationally. It is Finland’s firm belief that the best results can be reached through joint efforts, i.e. by working closely with and within the United Nations bodies and regional organizations, as well as with civil society. 14. The Head of Delegation responded to written responses put to her Government and received in advance. She stated that concerning the national human rights institution in Finland, she wished to confirm that Finland has a deeply rooted tradition of Ombudsman system. The Chancellor of