Governance structure

General Meeting

The General Meeting is held once every three years by the end of March. All member organisations have the right to vote in the meeting.

The General Meeting assesses the previous three-year periods operations and finances, approves the guidelines for the association’s operations and finances for the following three-year period, and appoints the members of the Council.

Council

Members are elected at the General Meeting and serve a three-year term. The Council meets twice a year – before the end of May in the spring, and before the end of November in the autumn.

The Council reviews the financial statements and annual reports of the previous year, appoints new members of the Executive bBoard, and decides on the short-term guidelines for operations and finances.

Executive Board

EHYT’s highest executive body is the Executive Board. Board members are appointed by the Council and serve a three-year term. Approximately one third of the board members are up for re-election each year.

The Executive Board convenes the General Meeting and the Council’s two annual meetings, prepares the agendas and documents for these meetings, and implements the decisions made. It also directs the association’s operations and makes decisions on matters concerning the association that do not fall under the authority of the General Meeting or the Council.

Council (2026–2029)

The Chair of the Council

Eija Koivuranta

Eija Koivuranta, Master of Laws, is a legal professional and civic actor known for advocating equality, justice and a vibrant civil society. Koivuranta served as CEO of the Family Federation of Finland from 2015 to 2025. Prior to this, Koivuranta had a career of more than 28 years at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, where she worked, among other roles, as Director and Ministerial Adviser, focusing on legislative drafting and strategic planning.