Gender Equality - Finland is one of the top countries for women equality. Women and men are considered equal, and women enjoy a "high degree of equality" and "traditional courtesy" among men. In 1906, the women of Finland became the first to be granted the right to vote. There are man women in Finland who hold prominent positions in Finnish society, such as Tarja Halonen, who became the first female president of the country. Finland has also reformed over the years, and is continuing to help women get better lives - they have made marital rape illegal, it is against the law to discriminate women in the work force, etc.