Minna Kejonen

Member of EDF Women's Committee
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Biography

Minna Kejonen Biography

Minna Kejonen is a visually impaired woman, mother and grandmother living in Finland. She is involved in the work of the Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired and in the European Blind Union.

When she lost a large part of her eyesight as a result of an illness in the early 90s, she had to give up her job as a research and development engineer at the time. Participating in the activities of disability organizations gave new content to her life. She finds the work to improve the status of disabled people to be very meaningful. As a disabled woman, she also feels it is necessary to highlight the challenges and problems related to the lives of disabled women.

In 2022 Minna Kejonen was appointed Leader of EBU Gender Equality Committee and Coordinator of EBU Women’s Network.

From 2012 to 2021, she was the Finnish Federation’s representative in the Nordic committee for Visually Impaired Women. In 2020-2021 she was the chairperson of the committee.

The committee organized conferences about the themes like violence against, women with disabilities, employment, the life situation of a visually impaired women, and influence in social media.

Minna Kejonen started the organization work in 2006. She has served as the chairperson of the local and regional associations of the visually impaired persons. In addition, she has been on the council and board of Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired.

From 2009 to 2015 she was a member of the board of the Finnish Sports Association for the  Persons with Disabilities. During that  period she strengthened her view about  how  important it is to organize accessible opportunities for everyone to exercise and do sports.

When the Finnish disability Forum wrote a Shadow Report of the situation of the  persons with  disabilities  in  Finland Mrs Kejonen participated  in  a  workgroup that  analysed the answers of women.

She is Master of Science, Thermodynamics, Helsinki University of Technology since 1983 (currently Aalto University). Mrs Kejonen also studied political sciences in Helsinki University 1978-1984

Minna Kejonen finds education, employment  and  independent  life  important for  persons  with disabilities, especially for women and girls.