Huovinen was born in Liminka, and was elected to the Finnish Parliament in 1999 from Central Finland.

She was deputy chairman of the Social Democratic parliamentary group from 2003 to 2005, when she was elected to the cabinet.

[1] In addition to her role in parliament, Huovinen has been serving as member of the Finnish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe since 2011.

As member of the Socialist Group, she is currently a member of the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs; the Sub-Committee on Integration; and the Sub-Committee on Refugee and Migrant Children and Young People.

This article about a Social Democratic Party of Finland politician is a stub.