Human Rights in foreign policy
A policy for freedom and against oppression - these are the watchwords of the Government's priorities in the work for human rights in Swedish foreign policy. This is made clear in the communication presented to the Riksdag on 18 March, 2008.
The Government in March 2008 determined that work for human rights must be integrated into all areas of foreign policy: security policy, development cooperation, migration policy, environmental policy and trade policy. Sweden will give priority to the promotion of human rights during its chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in 2008 and as President of the EU Council of Ministers in autumn 2009.
60 years' anniversary of the Universal Declaration for Human Rights
In 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is one of the UN's most important legal documents, and it represents the basis for the extensive global and regional networks existing today for the protection of human rights.
For the promotion of human rights throughout the world Sweden use different channels:
- The European Union
Human rights policy is a part of the Common Foreign and Security Policy. The EU advocates for the promotion of human rights in several international organizations, including the UN General Assembly in New York and the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Sweden supports all efforts aimed at mainstreaming human rights into the various policy areas of the EU. Sweden will give priority to the promotion of human rights during its Presidency of the European Union in 2009.
- International organizations
Through its work within the United Nations and other international organizations Sweden is actively taking part in the efforts of developing the international community’s possibilities to protect and promote human rights throughout the world. Sweden's aim is that the UN Human Rights Council is to be more efficient than its predecessor, the Commission of Human Rights. Sweden will give priority to the promotion of human rights during its chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in 2008.
- Public statements
Sweden addresses the human rights situation in individual countries in public statements and via statements in international fora
Sweden is promoting human rights through its bilateral contacts with other countries and when required Sweden calls attention to violations of human rights through demarches to the country concerned
- Development cooperation
Sweden contributes to strengthen the knowledge and capacity of protecting human rights via its development cooperation and by integrating a rights based approach into development cooperation.
Last edited 2010-04-09
