Sweden's priority areas: Human Rights in Sweden's foreign policy

March 2008

Human rights is to be integrated into all areas of Sweden's foreign policy: security policy, development cooperation, migration policy, environmental policy and trade policy. Sweden will also give priority to 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.

The Government will focus especially on the following eight areas in its work for human rights:

Democracy-building
Democracy is a prerequisite for other human rights to be fully enjoyed. Democracy has made great progress since the end of the Cold War, but hundreds of millions of people still live in dictatorships. The Government wants to create public opinion in favour of democracy, support the work of NGOs and seek increased cooperation with democratic states.

Strengthen freedom of expression
Freedom of expression is a moral necessity and a practical tool in the fight for human rights. The connection between freedom of expression, poverty and lack of respect for economic, social and cultural rights is of central importance. People who cannot read and write find it more difficult to exercise their freedom of expression.

Abolish the death penalty
The death penalty is incompatible with human rights and has no place in a civilised legal system. Sweden and the EU have long been acting for the abolishment of the death penalty. Developments are moving in the right direction; some 90 sates have formally abolished the penalty, and 40 more that still have the penalty as part of their legislation do not make use of it. Last autumn, the UN General Assembly, with the support of the EU, adopted a resolution against the death penalty for the first time since 1977.

Combat torture
Torture is not allowed under any circumstances. The Government will call attention to this abuse wherever it occurs and support organisations that help torture victims.

Combat summary executions and arbitrary detention
Executions without trial and arbitrary detention are serious breaches of human rights. And yet they still occur in a number of countries. For many years Sweden has been behind a resolution in the UN that concerns summary, extrajudicial and arbitrary executions, and will continue to take action to draw international attention to this issue.

Protect the principles of the rule of law
A state governed by the rule of law provides wide-ranging protection, from ownership rights to the freedom of not being arbitrarily detained. Sweden will promote the principles of the rule of law in organisations such as the UN, the Council of Europe, the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe), and in dialogue with other countries. Development cooperation will contribute to strengthening adherence to these principles in other countries.

Protect human rights and international humanitarian law
Humanitarian law aims to alleviate human suffering in time of war. The laws of war and human rights complement one another. Many human rights apply without exception even in time of war, such as the prohibition against torture. Sweden will act to strengthen respect for humanitarian law. Application of Security Council Resolution 1325, which deals with women, peace and security, is of central importance to creating sustainable peace and stability, and to strengthening women's role in society in the long term. When women take part in crisis management, peace-building and management of humanitarian disasters on equal terms, it contributes to democracy and increased respect for human rights at the same time as it reduces the vulnerability of women.

Fight Discrimination
Discrimination occurs in every country in the world. In many countries, large groups of people have a long way to go before they receive equal treatment. The Government wants to direct special attention to the rights of women, children and people with disabilities, and to fight discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, racial discrimination, discrimination of indigenous people and people who belong to minorities.

The Swedish governement's communication on Human Rights in Sweden's foreign policy to the Riksdag (March 2008) also addresses the link between the environment and human rights, corporate responsibility and the importance of cooperation with our Nordic neighbours, the UN, the EU and other bodies.

Last edited 2008-04-02