Security for school students and young people

The Swedish Parliament (Sveriges Riksdag) has adopted the Act Prohibiting Discrimination and Other Degrading Treatment of Children and School Students (2006:67).

The new Act is intended to combat discrimination on grounds of sex, ethnic origin, religion or other belief, sexual orientation and disability in the activities regulated by the Education Act. Moreover, the Act is designed to hinder and prevent other degrading treatment that is not directly attributable to these grounds of discrimination, such as bullying. The Act entered into force on 1 April 2006.

Child and School Student Representative for Equal Treatment

There is a now new function in the National Agency for Education called the Child and School Student Representative for Equal Treatment. Together with the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman, the Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination, the Ombudsman against Discrimination because of Sexual Orientation and the Disability Ombudsman, the Child and School Student Representative will supervise compliance with the Act and will be able to bring an action for damages on behalf of a child or a school student if necessary. The Child and School Student Representative will spread information about the Act, provide advice on the application of the Act and help the child or school student to get in touch with the right Ombudsman depending on the type of degrading treatment involved.