Speech Stockholm 06 November 2008
Nyamko Sabuni, Minister for Integration and Gender Equality

Opening speech by Ms Nyamko Sabuni at "Rights Work!" - Systematic Work for Human Rights

Ladies and Gentlemen!

It is a great honour to welcome you all to Stockholm. Today's Conference - "Rights Work!" - is one of the main activities of the Swedish Chairmanship of the Ministerial Committee of the Council of Europe. "Rights Work!" is organised in close cooperation with the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human rights, Mr Thomas Hammarberg.

Respect for human rights is fundamental to a well functioning democracy. Some times we do take this for granted, while we at the same time know that in many countries around the world this respect is non-exiting.

I know what it means to live in a country lacking respect for the human rights. I know how it is to face the fears from warfare. I know what happens to a human being having undergone serious violation of human rights. I also know the importance of our continued struggle for a better world, a world in which the human rights are respected. Human rights may never be taken for granted!

The topic of this conference is of great importance and central for the Swedish government. My hopes are that we here today and tomorrow will seize all opportunities to better understand processes and also learn how to improve our work towards the common goal - full respect of human rights!

Since the signing of the universal declaration on human rights, we can see that the world has undergone remarkable changes. Today sixty years later several countries are considered to be democratic. Today fewer people live in poverty. Today men and women are more equal. Still though, we have a worrying gap between human rights proclaimed and how human rights are respected in every day life.

Daily violations are registered around the world. Political tensions, disputes and armed conflicts are tragic grounds for confrontation of human rights. Human rights violations unfortunately also take place during times of peace and under good living conditions.
Within public administration maybe more attention should be given to practical problems in the daily work concerning issues of human rights. Lack of knowledge and limited understanding in servicing individual needs may lead to personal infringement.

One-way of strengthening the work with human rights within public administration is to establish national human rights action plans. Human Rights Conference in Vienna in 1993 was an important starting point for the international discussion on systematic work for the implementation of human rights. The Conference recommended that - I quote; "each State consider the desirability of drawing up a national action plan identifying steps whereby that State would improve the promotion and protection of human rights". This may sound tedious, but it is when states are forced to sit down and study their conditions on human rights that things start to happen!

The Swedish Government has so far adopted two national human rights action plans. We are in the midst of the second, covering the years 2006-2009. We have noticed that the process of drafting and implementing them has had a great value of its own. Different human rights issues started discussions at many different levels of society. Another positive effect is increased knowledge. The need for increased human rights education cannot be sufficiently stressed.

In Sweden our municipalities play an important role in ensuring human rights while providing social services. These authorities are responsible for education, housing, health care, disability services etc. It is in the individual's contact with these local authorities that his or her human rights will be put to test. Increased knowledge within our municipalities is essential and therefore we 2006 saw the need to establish a delegation for human rights. The Delegation will support the long-term work to ensure full respect for human rights. The mandate is to support government agencies, municipalities and county councils in their work.

Looking at areas close to my own responsibilities as a minister I see a number of cases where local governments should be at the forefront in securing human rights for people in desperate need. Too many women, also in this country, are almost daily facing violence and threats that require instant protection and shelter. Roma children, also in this country, are repeatedly facing ignorance and neglect resulting in poor or non-existing schooling. Disabled men and women, also in this country, are facing obstacles in attending services that the rest of us take for granted. In all these examples local governments have a direct duty to secure equal rights and make them real.
Participation from civil societies is important. They function as communicators for groups and individuals as they often at an early stage discover and identify insufficient services in society.

This conference will now look into different methods of systematic work. We will have four workshops covering

1. National human rights action plans and baseline studies
2. Methods for mainstreaming and following up systematic work for human rights
3. Systematic work for human rights at the local and regional level
4. The role of national human rights institutions and civil society in systematic work for human rights
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I strongly believe that systematic work for human rights contributes to a better implementation of human rights standards. It is first and foremost a question of trying to find effective methods to avoid mistakes harming rights and interests of individuals. Since human rights are undividable and inter-reliant, they should be considered, protected and promoted in a comprehensive way.
As I earlier said, this year it is sixty years since the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A declaration that establishes a set of common basic values, both with regard to the view of human beings and to the relationship between the state and the individual. The Declaration also sets standards for human rights, which take precedence over political, economic, cultural and religious differences. The vision of the drafters of the universal declaration has inspired many human rights defenders struggling to make that vision a reality. But the struggle is far from over.

It is therefore with great pleasure, on behalf of the Swedish government; I again welcome you all to this conference! We have questions in search of answers, and we all have answers to contribute. I am sure our two days of good discussions will lead to constructive recommendations and conclusions. I hope this conference will stimulate other countries and actors to work with human rights issues in a more systematic way. I have high expectations and hope that the outcome of the conference can serve as an inspiration for our future systematic work with human rights!

With these words I now yield the floor to the Commissioner for Human rights, Mr Thomas Hammarberg.

Welcome to my hometown Stockholm!