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Human rights in Norway protect the fundamental rights of all persons within the Kingdom of Norway. These rights are safeguarded by Chapter E of the Constitution of Norway, orKnogeriket Norges Grunnlov, as well as the ratification of various international treaties facilitated by the United Nations. The country maintains a dedicated commitment to human rights, and were the second country to ratify the European Convention on Human Rights[1].
Although Norway is regarded as relatively proactive in human rights matters, ranking first in the UN Development Program's Human Development Index for 12 of the last 15 years, human rights issues still arise[2]. The most prevalent issue in recent history is the struggle for land rights by the Indigenous Sami people, under the threat of the Norwegian government exploiting the Sápmi region for natural resources[3].
Section E. of the Norwegian Constitution pertains specifically to the maintenance of human rights to all peoples within the state of Norway. Individual rights are granted by various articles, most notably:
After the barbarities of World War 2, an international declaration was constructed to guarantee rights to all humans on earth. Proclaimed by the newly constructed United Nations, at the General Assembly in Paris on the 10th of December, 1948, the declaration signposted 30 key human rights that should be universally granted to every human [4]. Although the Declaration is not legally binding in itself, subsequent international treaties, amendments to constitutions, and economic agreements attempt to affirm the declaration.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is seen as the precursor to the International Bill of Human Rights, which consists of the UDHR, as well as the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR, 1966) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR, 1996). This extension of the UDHR provided a legal reason for states to ensure maintenance of human rights, in addition to the moral obligation established by the initial proclamation of the UDHR in 1948[5].
As well as the UDHR, and the International Bill of Human Rights, Norway have ratified a variety of other international treaties focused on the maintenance of human rights:, those include:
{{Hatnote|For a more comprehensive list, see [[Category:Treaties of Norway]]}}
These liberties are granted by the Constitution of Norway:
A variety of judicial rights are ensured under sections D and E of the Norwegian constitution [6]. The constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest, and supports the detainee should they desire to challenge the lawfulness of an arrest. All persons within the state of Norway are eligible for a fair and public trial, where publicly funded access to a legal counsel of their choice is ensured. An independent and impartial judiciary is also required under Norwegian law.
Since 1979, there have been no instances of capital punishment in Norway. Any form of capital punishment was constitutionally abolished in 2014. The death sentence ended during peacetime in 1905, with the last peacetime execution being carried out in 1876. The most recent execution was of a Nazi collaborator in 1948. Not only is the Norway's stance on capital punishment guaranteed by the constitution, but it is also ratified by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1972) and the Second Optional Protocol (1991)[7].
The Norwegian prison system is praised as an exceptional model with extraordinarily low re-offending rates[8]. The Norwegian model is focused on rehabilitation, rather than retribution, whereby prison officers main role is to mentor, not punish. Inside a Norwegian prison, human rights are guaranteed for the prisoners, with healthy food, exercise, and standard living conditions guaranteed. Guards and prisoners occupy the same spaces, eat the same meals, and participate in activities together, allowing personal bonds to develop to aid rehabilitation of the prisoners, this strategy is known as 'dynamic security'.
Are Hodiel, the Governor of Halden Prison, the second largest prison in Norway, explains that "In Norway, the punishment is to take away someone's liberty. The other rights stay"[8]. A spot at Halden Prison is approximately £98,000 per inmate per year, comparitively large in comparison to the UK, where places can cost between £40,000 and £59,000.
The Norwegian Constitution states that "Our values will remain our Christian and humanistic heritage", and that "The King shall at all times profess the Evangelical-Lutheran religion". Yet, Norway maintains complete freedom of religion for all inhabitants, this fact is also enshrined within the Norwegian constitution, expressing that "All inhabitants of the realm shall have the right to free exercise of their religion."
The State has, and and continues to, support the Church of Norway, which is an Evangelical-Lutheran church that follows the religion professed by the King of Norway. 70.6% of Norwegians identify as part of the Evangelical-Lutheran faith, followed by 3.2% as Muslim, 3% as Roman Catholic, 3.7% as 'other Christian", 2.5% as "other", and 17% as unspecified[9].
As well as funding the Church of Norway, the Norwegian government provides funding to over 800 religious groups, in an effort to maintain diversity and reduce religious discrimination. Religious persecution is punishable by law, through hefty fines and prison sentences of up to 6-months. Within Norway, complaints of religious discrimination are handled by the Equality and Anti-discrimination Ombudsman (LDO), who is chosen by the government to serve a six-year term. Although the office is funded by the Norwegian government, it maintains its own autonomy and independence.
The Norwegian Law facilitates permission of asylum and refuge to peoples displaced from their home countries. Whilst their refugee applications status is under review, asylum seekers are allowed to seek and obtain work, should they meet three main criteria. These criteria are that asylum seekers must; have proof of identity, a document demonstrating that they will most likely receive asylum, be part of an "integration" program. Norway has agreed to the EU's Dublin III regulation, which authorizes the transfer of asylum seekers to other European countries whom are responsible for adjudicating the case.
There has been recent criticism of the Norwegian government's lack of dedication to accepting refugees. In comparison to other Scandinavian countries, Norway's 2017 intake of refugees was, at 30,000, whilst neighboring country Sweden took in 160,000. Sylvi Listhaug, Norway's first immigration minister, cited the low acceptance of refugees as "a big challenge to integrate [...] to make sure they respect Norwegian values"[10].
The prohibition of discrimination against women is guarded by law. Penalties can extend to up to 21 years incarcerated for crimes such as rape. Issues including domestic violence and sexual harassment continue to remain a problem in Norwegian society, with 27% of women experience physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner within their lifetime, and 6% in the last 12 months[11]. The conviction rate for domestic violence sits at 10%, causing criticisms by institutions such as the Oslo Crisis Center that the government is not doing enough to reduce rates of gender-based violence[12].
The National Coordination Unit of Victims of Human Trafficking (KOM) was initiated to reduce the amount of women who fall victim to sex trafficking within Norway, in an effort by the Norwegian government to address the rising number of sex trafficking victims. Despite Norway's welcomed efforts by the UN, the amount of victims of sex trafficking in Norway continues to rise., increasing from 203 to 292 victims from 2007 to 2009[11].
The Norwegian Government launched a plan in 2016 to reduce violence against women, called the Action Plan for Women's Rights and Gender Equality in Foreign and Development Policy 2016-2020[13]. The plan has five main goals which Norway aims to promote to reduce discrimination and violence against women. The five aims are:
In addition, government programs have been implemented to reduce rates of domestic violence, including the appointment for a dedicated domestic violence coordinator at all police districts. There are also over 47 publicly-funded shelters, and 5, 24-hour hotlines managed by the Norwegian government[12].
Norway is protected
Norway articles
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