Advance questions:
- What steps are taken to reduce the number of unaccompanied minor asylum-seeker being detained in secured youth institutions, together with youth that have been convicted of criminal acts?
- What steps have Denmark taken to prohibit discrimination outside the labour market due to disability, religion, age, sexual orientation and gender identity?
- Since 2002, the municipalities are only obliged to provide mother tongue classes for children from countries within the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA). Children from other countries are only offered mother tongue teaching in those municipalities that have decided to support this through supplementary education. What experiences have been drawn from this practice, bearing in mind that mother tongue teaching strengthens children both socially and academically?
- The Council of Europe Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and Human Rights Commissioner have reported increased incidents of hate speech and violence towards ethnic and religious minority groups, and that the number of convictions of such crimes remain low. What measures are Denmark taking to tackle these issues?
Statement:
Norway warmly welcomes the Danish delegation. We commend Denmark for its persistent efforts to ensure human rights and fundamental freedoms worldwide and for an open and inclusive UPR process. Progress has been achieved in many areas since 2011.
Norway compliments Denmark for establishing the Special Office for Children, a welcomed step in the protection of children’s rights. However, the office is authorized to deal only with cases after all other relevant means have been exhausted. It does not have a mandate to provide legal assistance to children in meetings with other bodies.
Norway therefore recommends that the mandate of the Office is strengthened, and that the Office is given additional powers to provide advisory and legal assistance in a wider range of cases. This will also ensure that children are provided with a single channel to deal with their complaints.
Norway compliments Denmark for strengthening the Criminal Code and penalizing non-consensual sex with a victim in a “helpless state” as rape. However, we register that the Faroe Islands’ legislation lags behind, and that it in certain instances reduces the level of penalty for rape and sexual violence within marriage. We recommend to amend the Penal Code in the Faroe Islands to ensure that the definition of rape is brought in line with international standards and criminalized in all circumstances, including within marriage.