Human Rights (HR) – Mainstreaming Human Rights

In Sweden, the municipalities and regions play an important role in the implementation as places and organizations where human rights must be respected, protected, fulfilled and promoted on a daily basis.

Respect, protect, fulfill and promote human rights

Through ratifying regional and international conventions, the Swedish state has undertaken to respect, protect, promote and fulfill human rights. By way of constitutional laws, the Local Government Act and special law, Swedish legislation governs how these commitments are to be implement­ed nationally. Due to the decentralized system and strong local self-governance in Sweden the human rights commitments are to a high degree implemented on local and regional level. The right to health, education and participation for example, are made concrete in the meeting between municipalities and regions and their inhabitants.

Even though Sweden as a country has come far when it comes to human rights protection, both discrimination as well as illegitimate differences in the access to and the quality of services exist between different inhabitants and groups. The task of integrating a human rights perspective in the processes of governance and management, as well as in service delivery, needs to be supported and strengthened.

A number of surveys have revealed, however, that there is a need for increased understanding of how human rights commitments affect decision-making and the daily operations of local and regional authorities.

SALAR supports its members in order to promote human rights

The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) therefore strives to support its members through various means, in order to enhance the ability of municipalities and regions to strengthen human rights.