Children’s rights

Every year, half of the world’s children are subjected to various forms of violence. On 7–8 November, the first global ministerial conference on this topic will be held in Colombia’s capital, Bogotá. The Swedish Government is co-hosting the conference, together with the Government of Colombia, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children.

Speach by State Secretary Minna Ljunggren at the ISPCAN congress on prevention of violence against children, in Uppsala 19 August 2024. Check against delivery.

The Government is now presenting an action programme to prevent and combat men’s violence against women, domestic violence, honour-based violence and oppression, and prostitution and human trafficking for the period 2024–2026. The programme contains over 130 initiatives and measures to be undertaken on a broad front at national, regional and local level. The efforts will also be strengthened in four special priority areas for development.

The Swedish Gender Equality Agency has been tasked with sharing knowledge about honour-based violence and oppression in connection with stays abroad. The Government has now also tasked the Agency with analyzing and presenting proposals for a national reporting and follow-up system for cases where a child or adult has been taken abroad. This involves determining the scope of the problem and establishing an approach to systematic follow-up.

Preventing and combating men’s violence against women, other types of intimate partner violence, and honour-based violence and oppression is a high priority for the Government. More than SEK 600 million will be invested in gender equality in 2024 and government agencies have been assigned several new assignments. The Government is now further strengthening the work towards gender equality and presents investment in women’s economic empowerment and to increase knowledge about national minorities’ exposure to violence.

In a referral to the Council on Legislation, the Government proposes amending the legislation on Swedish citizenship. The proposals entail stricter requirements on acquisition of Swedish citizenship by notification and better protection for children and adults in vulnerable situations. 

Every child and young person has the right to a safe, secure and bright future, to be properly cared for and to grow up in a home free from violence.

Support to Ukraine is the most important priority during the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU. On 1–2 June, the Swedish Presidency held a high-level meeting on protecting children to highlight how Ukrainian children have been affected by Russia’s aggression, and to discuss what EU Member States can do to respond to their needs. A very large number of Member States signed a declaration at the meeting.

Over seven million people in Ukraine have been forced to leave their homes and seek temporary protection from Russia’s aggression, both within Ukraine and in other European countries. The overwhelming majority are women and children. Children are often among the most vulnerable in war and conflict. Sweden and Ukraine have now entered into a cooperation agreement to continue supporting and protecting children.

Since December 2021, disinformation has been spread concerning Swedish social services taking Muslim children into care without a legal basis. According to the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency, there are no indications that the campaign will cease in the near future. Social services employees are being threatened and, in the worst case scenario, this risks leading to children in Sweden not receiving the social support to which they are entitled. The Government is now taking several measures to counteract the disinformation that is being disseminated.

On the 6 October, Minister for Health and Social Affairs Lena Hallengren decided to step down from her post. She will leave the Government and take up her seat in the Riksdag. Ms Hallengren will be the new Group Leader of the Social Democratic Party in the Riksdag.

The Government has adopted a national action plan to implement the European Council Recommendation establishing a European Child Guarantee. The European Child Guarantee aims to prevent and combat social exclusion by guaranteeing the access of children in need to a set of key services.

Swedish legislation provides the conditions for all children to have actual access to the basic community services referred to in the Child Guarantee. In addition, most of the services are free of charge.

Explantation of Vote delivered by Ambassador Carl Skau on behalf of Sweden at the United Nations Security Council Adoption of Resolution 2421 (2018), renewing the mandate of UNAMI, 14 June 2018, New York.

National statement delivered by Ambassador Olof Skoog on behalf of Sweden at the United Nations Security Council Briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, 15 May 2018, New York.

National statement delivered by Ambassador Irina Schoulgin-Nyoni on behalf of Sweden at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on Youth, Peace and Security, 23 April 2018, New York.

National statement delivered by Ambassador Irina Schoulgin-Nyoni on behalf of Sweden at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on Youth, Peace and Security, 23 April 2018, New York.

Statement delivered by Ambassador Carl Skau on behalf of Sweden and Kuwait at the Security Council Briefing on Syria, 28 February 2018, United Nations, New York.

In Yemen, one child dies every ten minutes because of extreme hunger and disease resulting from conflict. Close to 10 million children remain at risk; bearing the brunt of a crisis that they hold no responsibility for, or control over. In Syria, schools – where children should find safety – are regularly attacked; denying them both education and protection. Six million children in Syria are in need of humanitarian assistance. Millions more are seeking refuge in neighbouring countries and beyond. And, despite the fact that over 115,000 children have been released from armed groups since 2000, children continue to be recruited as soldiers and used in conflicts. Children are the most vulnerable and suffer most from conflict. How they are treated has consequences not only for their own future, but for that of their communities and countries. Sweden has a tradition of working to strengthen the protection of children in conflict, and we are using our membership of the Security Council to further advance this work.

On 7 December, the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the EU hosted two panel discussions on women and girls in EU migration policy. The discussions provided input to political decision making processes in the field of migration.