Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Ninety-fifth session
23 April–11 May 2018
Item 6 of the provisional agenda
Consideratio n of reports, comments and information submitted
by States parties under article 9 of the Convention
List of themes in relation to the combined twenty-second and twenty-third periodic reports of Sweden
Note by the Country Rapporteur
1.The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination decided at its seventy-sixth session (see A/65/18, para. 85) that the Country Rapporteur would send to the State party concerned a short list of themes with a view to guiding and focusing the dialogue between the State party’s delegation and the Committee during the consideration of the State party’s report. The present document contains a list of such themes. This is not an exhaustive list; other issues may also be raised in the course of the dialogue. No written replies are required.
The Convention in domestic law and the institutional and policy framework for its implementation (arts. 1, 2, 4 and 6)
2.Information on measures taken to diversify data collection in the State party to determine the ethnic composition of the population in terms of relevant discrimination indicators and living conditions of different ethnic groups, in particular for employment, housing, education and health (CERD/C/SWE/CO/19-21, para. 7; CERD/C/SWE/22-23, para. 33).
3.Detailed information on the implementation of the Discrimination Act (2008:567) and examples of cases and their outcomes, including effective remedies provided to victims, brought under the Act, in particular under the terminology “other similar circumstances”; information on measures to include all prohibited grounds for discrimination outlined in the Convention within the Act (CERD/C/SWE/CO/19-21, para. 6; CERD/C/SWE/22-23, paras. 24–25).
4.Detailed examples of current initiatives in the State party that may have the effect of special measures and their impact on ethnic minorities (CERD/C/SWE/CO/19-21, para. 8; CERD/C/SWE/22-23, para. 86).
5.Information on measures to improve the independence of the Equality Ombudsman and to broaden its mandate; updated information on measures taken to establish a national human rights institution in accordance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles), following the decision taken by the Government in 2016 on the strategy for the national implementation of human rights (CERD/C/SWE/CO/19-21, paras. 9–10; CERD/C/SWE/22-23, paras. 26–27 and 49).
6.Updated information on a common definition of hate crimes and the implementation of technical and procedural policies to track reported hate crimes, prosecutions and convictions (CERD/C/SWE/22-23, para 7); information on measures taken to ensure hate crime units and special investigators are present in all parts of the country (CERD/C/SWE/22-23, para. 8).
7.Updated information on training given to police, prosecutors and judges to close the gap between reported incidents and convictions and the impact of such training (CERD/C/SWE/22-23, paras. 9 and 93); information on measures implemented to combat xenophobia (CERD/C/SWE/CO/19-21, para. 11; CERD/C/SWE/22-23, para. 20).
8.Detailed information on the impact of measures taken to combat racist hate speech, including the No Hate Speech Movement campaign and surveys performed on hate speech on the Internet, and dialogues with stakeholders held in 2017; information on any prosecutions and convictions of perpetrators of hate speech, including by political figures and on the Internet (CERD/C/SWE/CO/19-21, para. 12; CERD/C/SWE/22-23, paras. 152–155).
9.Updated information on measures to bring the State party’s penal law into line with article 4 of the Convention, notably to declare illegal and prohibit organizations that promote and incite racial hatred (CERD/C/SWE/CO/19-21, para. 13; CERD/C/SWE/22-23, paras. 95–98).
Situation of Sami (arts. 2–7)
10.Updated information on the status of the Nordic Sami Convention and on measures to incorporate it in domestic legislation (CERD/C/SWE/22-23, paras. 119–120).
11.Information on measures taken to adopt specific legislation to protect the rights of Sami in their traditional lands, in consultation with concerned communities; measures adopted to address remaining obstacles faced by Sami, including access by non-reindeer-herding Sami to water and land (CERD/C/SWE/CO/19-21, para. 17).
12.Information on measures taken to strengthen the independence and decision-making power of the Swedish Sami Parliament, including on issues related to land rights, and to ensure it has adequate resources to carry out its functions; information on the outcome of the inquiry commissioned by the Government on the introduction of a consultation system in Sweden (CERD/C/SWE/22-23, paras. 117–118).
13.Impact of the predator policy adopted in 2013 on limiting harm to reindeer; information on measures taken to compensate Sami reindeer-herding communities for damages caused to them by predators (CERD/C/SWE/CO/19-21, para. 18; CERD/C/SWE/22-23, para. 112).
14.Information on efforts taken to obtain the free, prior and informed consent of all Sami communities on decisions that affect them, including in the context of the mining activities carried out on or near traditional Sami lands; steps taken to amend the Minerals Act and Strategy to ensure the availability of adequate consultation mechanisms to consult affected indigenous communities at all stages of the mining permit process (CERD/C/SWE/CO/19-21, para. 17; CERD/C/SWE/22-23, paras. 114–115).
Situation of ethnic minorities, including Roma (arts. 2–7)
15.Further detailed information on the implementation and impact of the reform programme to tackle segregation for the period 2017–2025, including the impact and outcome of such measures in eliminating de facto segregation along ethnic and socioeconomic lines (CERD/C/SWE/22-23, para. 87).
16.Information on measures taken to address discrimination against people of African descent, including by preventing hate crimes, racist depictions in the media and racial profiling; information on measures taken to ensure people of African descent have access to health care, education, housing and employment, without discrimination.
17.Information on the impact of education programmes and training for law enforcement officials to combat prejudice and racial profiling; updated information on the numbers of arrests and convictions under the Swedish Terrorism Act, disaggregated by age, sex and ethnicity of the accused; updated information on the work of the Parliamentary Ombudsman and others to ensure arrests and searches based solely on visible characteristics of individuals are prevented (CERD/C/SWE/CO/19-21, para. 16; CERD/C/SWE/CO/19-21/Add.1, para. 33–34).
18.Updated information on the implementation and impact of the Strategy for Roma Inclusion 2012–2032 on improving economic and social indicators among Roma; information on progress in developing municipal Roma inclusion models and efforts to spread to further localities that and other pilot programmes aimed at improving the situation of Roma; impact of efforts to raise awareness and combat discrimination and prejudice against Roma (CERD/C/SWE/22-23, paras. 69–70, 78 and 82–83).
Situation of non-citizens, including immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees (arts. 5–7)
19.Detailed information on the reforms and planned initiatives for the period 2016–2019 to enable newly arrived immigrants to join the labour market quickly; information on and impact of any initiatives on increasing access to education and eliminating high dropout rates of children of foreign origin (CERD/C/SWE/CO/19-21, para. 15; CERD/C/SWE/22-23, para. 60).
20.Information on measures taken to ensure timely processing of asylum applications, in particular of unaccompanied minors, and ensure access to health care and education without delay. Steps to facilitate family reunification of asylum seekers and refugees. Measures taken to consult asylum seekers and refugees in needs assessments and in the formulation of policies affecting them.