Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Concluding observations on the combined twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth periodic reports of Sweden *

1.The Committee considered the combined twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth periodic reports of Sweden, submitted in one document, at its 3173rd and 3174th meetings, held on 20 and 21 November 2025. At its 3188th meeting, held on 2 December 2025, it adopted the present concluding observations.

A.Introduction

2.The Committee welcomes the submission of the combined twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth periodic reports of the State Party. The Committee also welcomes the constructive dialogue with the high-level delegation and wishes to thank the delegation for the information that it provided during the Committee’s consideration of the reports and after the dialogue.

B.Positive aspects

3.The Committee welcomes the following legislative, institutional and policy measures taken by the State Party:

(a)The adoption, in December 2024, of the Action Plan to Combat Racism and Hate Crime;

(b)The adoption, in 2022, of the Act on Consultation in Matters of Special Importance to the Sami People (2022:66), which requires the Government, government agencies, municipalities and regions to consult the Sami Parliament, reindeer herding communities or Sami organizations on issues that concern Sami people;

(c)The adoption, in June 2022, of the five supplementary action programmes for the period 2022–2024, against racism against Sami people, Afrophobia, antigypsyism, Islamophobia and antisemitism, under the National Plan to Combat Racism, Similar Forms of Hostility and Hate Crime of 2016;

(d)The establishment, in January 2022, of the Swedish Institute for Human Rights, which is mandated to, among other things, monitor human rights, provide advice to the Government and promote human rights education;

(e)The establishment, in November 2021, of the Truth Commission for the Sami People to identify and assess historical and current discrimination, including the State assimilation policy and violations of rights,against Sami people and to propose recommendations aimed at redress and fostering reconciliation;

(f)The amendments, in 2019, to the Act on National Minorities and Minority Languages (2009:724), which require municipalities and regions to develop and adopt guidelines for their minorities policy initiatives.

C.Concerns and recommendations

Statistics

4.The Committee takes note of the information provided on the socioeconomic situation of the population disaggregated by the location of birth and according to the criteria of foreign-born, foreign-born who are Swedish citizens, Swedish-born with two foreign-born parents, individuals with a non-European background and individuals with a European background. Nevertheless, the Committee is concerned about the lack of comprehensive statistics on the demographic composition of the population, disaggregated by ethnicity, including with regard to persons belonging to ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and Sami people, and non-citizens, such as stateless persons, undocumented migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees, and on the socioeconomic status of the various population groups. This lack of disaggregated data limits the Committee’s ability to properly assess the situation of such groups, including their socioeconomic status and any progress achieved by implementing targeted policies and programmes. It remains concerned about the continued use of restrictive indicators and criteria by Statistics Sweden and in data-collection tools on the composition of the population and on the socioeconomic situation that do not permit the gathering of data disaggregated by ethnicity, resulting in the exclusion of persons belonging to ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and Sami people (arts. 1, 2 and 5).

5.Reiterating its previous recommendations and recalling its general recommendation No. 8 (1990) concerning the interpretation and application of article 1 (1) and (4) of the Convention, and its guidelines for reporting under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination , the Committee recommends that the State Party develop and enhance data - collection tools, with the meaningful participation of affected communities, to produce reliable, updated and comprehensive statistics on the demographic composition of the population, based on the principle of self-identification and anonymity, on ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and S a mi people. It also recommends that the State Party produce disaggregated statistics on the socioeconomic situation of ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and S a mi p eople , and non-citizens , and on their access to education, employment, healthcare and housing, with a view to creating an empirical basis for assessing the equal enjoyment of the rights enshrined in the Convention.

Convention in the domestic legal order

6.While noting that the State Party has a dualist legal system, the Committee is concerned about the lack of measures taken to incorporate the Convention into the domestic legislative framework (art. 2).

7. The Committee recommends that the State Party incorporate all the substantive principles and provisions of the Convention into its domestic legislative framework to ensure comprehensive protection against racial discrimination. It also recommends that the State Party conduct training program me s and awareness-raising campaigns, in particular for judges, prosecutors, lawyers and law enforcement officials, to ensure that the provisions of the Convention are invoked, when relevant, before domestic courts and enforce d by judges. It requests the State Party to include in its next periodic report specific examples of the application of the Convention by the domestic courts.

Discrimination Act

8.The Committee notes that the Discrimination Act (2008:567) prohibits direct and indirect discrimination on the ground of ethnicity, which incorporates a person’s national or ethnic origin, colour or other similar circumstances,in various aspects of life, such as employment, education and healthcare. Notwithstanding the information provided by the delegation during the dialogue on the process to review the Discrimination Act in accordance with the study published in 2021, the Committee is concerned about:

(a)The delay in the review process of the Discrimination Act, which is aimed at expanding the protection scope;

(b)The limited protection scope under the Discrimination Act, which applies only to situations involving the treatment of individuals by public employees when interacting with governmental agencies, while excluding situations involving the exercise of public authority in relation to individuals, as well as decisions, actions or failures to act by public officials, including law enforcement and customs officials;

(c)The limited mandate of the Equality Ombudsman to bring legal action before courts on behalf of individual victims of racial discrimination only and only after obtaining their consent (arts. 2, 5 and 6).

9. The Committee recommends that the State Party expedite the review of the Discrimination Act to expand its protection scope to cover all actions by public officials, particularly law enforcement officials , and to expand the mandate of the Equality Ombudsman to initiate legal proceedings on behalf of groups rather than solely on behalf of individual victims of racial discrimination, including in cases where no identifiable victim exists or where no victim is willing to pursue legal action for racial discrimination-related compensation. It also recommends that the State Party strengthen the capacity of the Equality Ombudsman by providing it with adequate human and financial resources to enable it to fulfil its mandate, particularly in accordance with the Council Directive 2024/1499 of 7 May 2024 and Directive 2024/1500 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024.

Policy framework

10.The Committee welcomes the adoption of the five action programmes to combat various forms of racial discrimination for the period of 2022–2024 under the National Plan to Combat Racism, Similar Forms of Hostility and Hate Crime of 2016 and the adoption, in December 2024, of the Action Plan to Combat Racism and Hate Crime, which prioritizes combating racial discrimination and racial hatred in schools, the judicial system, the welfare system and public sector activities, and employment. It notes the information that the Living History Forum is mandated to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the Action Plan and the information on the budget allocation for its implementation. However, the Committee is concerned about the lack of clear indicators to monitor the implementation of the five action programmes to combat various forms of racial discrimination for the period 2022–2024, including activities carried out, as well as progress made, and the delay in publishing the evaluation reports on their implementation. Furthermore, the Committee is concerned about:

(a)The reported lack of meaningful and inclusive consultations with civil society organizations working on promoting and protecting the rights of ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and Sami people, and non-citizens, during the development of the Action Plan to Combat Racism and Hate Crime;

(b)The absence of measures under the Action Plan to Combat Racism and Hate Crime to comprehensively address structural discrimination;

(c)The lack of measures under the Action Plan to Combat Racism and Hate Crime to address racial discrimination against people of Asian descent (arts. 2 and 5).

11. The Committee recommends that the State Party strengthen its efforts to combat racial discrimination under the policy framework by:

(a) Ascertaining the effective implementation of the Action Plan to Combat Racism and Hate Crime;

(b) Ensuring inclusive and meaningful consultation with and the participation of civil society organizations working on the rights of groups protected under the Convention, such as ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and S a mi p eople , and non-citizens , in relation to the implementation and monitoring of the Action Plan to Combat Racism and Hate Crime and other policy measures;

(c) Developing additional policies to complement the Action Plan to Combat Racism and Hate Crime to address structural discrimination and racial discrimination against people of Asian descent.

Racist hate crime and hate speech

12.The Committee notes that the dissemination of threats or the expression of contempt towards a group on the grounds of race, colour, or national or ethnic origin are criminalized under chapter 16, section 8, of the Swedish Criminal Code and that a racist motive is considered an aggravating circumstance under chapter 29, section 2. It also notes the information provided by the delegation during the dialogue on an inquiry that has been given the task of considering and proposing legislation making it a criminal offence to participate in a criminal organization, and that racist organizations may be considered as such. Nevertheless, the Committee is concerned about:

(a)The fact that bill SOU 2021:27, which was developed by the All-party Committee on the Prohibition of Racist Organizations to align the legislative framework with article 4 of the Convention, particularly in relation to the criminalization of racist organizations that promote or incite racial hatred, has not been adopted, notwithstanding the information provided by the delegation during the dialogue;

(b)Widespread racist hate speech and hate crimes and the dissemination of negative stereotypes of members of groups protected under the Convention, in particular ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and Sami people, and non-citizens, including in the media, on the Internet and on social media;

(c)The use of racist hate speech by politicians and high-ranking officials, including in the executive and legislative branches, and the lack of information on investigations, prosecutions and convictions of politicians and public figures for hate speech (art. 4).

13. Reiterating its previous recommendations and recalling its general recommendations No. 7 (1985) relating to the implementation of article 4 of the Convention, No. 15 (1993) on article 4 of the Convention and No. 35 (2013) on combating racist hate speech, the Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Expedite the review of its legislative framework to prohibit organizations or groups that incite and promote racial hatred and to combat all forms of racist hate speech and hate crimes targeting ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and S a mi p eople , and non-citizens, in line with a rticle 4 of the Convention, while ensuring meaningful consultation with and the participation of civil society organizations working on the rights of groups protected under the Convention;

(b) Adopt effective measures to monitor and address the spread of racist hate speech in the media, on the Internet and o n social media, in close cooperation with the Broadcasting Commission, Internet service providers , social media platforms and members of groups protected under the Convention, particularly members of the Muslim ethno-religious groups, people of African and Asian descent and S a mi people;

(c) Adopt measures to ensure the public condemnation of racist hate speech and to distance itself from racist hate speech by public figures, including politicians, and ensure that such acts are investigated and appropriately sanctioned.

Complaints of racial discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes

14.The Committee notes that the Prosecution Authority has published guidelines on hate crimes for prosecutors on relevant provisions under the legal framework and that each public prosecution office has at least one specialized prosecutor to handle hate crimes. It also notes the information that, in 2023, the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, which is mandated to collect judicial data, introduced the registration of details on racist motives in its judicial data-collection system. It further notes the information on training programmes conducted by the Swedish Judicial Training Academy for judges and judicial employees on hate crimes. Nevertheless, the Committee is concerned about:

(a)The increase in 2024 in the number of racial discrimination complaints submitted to the Equality Ombudsman to represent 35 per cent of all complaints received on discrimination, particularly in the areas of employment (40 per cent) and education (28 per cent), as well as housing, healthcare services and social support;

(b)The underreporting of complaints related to racial discrimination and hate crimes due to a lack of trust by victims in law enforcement agencies, the perception that racial discrimination and hate crimes are normalized and widespread and the high costs of legal procedures for victims and civil society organizations;

(c)The failure to adequately recognize and investigate racial discrimination and hate crimes by law enforcement agencies and low prosecution and conviction rates for racial discrimination and hate crimes, particularly in the recognition of racist motivation as an aggravating circumstance by law enforcement agencies, prosecution authorities and the courts pursuant to chapter 29, section 2, of the Swedish Criminal Code, considering that, in 2020, only 6 per cent of registered hate crimes were resolved, 47 per cent were closed following investigation and about 46 per cent were closed without an investigation being opened;

(d)The inconsistent statistics resulting from the separate data-collection systems used by the police and prosecution for hate crime complaints;

(e)The lack of obligation on the part of the courts to indicate in the verdict whether a racist motivation was considered as an aggravating circumstance and resulted in harsher penalties (arts 2, 4 and 6).

15. The Committee draws the State Party’s attention to its general recommendation No. 31 (2005) on the prevention of racial discrimination in the administration and functioning of the criminal justice system, and recalls that an absence of complaints and legal action relating to racial discrimination may reveal a lack of suitable legislation, poor awareness of the legal remedies available, a lack of trust in the judicial system, a fear of reprisals or a lack of will on the part of the authorities to prosecute the perpetrators of such acts. Recalling its general recommendations No. 7 (1985) and 15 (1993) on article 4 of the Convention and No. 35 (2013) on combating racist hate speech, the Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Strengthen its efforts to combat racial discrimination and hate crimes, including by ensuring the effective implementation of its legislative framework, particularly the Discrimination Act and c hapters 16 and 29 of the Criminal Code;

(b) Take effective measures to encourage the reporting of racial discrimination, racist hate speech and hate crimes and to ensure the availability and accessibility of safe reporting channels to members belonging to groups protected under the Convention, including by conducting an assessment of the systems for reporting and registering complaints of racial discrimination and hate crimes and by taking measures to identify and prevent discriminatory attitudes in the judicial system;

(c) Adopt measures to identify and effectively address all barriers to justice faced by victims of racial discrimination and hate crimes, in particular by reducing the cost of judicial procedures and enhancing legal aid;

(d) Undertake public education campaigns on the rights enshrined in the Convention and on how to file complaints of racial discrimination;

(e) Enhance training program me s for officials engaged in the administration of justice, including police officers and other law enforcement officials, prosecutors and judges, on racial discrimination and hate crimes, including on the identification and registration of such crimes;

(f) Take measures to enhance its data - collection systems for complaints of racial discrimination and hate crimes, in particular by ensuring the availability of statistics on complaints of racial discrimination and hate crimes and on investigations and prosecutions undertaken, convictions handed down and sanctions imposed;

(g) Ensure meaningful consultation with and the participation of civil society organizations and relevant stakeholders working on the rights of persons belonging to groups protected under the Convention, in particular the Equality Ombudsman, the Swedish Institute for Human Rights and the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, in relation to the development, monitoring and implementation of measures related to access to justice for victims of racial discrimination and hate crimes.

Racial profiling

16.The Committee takes note of the information on the prohibition of racial profiling under the legislative framework and the assessment carried out by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention on measures to combat racial profiling. However, the Committee is concerned about:

(a)The adoption of an amendment to the Police Act that entered into force in April 2024 to mandate the Swedish Police Authority to designate an area that, due to a conflict between groups, had been identified as at significant risk of criminal activity involving shooting and explosions as a “security zone” for a period of two weeks, with a possibility of extension, and to authorize law enforcement officials to conduct stop-and-search operations, including on children, without the requirement of individualized or specific suspicion, notwithstanding the information by the delegation on the limited application of that authority so far;

(b)The reported cases of racial profiling by law enforcement officials against people of African, Asian and Middle Eastern descent, particularly following the amendments to the legislative framework on law enforcement;

(c)The lack of independence of the Special Investigations Department, mandated to examine allegations of discriminatory practices, including racial profiling, as it is part of the Swedish Policy Authority;

(d)The lack of detailed information on investigations, prosecutions, convictions and sanctions for acts of racial profiling by law enforcement officials (art. 4).

17. Reiterating its previous recommendations and recalling its general recommendation No. 36 (2020) on preventing and combating racial profiling by law enforcement officials and the recommendations made by the International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement in its conference room paper following its visit to the State Party in 2022, the Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Review its legislative framework on law enforcement, including the Discrimination Act, to explicitly prohibit racial profiling by law enforcement officials and to ensure that stop-and-search powers are used in a lawful, non-arbitrary and non ‑ discriminatory manner, on the basis of reasonable suspicion , with respect for human dignity and privacy and with rigorous monitoring and review mechanisms;

(b) Establish an independent monitoring body with the competence to receive complaints regarding racial profiling, stop-and-search operations and racially motivated police violence by law enforcement agencies, with safe and accessible reporting channels for victims;

(c) Conduct prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into all allegations concerning racial profiling, stop-and-search operations and racially motivated police violence by law enforcement officials and ensure that the alleged perpetrators are prosecuted and, if convicted, punished with appropriate sanctions and that victims or their families are provided with adequate forms of reparation;

(d) Collect and include in its next periodic report information on complaints of racial profiling, racially motivated stop-and-search and police violence by law enforcement officials, on investigations, prosecutions, convictions and sanctions imposed and on reparation provided to victims.

Special measures to address structural discrimination

18.The Committee notes the measures implemented, including the Action Plan to Combat Racism and Hate Crime, that are aimed at addressing inequalities among the groups protected by the Convention, particularly regarding employment. However, the Committee is concerned about the structural discrimination faced by ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and Sami people, which hinders their enjoyment of rights under the Convention, particularly with regard to access to employment, adequate housing and healthcare services. The Committee is also concerned that the legislative framework does not permit the use and implementation of special measures to address the effects of structural discrimination on all groups protected under the Convention, thereby impeding the enjoyment of their human rights.

19. Reiterating its previous recommendations and recalling its general recommendation No. 32 (2009) on the meaning and scope of special measures in the Convention, the Committee recommends that the State Party review its legislative framework to allow for the implementation of special measures to address structural discrimination and inequalities. It also recommends that the State Party develop and implement effective measures, including special measures, to combat the structural discrimination faced by ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno ‑ religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and S a mi p eople , and address the root causes of racial discrimination and inequalities, including colonialism and slavery and the associated impact thereof in the form of xenophobia and intolerance, to ensure access to education, employment, healthcare and housing without discrimination.

Right to health

20.The Committee takes note of the information provided by the delegation about the legislative framework on the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and on access to medical care and health services for members belonging to ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and Sami people. However, the Committee is concerned about reports of:

(a)Unequal treatment and discrimination in access to healthcare and widespread negative stereotypes about members belonging to groups protected under the Convention, such as people of African and Asian descent and Roma communities;

(b)Structural racial discrimination and stigmatizing treatment of women of African descent in obstetric and maternal care;

(c)Lower life expectancy for persons belonging to Roma communities compared with that of the general population;

(d)Inconsistent application of the vaguely worded concept of “treatment that cannot be deferred” in the legislative framework, which regulates the healthcare benefits for asylum-seekers and undocumented migrants (arts. 2 and 5).

21. Recalling its general recommendation No. 37 (2024) on equality and freedom from racial discrimination in the enjoyment of the right to health, the Committee recommends that the State Party take comprehensive measures to guarantee the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health for all persons without discrimination, including by:

(a) Implementing effectively its legislative framework, particularly the Discrimination Act, and adopting clear protocols to prevent discriminatory treatment and negative stereotyping of persons belonging to groups protected under the Convention, particularly people of African and Asian descent and Roma communities;

(b) Addressing discriminatory practices in obstetric and maternal care and conducting awareness - raising campaigns for healthcare professionals on racial discrimination and human rights standards;

(c) Adopting measures to close the life expectancy gap for Roma communities, including improved access to preventive and primary healthcare;

(d) Reviewing its legislative framework to clarify and define the concept “treatment that cannot be deferred” and to guarantee that asylum - seekers and undocumented migrants have access to essential healthcare services;

(e) Collecting health data disaggregated by ethnic and national origin and other relevant indicators to identify disparities;

(f) Implementing the relevant recommendations contained in the concluding observations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights adopted in 2024.

Right to adequate housing

22.The Committee takes note of the information on measures to address housing segregation, including the development of tools to monitor housing segregation. However, it remains concerned about reports of the persistence of spatial segregation and discrimination in access to housing on the grounds of race, colour and national or ethnic origin, particularly among ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities and people of African and Asian descent, which limit their access to education, employment and health care (arts. 2, 3 and 5).

23. The Committee recommends that the State Party strengthen the implementation of its legislation and policies to combat discrimination in housing, including the Discrimination Act, and adopt effective measures to eliminate spatial segregation. It also recommends that the State Party assess its legislative and policy measures to address discrimination and spatial segregation, with a view to identifying the challenges to be addressed.

Right to employment

24.The Committee is concerned about persistent and widespread racial discrimination in the labour market and employment affecting the recruitment, career progression and working conditions of persons belonging to ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities and people of African and Asian descent. In particular, it is concerned about reports that:

(a)Individuals with Arabic-sounding names are particularly vulnerable to racial discrimination in employment and during the recruitment process;

(b)Persons belonging to Roma communities face exclusion from employment, with low participation rates, particularly among Roma youth, and Roma reportedly hide their identity to avoid racial bias due to negative attitudes toward them;

(c)People of African and Asian descent face racial discrimination and disparities in employment, including lower wages, prolonged unemployment and limited access to senior positions commensurate with their qualifications, with these gaps being particularly acute among those with higher education.

25. The Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Strengthen its efforts to combat racial discrimination in the workplace, including by ensuring the effective implementation of the Discrimination Act and by conducting targeted awareness-raising campaigns in the public and private sectors on existing laws and remedies;

(b) Adopt measures to conduct labo u r inspections and collect disaggregated data on employment, wages and contract types by ethnic or national origin and gender to monitor progress and identify structural barriers;

(c) Implement the relevant recommendations contained in the concluding observations of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights adopted in 2024.

Racism in sport

26.The Committee notes the information provided by the State Party’s delegation during the dialogue on the independence of sports associations and the availability of an internal regulatory framework for such associations regarding racism in sport. However, the Committee is concerned about reported cases of racial discrimination and hate speech by fans and the lack of information on investigations, prosecutions and sanctions in such cases (art. 4).

27. The Committee recommends that the State Party take effective measures to combat racial discrimination and hate speech in sport and to investigate, prosecute and sanction perpetrators in accordance with the provisions of the Discrimination Act and the Criminal Code.

Intersecting forms of discrimination

28.The Committee is concerned about reports that persons belonging to ethnic and ethno‑religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and Sami people, are subjected to multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination on grounds of ethnic and national origin, race, colour, religion, language, age, sex, gender or other status, which restrict the exercise of their economic, social and cultural rights, particularly with regard to access to education, healthcare and employment. The Committee is also concerned about reports of intersecting discrimination on the grounds of ethnic and national origin, colour, race, descent, sex and gender, particularly in accessing public services, such as healthcare, education and employment, owing to traditional dress and customs, particularly for Sami and Roma women, and to the wearing of the veil, for women belonging to Muslim ethno-religious groups (arts. 2 and 5).

29. The Committee recommends that the State Party adopt effective measures to address and combat intersectional discrimination and ensure the mainstreaming of gender, age and disability into all measures aimed at combating racial discrimination and hate crimes. While recalling its general recommendation No. 25 (2000) on gender ‑ related dimensions of racial discrimination, it recommends that the State Party take measures to combat the intersecting discrimination faced by women belonging to ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma women, women of African and Asian descent and S a mi women , and ensure their equal access to employment, education and healthcare, including by reviewing its legislative and policy frameworks to eliminate all barriers and restrictions faced by these women. To this end, it recommends that the State Party incorporate a minority women perspective into all gender-related policies and strategies.

Children belonging to groups protected under the Convention

30.The Committee notes the prohibition of racial discrimination and offensive treatment in schools and other educational facilities under the Discrimination Act and the Education Act. The Committee is concerned about reports on the prevalence of racial discrimination and hate crimes, including physical attacks, against children belonging to ethnic and ethno‑religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and Sami people, in schools by other pupils and teachers and the reported reprisals and retaliation faced by children and their parents for submitting complaints about racial discrimination and hate crimes in schools. The Committee is also concerned that the amendment to the Police Act to designate “security zones” grants law enforcement officials powers to conduct stop-and-search operations, including on children, without the requirement of individualized or specific suspicion, which increases the vulnerability of children from racialized groups, who are most targeted by these random checks and racial profiling by law enforcement officials.

31. The Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Ensure the effective implementation of its legislative framework, particularly the Discrimination Act and the Education Act , to combat racial discrimination and hate speech in schools and education al facilities;

(b) Adopt effective measures to combat racial discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes in schools, including harassment and bullying, perpetuated by pupils and teachers against children belonging to ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma children, children of African and Asian descent and Sami children ;

(c) Ensure the availability and accessibility of safe mechanisms for parents and children, including child-friendly reporting system in schools, to submit complaints of racial discrimination and hate crimes in schools;

(d) Collect and include in its next periodic report information on complaints of racial discrimination and hate crimes in schools and education al facilities, disaggregated by ethnicity, age, race, descent and religion, on investigations, prosecutions, convictions and sanctions imposed, and on reparation provided to victims;

(e) Develop and implement compulsory training for teachers and school staff on preventing racial discrimination and hate speech;

(f) Review its legislative framework regarding the operations of law enforcement agencies and “security zones” to prohibit stop-and-search operations on children when no offen c e has been committed beforehand;

(g) Implement the relevant recommendations contained in the concluding observations of the Committee on the R ights of the Child adopted in 2023.

Roma

32.The Committee takes note of the information on the implementation of the Strategy for Roma Inclusion for the period 2012–2032. However, the Committee is concerned about the reported insufficient and ineffective implementation of the Strategy, including at the local level, the absence of indicators and a data-collection system to monitor its implementation and the lack of measures to review the Strategy and align it with regional standards. It notes with concern the marginalization of and discrimination and persistent negative stereotypes against Roma, who are reportedly affected by extreme poverty, high rates of unemployment and limited access to social services and housing. The Committee is concerned about the challenges faced by Roma children in accessing education in their mother tongue, including due to a shortage of qualified teachers.

33. Reiterating its previous recommendations and recalling its general recommendation No. 27 (2000) on discrimination against Roma, the Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Review its Strategy for Roma Inclusion for the period 2012 – 2032 and ensure its effective implementation, with meaningful consultation with and the participation of civil society organizations working on the rights of Roma communities and the allocation of sufficient human, financial and technical resources, particularly at the local level;

(b) Adopt measures to combat structural discrimination in all spheres of life, to discourage stigmatization and stereotyping of Roma communities, to ensure that Roma who are victims of discrimination have access to effective remedies, to provide training on Roma issues for law enforcement and judicial officers and journalists and to conduct awareness-raising campaigns to promote Roma identity and culture;

(c) Adopt measures to end extreme poverty among Roma communities;

(d) Take measures to increase the employment rate among Roma, including measures aimed at improving the vocational qualifications of members of Roma communities and combating discrimination in the field of employment;

(e) Adopt effective measures to ensure access by Roma children to quality education in their mother tongue, including by recruiting adequately trained teachers, by strengthening the support system for Roma children and families and by conducting awareness-raising campaigns on the importance of education that are targeted at Roma children and young people and their families.

People of African descent

34.The Committee notes the information provided on measures to address racial discrimination against people of African descent. However, the Committee is concerned about the persistence of structural discrimination and stigmatization targeting people of African descent, which impedes their enjoyment of the rights protected under the Convention. It is concerned that people of African descent are discriminated against in the enjoyment of their rights to education, health, social support and employment. The Committee is also concerned about the high rate of hate crimes against people of African descent.

35. Reiterating its previous recommendations and recalling its general recommendation No. 34 (2011) on racial discrimination against people of African descent, the Committee recommends that the State Party ensure the adopt ion and effective implementation of additional measures, including special measures, to combat structural discrimination and stigmatization targeting people of African descent , to reduce social exclusion among them and to increase the ir access to adequate living conditions, education, healthcare and employment without discrimination. It also recommends that the State Party adopt effective measures to address the root causes of xenophobia, racism, hate speech, harassment and violence targeted at people of African descent.

Muslim ethno-religious groups

36.While noting the measures by the State Party to promote the rights of Muslim ethno‑religious groups, the Committee is concerned about the prevalence of negative stereotypes against and stigmatization towards Muslim ethno-religious groups, particularly in the media and political discourse, and widespread racial discrimination in their access to employment and education. The Committee notes that Muslim ethno-religious groups are denied services or subjected to additional background checks based on their name, ethnic origin or appearance, particularly in connection with the implementation of the Act on Measures against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (2017:630). The Committee also notes the high rate of hate crimes and violence against members belonging to Muslim ethno-religious groups.

37. Reiterating its previous recommendations , the Committee recommends that the State Party ensure the effective implementation of measures to eliminate negative stereotypes and stigmatization against members of Muslim ethno-religious groups, particularly in the media and political discourse , through public awareness-raising campaigns. It also recommends that the State Party adopt measures to promote equal access and opportunities for members of Muslim ethno-religious groups, particularly in relation to employment and education. It further recommends that the State Party conduct an assessment of the implementation of the Act on Measures against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (2017:630) and other legislation to prevent discriminatory practices, including denial of services or additional background checks based on ethnicity, name or appearance, and establish clear guidelines and oversight mechanisms. The Committee recommends that the State Party strengthen its efforts to prevent and combat hate crimes and violence against members belonging to Muslim ethno-religious groups and to provide adequate protection and support for victims.

Sami people

38.The Committee notes the adoption, in 2022, of the Act on Consultation in Matters of Special Importance to the Sami People (2022:66), which requires the Government and its agencies to consult the Sami Parliament, reindeer herding communities or Sami organizations on issues that concern Sami people. It also notes that, as of March 2024, the Act applies to all municipalities and regions. The Committee takes note of the information provided by the delegation during the dialogue that an assessment of the Act and its application will be carried out to examine its effectiveness to protect and promote the rights of the Sami people. Nevertheless, the Committee is concerned about:

(a)The limited scope of the Act on Consultation in Matters of Special Importance to the Sami People, particularly in relation to civil law matters and quasi-judicial agencies conducting environmental assessments for mining and development projects, and that the Act does not conform to international standards on the right to consultation and free, prior and informed consent;

(b)Inadequate consultation with the Sami people and the Sami Parliament on the development and adoption of legislation and other measures affecting their rights and on the issuance of permits for economic and development projects on their lands;

(c)Irregularities in the development of a new reindeer husbandry legislation, particularly in relation to the exclusion of the “non-reindeer herding” Sami people, the dismantling of the Committee on Reindeer Lands in December 2024 and the lack of a meaningful consultation process with the Sami people;

(d)The reported irreparable damage caused by economic, energy, industrial and natural resource development projects, including mining projects, and the adverse impact on the right of the Sami people to use and enjoy their traditionally owned lands and natural resources, and to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment;

(e)The reported lack of effective implementation of the predator policy on limiting harm to reindeer, including inadequate budget allocations for its implementation, and insufficient compensation for damage caused by predators;

(f)The insufficient financial resources allocated to the Sami Parliament, particularly in relation to the cultural activities;

(g)The challenges faced by the Sami people and children in accessing education in their mother tongue due to the low number of qualified teachers and the insufficient financial resources allocated to Sami language centres;

(h)Reported cases of domestic and gender-based violence and cases of suicide among Sami women and lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons belonging to the Sami people (arts. 2 and 5).

39. Reiterating its previous recommendations and recalling the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and its general recommendation No. 23 (1997) on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Review its legislative framework on S a mi people, particularly the Act on Consultation in Matters of Special Importance to the S a mi People, to ensure meaningful and effective consultation with the S a mi people and the S a mi Parliament on any projects or legislative or administrative measures that may affect their land, territories and resources, with a view to obtaining their free, prior and informed consent;

(b) Conduct environmental and human rights impact assessments with meaningful consultations with S a mi people and the S a mi Parliament before authorizing any economic, industrial or natural resource development projects that may affect their land, territories and resources;

(c) Adopt measures to prevent, mitigate and redress the impact of economic, industrial and natural resource development projects on the lands, territories and resources of S a mi people, with a view to protecting their customs and traditional ways of life and the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment;

(d) Adopt measures to ensure the effective implementation of the predator policy of 2013 and ensure adequate compensation for the damage caused to reindeer by predators, including by allocating sufficient financial resources for its implementation and assessing the level of compensation , with a view to increasing it;

(e) Take measures to strengthen the S a mi Parliament, including by allocating sufficient financial resources to enable it to fulfil its mandate, particularly in relation to cultural activities;

(f) Adopt measures to increase the availability and accessibility of quality mental health services for S a mi p eople to address the root causes of the high prevalence of suicide and to provide individuals, particularly women and lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons who are at risk of suicide , with effective prevention program me s and support services;

(g) Adopt effective measures to guarantee the access of S a mi people and children to education in their mother tongue, including by recruiting adequately trained teachers to teach the language;

(h) Adopt effective measures to prevent and address gender-based violence, including domestic violence against S a mi women, including by conducting awareness ‑ raising campaigns to encourage the reporting of cases of gender-based violence against women;

(i)Implement the recommendations by the Committee contained in Lars ‑ Anders Ågren et al. v. Sweden, in compliance with the State Party’s responsibility under article 14 of the Convention.

Transitional justice

40.The Committee takes note of the information on the publication in 2023 of the report by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Tornedalians, Kvens and Lantalaiset. It welcomes the establishment, in November 2021, of the Truth Commission for the Sami People to identify and assess historical and current discrimination, including the State assimilation policy and violations of rights, against the Sami people and to propose recommendations aimed at redress and fostering reconciliation. It notes that the mandate of the Truth Commission was extended until October 2026. However, the Committee is concerned that, since the resignation of three members of the Truth Commission in late 2024, three posts remain vacant, despite the appointment of three new experts by the Sami Parliament in December 2024.

41. Recalling the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence in his report following his visit to the State Party in March 2024, the Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Take effective measures to implement the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Tornedalians , Kvens and Lantalaiset ;

(b) Enhance its efforts to support the Truth Commission for the S a mi People to enable it to carry out its mandate effectively, including by filling the three vacant post, in consultation with the S a mi Parliament, and by allocating sufficient human and financial resources to it .

Situation of non-citizens

42.The Committee takes note of the information provided on the legislative and policy framework on migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers. However, the Committee is concerned about:

(a)The lack of information and official statistics on the situation of non-citizens, including asylum-seekers, refugees, stateless persons and undocumented migrants, in the State Party, including on their social and economic situation;

(b)The insufficient daily allowance for asylum-seekers, which has remained unchanged since 1994;

(c)The amendment to the legislative framework to limit daily allowance benefits to asylum-seekers residing in asylum accommodation only, which restricts their right to freedom of movement;

(d)The lack of a dedicated determination procedure in relation to statelessness (arts. 2 and 5).

43. Recalling its general recommendation No. 30 (2004) on discrimination against non-citizens, the Committee recommends that the State Party:

(a) Collect disaggregated data on non-citizens, including asylum - seekers, refugees, stateless persons and undocumented migrants, and data on their socioeconomic situation;

(b) Adopt measures to adjust the daily allowance for asylum - seekers to ensure an adequate standard of living, taking into account inflation and current living costs;

(c) Review its legislative framework to remove restrictions on daily allowance for those not residing in asylum accommodation, in order to guarantee freedom of movement and avoid segregation or isolation;

(d) Establish a dedicated and accessible procedure for the determination of statelessness, in line with international standards, and ensur e that stateless persons enjoy all rights under the Convention without discrimination.

Tido Agreement

44.The Committee notes the information provided by the delegation regarding the Tido Agreement, which was concluded between four political parties following the 2022 parliamentary elections to reform various aspects of the legislative and policy frameworks, particularly with regard to migration and combating criminality. The Committee is concerned about the reported discriminatory effects on groups protected under the Convention and about the adverse impact of the legislative amendments and proposals resulting from the Tido Agreement on these groups, particularly ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and Sami people, and non-citizens, such as stateless persons, undocumented migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees, and on the enjoyment of their human rights protected under the Convention, particularly their rights to security and protection, to freedom of movement and residence, to nationality, to freedom of opinion and expression and to health. In particular, the Committee is concerned about:

(a)The proposal to introduce an obligation for employees in the public sector, excluding employees in the education and healthcare sectors, to report undocumented migrants to law enforcement agencies;

(b)The study launched to examine the possibility of halting State-funded interpretation services for public services;

(c)The proposal to amend the citizenship legislative framework by imposing heightened requirements for permanent residence permits and citizenship, including language and civic tests and income thresholds;

(d)The recommendation to amend the legislative citizenship framework by expanding grounds for the denial or revocation of residence permits and citizenship based on discriminatory, overly broad and vague criteria such as “deficiencies in conduct”, “deficiencies in their way of life” or behaviour deemed contrary to “fundamental Swedish democratic values”, particularly targeting individuals with dual nationality and those born abroad;

(e)The proposal to require asylum-seekers to pay for their own reception and healthcare services;

(f)The proposal to expand the authority of law enforcement agencies in identity check operations and the amendment adopted to the legislative framework to designate areas as “security zones” to conduct stop-and-search operations, including in the absence of suspicion of criminal activity (arts. 2, 5 and 6).

45. The Committee recommends that the State Party conduct a systematic human ‑ based review of its proposed amendments to its legislative and policy frameworks resulting from the Tido Agreement to guarantee their full conformity with international human rights principles and the objectives and purposes of the Convention and to prevent a discriminatory impact on the rights of persons belonging to ethnic and ethno-religious groups, including Muslim ethno-religious groups, Roma communities, people of African and Asian descent and S a mi p eople , and non-citizens, such as stateless persons, undocumented migrants, asylum - seekers and refugees, particularly their rights to security and protection, to freedom of movement and residence, to nationality, to freedom of opinion and expression and to health.

Reparation for colonialism and slavery

46.The Committee notes the information provided by the delegation during the dialogue that human rights education in school curricula covers the past involvement of the State Party in the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and the legacies of slavery and colonialism. However, the Committee is concerned about the lack of measures aimed at providing reparation for the wrongs of colonialism and the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, particularly in relation to restitution, compensation and satisfaction, as appropriate. It is also concerned that lingering legacies of colonialism and chattel enslavement continue to fuel xenophobia, racism, intolerance, racial stereotypes and racial discrimination in the State Party (arts. 2, 5, 6 and 7).

47. The Committee recommends that the State Party adopt effective measures on reparation for the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans and colonial wrongdoings, in terms of restitution, compensation and satisfaction, as appropriate. It recommends that the State Party take into consideration the report of the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and racial intolerance in which the Special Rapporteur addresses the human rights obligations of Member States in relation to reparation for racial discrimination rooted in slavery and colonialism, and the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Africans and of people of African descent against excessive use of force and other human rights violations by law enforcement officers through transformative change for racial justice and equality , submitted to the Human R ights Council at its sixtieth session.

Training, education and other measures to combat prejudice and intolerance

48.The Committee takes note of the information on the activities by the Living History Forum on providing human rights education in school curricula and university programmes and on the provision of human rights education for law enforcement officials and judges. However, the Committee is concerned about the lack of information on awareness-raising campaigns targeting the general public, law enforcement officials and judicial authorities, on the importance of non-discrimination, cultural diversity and tolerance (art. 7).

49. The Committee recommends that the State Party increase its efforts to conduct public awareness-raising campaigns with measurable outcomes, targeting the general public, civil servants, law enforcement officials and judicial authorities , on the importance of ethnic and cultural diversity , on the fight against racial discrimination and on living together.

D.Other recommendations

Ratification of other treaties

50. Bearing in mind the indivisibility of all human rights, the Committee encourages the State Party to consider ratifying those international human rights treaties that it has not yet ratified, in particular treaties with provisions that have direct relevance to communities that may be subjected to racial discrimination, including the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

Follow-up to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action

51. In the light of its general recommendation No. 33 (2009) on follow-up to the Durban Review Conference, the Committee recommends that, when implementing the Convention in its domestic legal order, the State Party give effect to the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted in September 2001 by the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, taking into account the outcome document of the Durban Review Conference, held in Geneva in April 2009. The Committee requests that the State Party include in its next periodic report specific information on action plans and other measures taken to implement the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action at the national level.

International Decade for People of African Descent

52. In its resolution 79/193, the General Assembly proclaimed 2025–2034 the Second International Decade for People of African Descent. Also in that resolution, the Assembly decided to extend the programme of activities for the implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent adopted in its resolution 69/16, with a view to ensuring continuing efforts in promoting the respect, protection and fulfilment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of people of African descent. In the light of this development, the Committee recommends that the State Party implement the programme of activities in collaboration with people of African descent and include in its next periodic report information on the measures adopted in that framework, taking into account the Committee’s general recommendation No. 34 (2011) on racial discrimination against people of African descent.

Consultations with civil society

53. The Committee recommends that the State Party continue consulting and increasing its dialogue with civil society organizations working in the area of human rights protection, in particular those working to combat racial discrimination, in connection with the preparation of the next periodic report and in follow-up to the present concluding observations.

Dissemination of information

54. The Committee recommends that the State Party’s reports be made readily available and accessible to the public at the time of their submission and that the concluding observations of the Committee with respect to those reports be similarly made available in the official language of the State Party and in the languages of national minorities, as appropriate.

Paragraphs of particular importance

55. The Committee wishes to draw the attention of the State Party to the particular importance of the recommendations contained in paragraphs 17 (racial profiling) and 25 (right to employment) above and requests the State Party to provide detailed information in its next periodic report on the concrete measures taken to implement those recommendations.

Follow-up to the concluding observations

56. In accordance with article 9 (1) of the Convention and rule 74 of its rules of procedure, the Committee requests the State Party to provide, within one year of the adoption of the present concluding observations, information on its implementation of the recommendations contained in paragraphs 31 (b) and (c) (children belonging to groups protected under the Convention), 41 (b) (transitional justice) and 43 (b) (situation of non-citizens) above.

Preparation of the next periodic report

57. The Committee recommends that the State Party submit its combined twenty ‑ sixth and twenty-eighth periodic reports, as a single document, by 5 January 2029, taking into account the reporting guidelines adopted by the Committee during its seventy-first session and addressing all the points raised in the present concluding observations. In the light of General Assembly resolution 68/268, the Committee urges the State Party to observe the limit of 21,200 words for periodic reports.