Human rights in Denmark
The Constitutional Act or (Grundloven), which was adopted on 5 June 1849, lays the foundations of democracy in the organisation of the Realm of Denmark.
In addition, the Constitution guarantees Freedom of Religion (Section 67), provided that these religious communities do not threaten "good morals or public order".
The European Convention was the first treaty to provide institutional means of supervising and enforcing human rights across Europe.
[13] In the early stages of the ECtHR's foundation, the Scandinavian countries were some of the first to agree to the optional clauses on its jurisdiction, thus strengthening its political legitimacy.
[2] In addition, Denmark and the other Nordic states were prominent figures in the preliminary construction of the ECtHR system, and in its finalisation.
The direct quote below outlines the fact that a Danish citizen cannot be detained due to their religion, race or political view:[5] Personal liberty shall be inviolable.
In addition it is entrenched in Section 67 of the Danish Constitution, which provides that citizens are entitled to establish and join religious congregations or communities.
[15] In addition, a law introduced in 2019 requires a person to shake hands with officials at their naturalisation ceremony if they wish to take Danish citizenship.
[16] This has prompted human rights concerns in regard to freedom of religion as it is argued it targets Muslim and Jewish groups who demonstrate "lack of assimilation".
In order to promote international peace and equality, they developed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948.
[18] In addition, the UDHR, which is still in use today, acts as a mechanism to uphold values such as "universal equality and freedom, supporting decolonisation, good governance and the struggle against discrimination".
[19] As a result, the Council of Europe passed a resolution on 15 April 1970 that made the Report of the Human Rights Commission on the Greek Case public.
[20] Furthermore, from the 1970s the Nordic states played a significant role in supporting non-governmental human rights organisations and actors.
[21] For example, the Helsinki Watch, a non-governmental organisation based in the U.S. and established in 1978, was crucial to advocating for human rights in this period.
This early support for international human rights is what has secured its reputation in Denmark as a "vehicle of progressive change.
[3] In addition, in late 2018 the Danish government announced that the 2019 budget would include funding for a scheme that would see foreign criminals who had completed jail sentences, but could not be deported, to be moved to Lindholm Island.
[24] Lindholm Island is located three kilometres out from the southeast of Denmark, and had previously been a laboratory for animals with highly contagious diseases.
"[26] In March 2021, the Danish government announced limits on ‘non-western’ immigrants, it revoked the residency permits of refugees and vulnerable asylum seekers.
[27] Moreover, on 19 May 2021, Denmark faced condemnation from EU lawmakers, the UNHCR, and human rights groups for revoking residency status for Syrian refugees.
[30] In 2014 also, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights said that, "Denmark has the highest spread rate of physical and sexual violence against women in Europe.
[35] From the 18th century up to the 1970s, the Danish government (Dano-Norwegian until 1814) have through time tried to assimilate the Greenlandic Inuit, encouraging them to adopt the majority language, culture and religion.
Critical treatment paying non-Inuit workers higher wages than the local people, the relocation of entire families from their traditional lands into settlements, and separating children from their parents and sending them away to Denmark for schooling has been practiced.
According to the report, Ghettos are subject to evictions, compulsory custody, double punishment, and excessive security measures.
[43] Denmark was the first country to recognise registered partnerships (Danish: registreret partnerskab) between same-sex couples, in a law enacted on 7 June 1989.
[3] In addition, Amnesty International revealed that the Danish Health Authority has not yet established national guidelines outlining how children with variations of sex characteristics should be treated by doctors.
