Intensified efforts to promote democracy and human rights

“The Arab Spring has shown that efforts to promote democracy and human rights make a difference,” commented Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. The Government has increased its allocation to efforts to promote democracy and human rights in the budget for 2012 by NOK 45 million.  

The funds will be used on important focus areas for Norway such as freedom of expression, human rights defenders, election monitoring, and the development of democracy and the rule of law, for example in the Middle East and North Africa. Altogether, NOK 260 million has been allocated for human rights efforts.  

The funds will also be used to intensify efforts to combat the death penalty, an area where Norway is already actively involved. 

“The death penalty violates the most fundamental right of all – the right to life. The Government will intensify its efforts to combat the death penalty in the lead-up to the next World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Madrid in 2013,” commented Mr Støre.