Åpningsinnlegg under CERD-eksaminasjon

Mr Chair,

Members of the Committee,

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

Thank you for the opportunity to present Norway’s report here today.

 

The 26^th of January 2011 marked the 10th anniversary of a racist, Nazi motivated murder of a 15 year Norwegian boy called Benjamin Hermansen. He was killed just because of the colour of his skin.

 

The murder of Benjamin Hermansen in 2001 changed Norwegian minds forever.

 

More than 40 000 citizens gathered in the streets of Oslo in January 2001 because of the murder. On the night of the gathering they made a promise to each other: “We will do everything we can to make sure that something like this never happens again.”

 

This promise was repeated by our Prime minister in his speech last month, made in the memory of Benjamin Hermansen 10 years after his murder. Again thousands of people (more than 5000) gathered in the streets of Oslo to show their support.

 

This is a promise I to would like to repeat here today. Fighting hate crime is a priority for my Cabinet.

 

 

Mr. Chair,

 

I believe that an inclusive society is based on equal rights and opportunities to participate for all. Equality and absence of unequal treatment is a universal human right for each and everyone. The advancement of universal human rights is a principal objective for the Norwegian Government, and it is, I believe, a core value deeply rooted in Norwegian civil society.

 

Equal treatment and anti-discrimination is a top priority of my Cabinet.

 

Discrimination in the context of the International Convention on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) includes discrimination on grounds such as ethnicity, national origin, decent or skin colour.

 

In real life when someone has a complaint concerning discrimination, in many cases, it involves being subject to discrimination on more than one ground (multiple discrimination).

 

It seems clear to me that an approach of multi-discrimination is a logical approach and that it should be explored and applied more.

 

The Norwegian approach is therefore to mainstream equality and anti-discrimination on all grounds, into all areas of society and to be aware of multiple discrimination and unequal treatment. We can not succeed if public sectors do not mainstream and deliver as one.

 

 

Mr. Chair

 

In this context, I would like to bring up the importance of gender balance.

 

The UN system has made several efforts to mainstream the gender perspective into all its activities in order to deliver as one.

 

It is therefore, with some interest, I register the lack of gender balance in this committee (the Committee of Elimination of Racial Discrimination), as only two out of eighteen members are women.

 

I believe that the issues addressed in the Convention in question concern both genders. In some cases, women tend to be affected even more than men.

 

I therefore hope that member states take this into account when they propose and elect members for the CERD in the future.

 

 

Mr. Chair

 

Any country is hardly in the position to proclaim that they are discrimination free zones. Neither is Norway. Indeed, I find this examination process to be a useful and powerful exercise of scrutinising how Norwegian policies and measures work in respect to equal treatment. This examination is an opportunity to learn and return home to improve and do better.

I believe that the Government, Sámediggi (The Sami Parliament), the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, the Norwegian Equality and Discrimination Ombud and the NGOs are in partnership in this respect.

I know that the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights and the Norwegian Equality and Discrimination Ombud will make statements on some core issues related to Norway’s implementation of the international Convention of Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) tomorrow. I greet these statements as important voices in our dialogue.

Last summer (2010) the NGOs in Norway forwarded a shadow report related to Norway’s 19^th/20^th state report to the Committee on the Elimination on Racial Discrimination. Both the shadow report and the Ombud’s report are important supplements to the state report. In fact my Cabinet considers the shadow report of such importance that the NGOs were granted financial support for this course. Representation during this examination process is also of great value, and that is why the Government has covered travelling expenditures for the five NGO representatives who are present here today.

 

I would also like to inform you about the involvement of Sámediggi (The Sami Parliament) in the preparation of Norway’s 19^th/20^th state report. A draft report was forwarded to Sámediggi, and their input has been taken into consideration when finalizing the state report.

 

I am pleased that the Sámediggi is part of the examination here today, as observers. The Sámediggi representatives are:

 

Senior Advisor Mr. Leif Dunfjeld and

Advisor Ms. Liss Ellen Ramstad.

 

I look forward to further cooperation with Sámediggi in the follow-up of this examination.

 

 

Mr. Chair

 

Norwegian society is generally perceived as fairly homogeneous, even if immigrants and their children today make up 11 % of the population. Minority issues are not however, new to my country. The Norwegian state was established on the territory of two peoples, the Norwegians and Sami. Both these peoples now enjoy equal rights.

Five national minorities live in Norway: the Kvens, Jews, Forest Finns, Roma and Romani. The Government seeks to maintain a close dialogue with organisations that represent these minorities.

Being a state of two nations and 5 national minorities has rendered us valuable experiences. But we should be frank enough to say that Norway the last 20 years has changed significantly in terms of diversity in this respect.

Today, people with backgrounds and roots from more than two hundred different countries and independent regions live in my country – a reflection of contemporary trends of migration. This diversity is not only a strength, it is also contributing to Norway’s economic growth and cultural enrichment. It is a development that may further help us to better integrate with the world at large.

But it is also a challenge. Norwegian society is not immune to prejudice or xenophobia. There are people in Norway who feel stigmatised and discriminated against. With joint effort we are working actively to fight prejudices and xenophobia. This requires dedication and wisdom and knowledge and insight about the problems involved. Our integration policies are based on the fundamental values of Norwegian society such as freedom of opinion and expression, gender equality, equal treatment and the right to marriage and choice of spouse.

It is a matter of respect and human dignity – and it is a matter of safeguarding the fundamental rights and trust necessary to preserve and develop our society’s precious human capital.

 

Contrary to many misconceptions – human resources, the men and women of Norway, represent our true wealth: More than 80 percent of our national production value. Petroleum accounts for only 7 per cent.

 

Mr Chair

Norwegian authorities’ assimilation policies toward the Sami belong to a darker chapter of Norwegian history. For the indigenous people it was indeed a great leap, from the historic situation to the establishment of Sámediggi, the Sami Parliament, in 1989. 

Sámediggi (The Sami Parliament) is elected by and for the Sami population in Norway. Sámediggi’s activities are twofold: (1) to serve as the Sami’ elected political body to promote political initiatives and (2) to carry out the administrative tasks delegated from national authorities or by law to Sámediggi. As a political body, Sámediggi works with issues considered to relate to or be of special interest to the Sami people. All expenditures with Sámediggi are covered by the Norwegian state.

In 2005, Sámediggi and the Government agreed on procedures for obligations to consult with the Sámediggi on matters that affect the Sami people directly.

Consultations shall be carried out in good faith from both parties, and with the objective of achieving an agreement. This does not mean that Sámediggi and the Government in all consultations end up in agreement. However, the mechanism of consultation ensures that the decision-makers get well acquainted with the view of the Sámediggi.

 

Mr Chair

Also our national minorities have been victims to assimilation policies and injustices from the Norwegian authorities.

In accordance with the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages the Government wishes to maintain a close dialogue with organisations that represent the minorities in order to ensure that they are being heard.

 

 

 

Mr. Chair

I would like to underline the importance of consultation with the different minorities in Norway. The system in place aims to ensure dialogue with both national minorities and with the immigrant population.

 

A Contact Forum between the national minorities and the authorities was established in 2003 and a number of topics are brought into a bilateral dialogue between the authorities and minority groups. However, the result has not yet been to our satisfaction and we realize that improved modes of dialogue should be developed in cooperation between the authorities and representatives from minorities. It is my clear conviction that effective participation of minorities is instrumental in order to further promote minorities’ interests and prevent exclusion.

The Contact Committee for Immigrants and the Authorities (KIM) is an advisory body appointed by the Norwegian government every 4 years. The committee of immigrant representatives from all counties of Norway, nominated by locally based organisations. Last year it celebrated its 25^th anniversary. The committee’s main function is to advise the government in matters that affect immigrants and to facilitate for dialogue between immigrants and authorities.

 

 

Mr. Chair

 

Three main legal and institutional pillars constitute the basis for Norway’s efforts to prevent ethnic discrimination.

 

Firstly; our Anti – Discrimination legislation. The Anti-Discrimination Act of 2005 covers discrimination based on ethnicity, national origin, descent, skin colour, language, religion or belief. Discrimination on these grounds is prohibited in all areas of the Norwegian society.

 

Recognizing that equal opportunities in the working life area is vital, we have recently established a legal obligation for public and private employers to take active steps to promote equality, and to report about how they perform in this respect on an annually basis.

 

Secondly, the Equality and Anti – Discrimination Ombud monitors and enforces the discrimination legislation. Anyone can – free of charge – take their case or complaint to the Ombud. A decision made by the Ombud can be submitted to the Tribunal for Equality and Anti-Discrimination. In addition a person can bring his case to a civil court.

 

Thirdly, the Norwegian Government has launched a national and cross sectoral Action Plan to promote equality and prevent ethnic discrimination.

 

My expert, Director General Mrs. Arni Hole will elaborate more on these issues.

 

The tripartite cooperation between the State, Employers Federations and the Trade Unions has not the least been important in the process of reaching equal treatment on all grounds in Norway. Tripartite cooperation has been one of the success factors to achieve gender equality in work life and as an integrated part of the whole welfare system.

 

Mr. Chair,

 

The Cabinet as well as the sectoral authorities all have a special responsibility to ensure that all residents are included into the Norwegian society by having access, on equal terms, to public services through our welfare system.

 

People live their daily life in municipalities and communities. This underlines the importance that also local government and municipalities have obligations along side with the national authorities to secure equal public services.

 

The local communities also have to commit to engage and educate and provide for contact between individuals from different groups. Thus to contribute to reducing prejudice and xenophobia.

 

Mr Chair,

 

One of the challenges we face today is that we do not have enough knowledge on the nature, scope and causes of discrimination.  We need this type of knowledge in order to develop measures that address these issues more accurately.

 

This is why one of the goals in our Action plan to promote equality and prevent ethnic discrimination is to strengthen the data collection on ethnic discrimination. The plan includes several measures to increase the knowledge on the nature, scope and causes of discrimination.

 

Under the Council of Europe the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) also recommends that the Norwegian Government closely follows the situation on antisemittism and implement necessary measures.

 

I am therefore glad to inform you that my Cabinet is funding a survey on Norwegian people’s attitudes towards Jewish people, Judaism and the state of Israel. The survey will also include attitudes towards Roma and Muslims. It is the Norwegian Centre for Holocaust who will be performing the survey, which is estimated to cost around 4 mill NOK and expected to be finalised in 2012.

 

Mr Chair,

 

I would like to end this opening statement by thanking the Committee for the opportunity to both present Norwegian policies here today, but also for the questions, interventions and dialogue to come. This will be valuable input for Norway and the Norwegian Government.

 

I would now like to give to floor the some of the experts with me here today.

 

They will elaborate further on some of the issues I have touched upon in my opening statement.

 

Thank you for your attention.