Skip to content

Human rights

The primary multilateral fora and partners in Geneva.

Human rights
Promoting respect for human rights as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights conventions is a key pillar in Denmark's foreign and development policy. Denmark operates through the various human rights mechanisms within the UN and participates in global initiatives for the promotion and protection of human rights.

The Human Rights Council
Since its creation in 2006, the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) has been the main UN body for the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations.

Both during the Danish membership of the Council in 2019-2021 and subsequently, Denmark seeks to be a strong voice for the promotion of women and girls’ rights, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, as well as for the prevention of torture. Furthermore, freedom of religion and belief, civil society and human rights defenders, human rights and emerging technologies as well as rule of law and accountability are amongst the Danish priorities.

Universal Periodic Review
Denmark actively participates in the three annual sessions of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The UPR is a mechanism under the Council where each UN Member State is examined in relation to its human rights situation. Denmark actively works to strengthen the UPR as a useful mechanism to build a common platform for governments and civil society to promote human rights in all countries. Through its involvement in the UPR processes of specific countries, Denmark also seeks to strengthen the linkages between the work of the Council and Denmark’s bilateral engagement in-country.

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
The HRC is supported by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which – among many other things - serves as the secretariat of the HRC. The OHCHR works to promote and protect the enjoyment and full realization of all human rights. Denmark is a strong supporter of the OHCHR and supports the Office with annual financial contributions.

Convention against Torture Initiative
The Convention against Torture Initiative (CTI) is a global initiative launched by Denmark, in corporation with Chile, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia, and Morocco. The aim of the initiative is to achieve universal ratification of the UN Convention against torture (UNCAT).