Rights of the child issues in Sweden

The objective of child rights policy is to ensure that children and young people are respected, given the chance to develop and enjoy security, and allowed to participate and have an influence. The Government´s child rights policy aims to implement the rights of every child under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In order for this purpose to be clearer, the Government decided in the budget for 2009 that the area of child policy would now be known as child rights policy.

A child rights perspective should be reflected in all areas and activities affecting children, including education policy, migration policy, culture policy and social services policy. This means that decision-makers and others working with issues that affect children should take account of the human rights of every girl and boy under the age of 18. Children are to be seen as competent, respected individuals and should be involved in decisions that affect them. They are to be given opportunities to grow up in a secure environment and develop at their own pace, based on their own circumstances.
To implement its undertakings under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Government currently gives priority to:

• strengthening strategic work on the Convention
• giving better support to parents
• promoting children´s mental health
• combating violence against children.

Strategy to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Sweden

A national strategy to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted by a unanimous Riksdag in 1999 as a basis for child rights policy. The objective of the strategy is for the standards in the Convention to be reflected in all decision-making that affects children.
The strategy is primarily aimed at decision-makers at national, regional and local level, but also at various professional groups whose activities affect children and young people. The Office of the Childrens Ombudsman plays a central role in this work. The strategy includes the following points:

• The Convention shall be an active instrument and inform all decision-making in the Government Offices affecting children.
• A childrens perspective shall be included where appropriate in committee terms of reference.
• The Convention should be included in various ways in education programmes for the occupational groups that are to work with children.
• Government employees whose work impacts on children and young people shall be offered in-service training to strengthen their qualifications and their knowledge of the Convention.
• Similarly, municipalities and county councils should offer their staff in-service training.
• Municipalities and county councils should establish systems for following up implementation of the best interests of the child in local and regional government work.
• Child impact assessments shall be made in connection with government decisions affecting children.
• The influence and participation of children and young people shall be developed.
• Child statistics shall be developed.

Child policy - a policy for the rights of the child

In the Government communication Child policy - a policy for the rights of the child (Govt. communication 2007/08:111) the Government reports on the direction and priorities of child policy in the next few years.