Ministry of Culture

Berlin, 16 May 2018. Check against delivery.

The Government is commencing a more systematic effort to safeguard – and thereby strengthen - the democratic discourse against threats and hatred. The work conducted by the judicial authorities is of importance, but not enough to protect the democratic discourse. This action plan, issued by the Swedish Government, is specifically intended to safeguard politically elected representatives, journalists and artists as a part of the infrastructure of the democratic discourse. These actors are particularly exposed due to the functions they have in society.

Agenda item 4: Implementation of the six mandated areas of the Permanent Forum with reference to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Monday April 16th 2018 Nordic statement Delivered by: Alice Bah Kuhnke, Minister for Culture and Democracy of Sweden Check against delivery.

National statement delivered by Her Excellency Ms. Alice Bah Kuhnke, Minister for Culture and Democracy, on behalf of Sweden at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security: Preventing sexual violence in conflict through empowerment, gender equality and access to justice, 16 April 2018, New York.

In the spring amending budget for 2018, the Government is proposing that the Swedish Arts Council receive SEK 10 million to go to culture for children and young people as a temporary initiative during 2018. The funding supplements the comprehensive grants towards culture for children and young people already provided by the Swedish Arts Council. The initiative is based on an agreement between the Government and the Left Party.

In the spring amending budget for 2018, the Government is investing an additional SEK 15 million in 2018 to provide temporary enhanced support to smaller cinemas and film festivals. This is a boost in addition to the investment of SEK 25 million being made annually in 2016–2019. The investment is based on an agreement between the Government and the Left Party.

The Government has presented a bill on media support to the Riksdag. The bill proposes introducing a supplementary new media support scheme while preserving the existing press subsidy scheme.

One of the Swedish Government’s gender equality policy sub-goals is that men’s violence against women must stop. With reference to #metoo, the following lists some examples of implemented and forthcoming measures to counteract sexual violence, harassment and assault.

The #metoo movement in Sweden strongly demonstrates that more needs to be done to combat sexual harassment and sexual violence in workplaces and society at large. The Swedish Government requires all employers to take responsibility for a secure work environment. In the area of work environment and discrimination there are already many tools and relevant legislation, but the power and size of the petitions show that there are deficiencies in compliance with the regulations. For this reason, Minister for Employment Ylva Johansson and Minister for Gender Equality Åsa Regnér have met with the labour market and union partners, and several ministers have in recent weeks convened meetings with heads of government agencies and business leaders in order to focus on the responsibility of employers to counteract sexual violence and harassment.

This publication is an abridged version and contains the Government of Sweden’s strategy for national work with human rights. The Government’s complete, unabridged strategy also includes a progress report on Sweden’s international commitments on human rights.