Democracy and human rights

Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard travelled to Bosnia and Herzegovina on 10–11 July to attend a memorial ceremony marking the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica. Thirty years have passed since the genocide and the subsequent conclusion of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which brought the war to an end.

On Tuesday 10 June, the Government’s Task Force for Jewish Life held a meeting at the Living History Forum. The agenda included the Government’s recently adopted strategy to strengthen Jewish life and combat antisemitism in Sweden.

On 10 July, Minister for EU Affairs Jessica Rosencrantz led Sweden’s delegation to the annual international Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC), which was held in Rome this year. The delegation included Swedish government agencies, companies and organisations.

In January, 2025, the Swedish Government decided on a new action plan for equal rights and opportunities for LGBTIQ persons. The action plan aims to further strengthen efforts to support rights and opportunities for LGBTIQ persons by consolidating, supplementing and mobilising these efforts.

Statement from Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister for EU Affairs Jessica Rosencrantz and Minister for Gender Equality Nina Larsson, 28 June 2025.

This Strategy governs Sweden’s development cooperation for gender equality and women’s and girls’ freedom and empowerment from 2025 to 2028 with a total volume of SEK 800 million. Through Sida, Swedish support will contribute to four objectives that the Government particularly prioritises to strengthen gender equality and women’s and girls’ freedom and empowerment internationally.

On 24 June, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard is visiting the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. She is meeting with ICC President Tomoko Akane, First Vice-President Rosario Salvatore Aitala and Registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler. She will also meet with Swedes who work at the ICC as seconded staff. The aim of the visit is to express Sweden’s support of the ICC’s work and discuss how the international community can ensure its continued operation.

Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard at the celebration of International IDEA's 30th anniversary on 12 June 2025. Check against delivery.

Joint donor statement condemning attacks against civilians and humanitarian workers in Sudan by the European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

The first meeting of the year for the Government’s task force for Jewish life was held at the Jewish Museum in Stockholm at the beginning of March. The group’s focus area this year is Jewish life, which coincides with celebrations marking 250 years of established Jewish life in Sweden. The group will also continue to focus on security.

The Swedish Government has adopted a national strategy to strengthen Jewish life and combat antisemitism. This strategy will provide a structure for national efforts in the period 2025–2034. The objective is to lay the foundations for more targeted and coordinated efforts and create better conditions for Jewish life in Sweden.

The Government has decided to provide SEK 20 million in support to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) in 2025. For a number of years, Sweden has been the third-largest donor in the world in support of free and independent media, and this decision is part of our continued efforts to support journalists and independent media. Following the United States’ withdrawal of its support to RFE/RL, people in many countries risk not having access to free media. Sweden’s support to RFE/RL helps journalists continue to broadcast independent and fact-based information to locations where media freedom is limited.

On 5 May 2025, Sweden was reviewed in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) within the framework of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC). Every UN Member State undergoes this process every five years; Sweden has previously been reviewed in 2010, 2015 and 2020. State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Dag Hartelius led the delegation that took part in the UPR in Geneva.

Sudan: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union marking two years of war.

On December 12, 2024, the Swedish Government decided on an Action Plan against racism and hate crimes. With this Action Plan, the Swedish Government is taking important steps forward in its work to safeguard equal rights and opportunities for all by intensifying efforts to make Sweden a country free from racism and hate crime.

On 17–19 March, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa is travelling to Uganda. Mr Dousa will visit the north-western part of the country, where Sweden supports host communities that receive refugees.

Growing political opposition around the world to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), especially abortion, risks having extremely serious consequences for women and girls. The Government has therefore approved an additional SEK 75 million to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

This year marks the 250th anniversary of Jewish life in Sweden. The National Agency for Education has been tasked with raising awareness of this anniversary and presenting proposals on how it can be highlighted in schools.

This year marks the 250th anniversary of Jewish life in Sweden. The anniversary is an opportunity to highlight the Jewish minority, Jewish culture and Jewish cultural heritage that is found all over the country. The Government has therefore tasked a number of agencies with contributing to the observance of the anniversary.