Annual Report Published by: Annual Report Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 7. juni plassen 1/Victoria Terrasse P.O.Box 8114 Dep. 0032 Oslo, Norway Human Rights 2002 Email: [email protected] This publication can also be downloaded from the Internet: http://odin.dep.no/ud Public institutions may order additional copies of this publication from: Statens forvaltningstjeneste Annual Report on Norway's efforts to promote human rights Kopi-og distribusjonsservice P.O.Box 8169 Dep. 0034 Oslo, Norway E-mail address: [email protected] Telefax: +47 22 24 27 86 Publication number: E-753E ISBN 82-7177-715-7 Graphic design and illustrations: Cox Design/www.cox.no Printed by: Kursiv Media AS/www.kursiv.no 12/2003 – circulation 3000 Human Rights 2002 Annual report Human Rights 2002 Annual Report on Norway’s Efforts to Promote Human Rights Photos: Page 8: © Nana Reimers / BAM / Samfoto Page 12: © AP/Scanpix Page 14: © Bernt Eide / Samfoto Page 19: © Mimsy Møller / Samfoto Page 21: © NORAD Page 26: © NORAD Page 30: © Fredrik Naumann / Samfoto Page 33: © AP/Scanpix Page 37: © Nils-Inge Kruhaug/Scanpix Page 40: © Stig Stasig / BAM / Samfoto Page 45: © Asle Hjellbrekke / NN / Samfoto Page 48: © Hans Hvide Bang / NN / Samfoto Page 51: © Bernt Eide / Samfoto Page 53: © Aftenposten /Scanpix Page 56: © Mimsy Møller / Samfoto Page 58: © Mikkel Østergaard / BAM / Samfoto Page 63: © Fredrik Naumann / Samfoto Page 64: © Nana Reimers / BAM / Samfoto Page 71: © NORAD Page 75: © Paul Sigve Amundsen / Samfoto Page 76: © Fredrik Naumann / Samfoto Page 81: © Fredrik Naumann / Samfoto Page 84: © Jarle Ree / Samfoto Page 89: © AP/Jacqueline Larma/Scanpix Page 90: © Fredrik Naumann / Samfoto Page 94: © FN /Scanpix Page 102: © Fredrik Naumann / Samfoto Page 108: © Knut Falch/Scanpix Page 110: © Berit Keilen/Scanpix 2 Human Rights 2002 1Contents 1. Contents ............................................................................................................................ 3 2. Foreword ........................................................................................................................... 7 3. Introduction...................................................................................................................... 9 3.1. Growth of human rights................................................................................................... 9 3.2. Summary of the contents................................................................................................. 9 3.3. Terrorism and human rights......................................................................................... 11 3.4. Implementation of conventions ..................................................................................... 13 3.5. Norway’s accession to new human rights instruments ............................................. 13 4. Democracy, development and civil society................................................................ 15 4.1. Democracy and elections............................................................................................... 15 4.2. Freedom of expression and freedom of opinion ......................................................... 16 4.2.1. Article 100 of the Constitution of Norway ................................................................... 17 4.2.2. Section 135a of the General Civil Penal Code on hateful statements....................... 17 4.2.3. Media policy .................................................................................................................... 17 4.2.4. Sami media ...................................................................................................................... 18 4.2.5. Children and the media.................................................................................................. 18 4.2.6. Persons with disabilities and the media....................................................................... 18 4.2.7. International activities .................................................................................................... 19 4.3. Freedom of religion and freedom of belief .................................................................. 20 4.4. Education ......................................................................................................................... 21 4.4.1. Efforts to combat racism and discrimination in the education sector ..................... 21 4.4.2. Survey of national curricula .......................................................................................... 21 4.4.3. Human rights website .................................................................................................... 22 4.4.4. The human rights perspective in teacher training programmes .............................. 22 4.4.5. In-service training course for teacher training staff ................................................... 22 4.4.6. National Database for the Recognition of Foreign Higher Education Qualifications ................................................................................................ 22 4.4.7. International activities .................................................................................................... 22 4.5. Building up civil society ................................................................................................. 24 4.5.1. The Norwegian Human Rights Fund........................................................................... 24 4.5.2. The Human Rights House Foundation......................................................................... 24 4.5.3. Relief organizations ........................................................................................................ 25 4.5.4. The Norwegian Resource Bank for Democracy and Human Rights (NORDEM) .... 25 4.5.5. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA)......... 26 4.5.6. Other international activities ......................................................................................... 26 4.6. The right to development .............................................................................................. 27 4.7. Rights-based development............................................................................................. 28 5. Life and health................................................................................................................ 31 5.1. Social security................................................................................................................. 31 5.2. Mental health care.......................................................................................................... 32 5.3. The elderly....................................................................................................................... 33 5.4. Disabled persons............................................................................................................. 34 Human Rights 2002 3 5.5. HIV/AIDS ........................................................................................................................ 35 5.6. The environment.............................................................................................................36 5.6.1. The right to access to environmental information...................................................... 36 5.6.2. Environmental information in development cooperation........................................... 37 5.7. The right to food ............................................................................................................. 37 5.8. Culture and science ........................................................................................................ 38 5.8.1. Evaluation of the Act on the medical use of biotechnology....................................... 38 5.8.2. Collection, storage and use of biological material from human beings ................... 39 5.8.3. Compulsory licensing..................................................................................................... 39 6. Tolerance and equality.................................................................................................. 41 6.1. Discrimination and racism............................................................................................. 41 6.1.1. New Act prohibiting ethnic discrimination.................................................................. 41 6.1.2. The Plan of Action to Combat Racism and Discrimination (2002-2006) .................. 42 6.1.3. Measures to increase the participation in society of children and young people with an immigrant background............................................................. 42 6.1.4. Proposal for a prohibition against discrimination in new legislation on housing .................................................................................................... 43 6.1.5. Liaison Committee between Immigrants and the Authorities................................... 43 6.1.6. Cultural diversity............................................................................................................. 43 6.1.7. Lesbians and homosexuals............................................................................................ 44 6.1.8. International activities .................................................................................................... 44 6.2. National minorities .........................................................................................................44