Democracy and human rights

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.

Joint statement from the foreign ministers of Andorra, Australia, Colombia, Ecuador, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, Jamaica, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Mongolia, Slovenia, and Sweden, as well as the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Joint statement from the governments of Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

On 13 February, the Government decided to task the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) with deploying observers to EU Election Observation Missions in 2025. Sweden’s participation will help enhance the conditions for free and fair elections. This is an important part of Sweden’s efforts to promote democracy, particularly in light of growing democratic backsliding across the globe.

On 28–29 January, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard visited Colombia together with a business delegation focused on mining and energy. The visit took place in the capital of Bogotá and the department of Chocó on Colombia’s Pacific Coast and highlights Sweden’s far-reaching cooperation with Colombia.

On 30–31 January 2025, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard visited Peru together with a business delegation. The visit highlights Sweden’s good relations and mutual trade interests with Peru.

Joint statement by Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Gilberto Murillo and Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard on 28 January 2025.

The Government is announcing a new action plan for an inclusive and equal society. The action plan aims to further strengthen efforts to support rights and opportunities for LGBTIQ people by consolidating, supplementing and mobilising these efforts.

In 2025, the 250th anniversary of established Jewish life in Sweden will be celebrated. This will be an opportunity to highlight the Jewish minority, culture and cultural heritage throughout the country. The Government has therefore, in appropriation directions for 2025, instructed a number of government agencies to help highlight the 250th anniversary. The year 2025 also marks 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.