Universal Periodic Review 33: Norway
The UK welcomed Norway’s long-standing commitment to the UPR process and praised their efforts to protect media freedom and persue an end to modern slavery.
Thank you, Mr President,
The UK welcomes Norway’s long-standing commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights, and to the Universal Periodic Review process.
The UK would like to pay particular tribute to Norway’s efforts to protect and promote media freedom. We also commend Norway’s commitment to consider the introduction of a new anti-slavery law based on the UK’s Modern Slavery Act, and for being the third largest donor to the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery.
We encourage Norway to make further efforts to combat gender-based violence, to protect the rights of Sami people, and prevent hate crimes. But we recognise that, since 2016, specific action plans on combatting violence and abuse, forced marriage and FGM have been implemented.
We recommend:
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Taking a more holistic, human rights-based approach to tackling human trafficking, and further improve the identification of victims of human trafficking by creating a formalised National Referral Mechanism.
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Adopting an open, merit-based process when selecting national candidates for UN Treaty Body elections.
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Amending the legal definition of rape in the Penal Code so that the absence of consent is placed at its centre.
Thank you, Mr President.