International law and Human Rights
International law
International law consists of rules and principles governing the relations and interactions between States, their individuals and certain other international actors.
The fundamental rules of international law are based on customary international law, which is a crystallisation of State practice carried out through centuries. In addition, international law consists of agreements between two or more States, as well as the practice developed by international courts and courts of arbitration.
The United Nations (UN) is the central international organisation where many of the international law instruments are negotiated. The UN Charter entered into force the 24th of October 1945 and forms the foundation of an international community based on the rule of law.
The UN Security Council can deploy peacekeeping missions, impose sanctions, refer situations to the International Criminal Court or adopt resolutions under Chapter VII of the UN Charter with implications for international law.
The UN General Assembly can make recommendations to promote or codify international law. Legal matters are often referred to the Sixth Committee.
The Sixth Committee of the UN considers legal questions in the General Assembly and can recommend adoption of resolutions.
Denmark is a strong supporter of the UN and the development of international law. We believe in multilateralism, peaceful negotiations and a rules-based international order.
Human rights
The UN General Assembly in New York is an important forum for the international cooperation on human rights, including through adoption of new standards and conventions, as well as discussions related to member state compliance with human rights obligations. Every year, the Third committee of the UN General Assembly (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural issues) meets to discuss a broad range of human rights issues and to negotiate and adopt resolutions that contribute to reaffirm and develop the international human rights standards. Furthermore, the General Assembly plays an important role in the introduction of new human rights issues and norms.
Denmark and human rights
In a world where human rights are continuously being threatened, the protection of human rights constitutes a cornerstone in Denmark’s Foreign and Security Policy. At the Danish UN Mission, we work continuously to protect and promote the human rights in the international cooperation at the UN. Active engagement in the development of human rights norm and our commitment to upholding an international rule-based order is among some of the ways we work to protect human rights. Denmark is especially engaged in human rights agendas such as the prevention of torture, the rights of indigenous peoples, a strong and independent civil society, gender equality and the rights of LGBTI+ persons.
Torture Prevention
Denmark plays a prominent role in the international torture prevention work which includes efforts to ensure that no one is subject to torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment. A central part of Denmark’s torture prevention efforts is related to the omnibus resolution on prevention of torture that Denmark puts forward in the General Assembly every three years. Furthermore, Denmark also promotes the torture prevention agenda in the Human Rights Council in Geneva where a number of thematic resolutions are negotiated. Since 2014, Denmark together with Chile, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia and Morocco have further promoted the agenda through the cross-regional “Convention against Torture Initiative” that seeks to ensure universal ratification and implementation of the UN Convention of Torture. Read more about the initiative here.
The Rights of Indigenous Peoples
The rights of indigenous peoples are another key priority for Denmark. Indigenous peoples are populations with a distinct ethnicity, culture, language, or identity e.g. Maasai or Inuit. Indigenous peoples are often faced with disproportional displacement as a consequence of climate change or due to disagreement with their respective governments. At the UN, Denmark works closely with Greenland to ensure that the rights of indigenous peoples are respected. Central to this work is the UN Permanent Forum for Indigenous Peoples as well as the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, where governments and representative for indigenous peoples all over the world work together to solve the multiple challenges faced by indigenous peoples. Finally, the human rights situation of indigenous peoples is continuously being monitored by the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples.
Gender Equality
Despite progress made in recent decades, the human rights of women and girls are continuously under severe global pressure. Ensuring equal rights and opportunities, gender equality, the rights of women and girls, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is a key priority for Denmark. Gender equality, SRHR, and the right to bodily autonomy has a significant impact on the political, social, and economic development as well as on women and girls’ development potential and opportunities. It is of central importance for Denmark to promote gender equality and the human rights of women and girls by advocating for strong language during international negotiations on these issues. This includes language on SRHR, intersectionality and sexual orientation and gender identity. Denmark is active in the negotiations during the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and the UN Commission on Population and Development (CPD).
Another central aspect of Denmark’s efforts to reach international gender equality is challenging the binary understanding of gender and breaking down harmful gender norms and stereotypes. LGBTI+ persons are disproportionately subject to violence and discrimination and are still being criminalized in a substantial number of the UN member states. As a result, securing the rights of LGBTI+ persons including the fight against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity remains central to the multilateral work of Denmark in the UN. A substantial part of Denmark’s efforts on the LGBTI+ agenda is being conducted through our membership of the UN LGBTI Core Group where we work with a cross-regional group of countries to promote the rights of LGBTI persons globally with a special focus on the elimination of gender-based violence. Read more about the work of the UN LGBTI Core Group here.
Civil Society
Civil society organisations play a crucial role in the global work for human rights. Monitoring human rights violations in member states and contributing to the development of effective solutions to global challenges are among some of the important contributions of civil society. Nonetheless, we see a shrinking of civic space in many places across the world which constitutes a threat against fundamental human rights such as the freedom of assembly and the freedom of speech. As a result, Denmark remains dedicated to ensuring a strong and independent civil society. Denmark holds a leading role on the civil society agenda in the UN. In 2021, Denmark launched the UNmute initiative with Costa Rica and a number of civil society organizations, including the Danish organization Global Focus. UNmute seeks to secure and improve the meaningful participation of civil society in UN processes.