Inclusion is ultimately about the dignity and worth of every person, which is the backbone of all human rights. Much of our work since our founding in 1984 has been dedicated towards this aim.
“There is a pressing need to develop societies that embrace diversity and pluralism in the face of the many deep structural inequities and exclusion that persist in countries and regions across the world.” – Morten Kjaerum, Director of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute
Overcoming exclusion requires accessible and effective remedies to enable rights’ vindication. Such remedies need to be appropriately adapted to take account of the special vulnerability of certain groups. Mechanisms for addressing claims of rights violations must themselves be inclusive.
Highlights from 2020
Human Rights Cities: Committed to Addressing Human Rights
A human rights city is a place where local government, local parliament, civil society, the
private sector, and other stakeholders are committed to making sure that the city applies
international human rights standards. In 2020, RWI co-organized the World Human Rights Cities Forum, a platform where local government, CSOs and other stakeholders from all over the world exchange experiences.
Confronting Poverty Through More Inclusive & Sustainable Strategies
To mark the UN Human Rights Day 2020, the Raoul Wallenberg Institute hosted a webinar
and gathered a panel of international experts to discuss human rights and poverty.
“What Do I Really Get To Decide Myself?”
Self-determination and inclusion in the community in Sweden: Tools for bridging the gap between the rights for persons with disabilities in theory and in practice. Over a billion people, between 10-15 % of the world’s population (WHO), and 2 million people (over 20 %) of the Swedish population have some form of disability (Public Health Agency of Sweden). Because of the way our societies are organized, persons with disabilities are routinely hindered from enjoying their human rights. This was the main reason why the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted in 2006. For the same reason, work must focus on making the rights in the CRPD a reality for the 2 million persons with disabilities worldwide.
The Senex Association for Ageing Studies Research on the Impact of Climate Change
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute’s Turkey Capacity Development Programme continued its work on the rights of older persons through its partnership with Senex/Akdeniz University, Antalya. The partnership between the Turkey Programme and the University’s Department of Gerontology resulted in the formation of The Senex Association for Ageing Studies (Senex) in
2017.