Report to Inatsisartut, the Parliament of Greenland

The Danish Institute for Human Rights has since May 2014 functioned as the National Human Rights Institution for Greenland. In accordance with the mandate, we are obligated to submit an annual report on our activities to Inatsisartut, the Parliament of Greenland. This annual report covers 2017.

We cooperate with a number of authorities and civil society organisations in Greenland and in particular with the Human Rights Council of Greenland and MIO, the National Advocacy for Children’s Rights, on promoting and protecting human rights in Greenland.

In 2017 we have, among other things, conducted the following activities in Greenland:

Public consultation memos and advice to authorities etc.:

• Considered 18 items of draft legislation with human rights relevance
• Provided training on monitoring and reporting for civil society organisations working with the rights of the child
• Lectured on human rights for students at Ilisimatusarfik, the University of Greenland
• Conducted workshop for members of the LGBT Qaamaneq (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people’s organisation)
• Hosted ‘human rights kaffemiks’ in Sisimiut and Nuuk in cooperation with the Human Rights Council of Greenland, MIO and the Association of Greenland’s Children
• Conducted public hearing on the rights of persons with disability in Sisimiut in cooperation with the Human Rights Council of Greenland
• Participated in the OPCAT delegation’s inspection of the psychiatric ward A1 at Queen Ingrid’s Hospital, Nuuk

International reporting:

• Submitted parallel report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

Activities to promote the right of the child:

• Conducted a human rights-based analysis and review of existing curricula and published studies regarding Illiniarfissuaq- Institut for Education University of Greenland. The analysis was conducted in cooperation with MIO

Activities to promote rule of law in the judicial system:

• Initiated a study on the use of interpreters in Greenland’s judicial system in cooperation with Ilisimatusarfik, the University of Greenland
• Made a presentation at a hearing held in Folketinget, the Danish Parliament, regarding the conditions for accessing justice in Greenland. The presentation focussed on Danish authorities’ responsibility for ensuring up-to-date legislation
• Trained cadets at Greenland’s Police School on human rights and prohibition against torture, inhuman and degrading treatment
• Participated in the Council for Greenland’s Justice Sector’s thematic meeting on sexually abused children

Please note that the report is only available in Danish and Greenlandic - but contains an English summary on page 6 in both language versions, which is also reproduced here above.