Norway: UN experts deeply concerned about racial discrimination against people of African descent, including child separation

GENEVA (15 March 2024) – UN experts have urged the Government of Norway to take the necessary steps to engage people of African descent to ensure their full integration into Norwegian society, without prejudice.

Following a recent fact-finding visit to Norway, the Working Group of experts on people of African Descent noted that Norway has set a policy and institutional framework against racism, successive anti-racism plans, a national human rights institution and other human rights bodies, a tribunal to address discrimination, and measures to address hate crimes in the country.

“However, people of African descent continue to face racial profiling, hate speech, racist bullying in schools, barriers to access employment and forced removal of children by Child Welfare Services (Barnevernet),” the experts said in a statement.

“According to testimonies received during the visit, the forcible removal of children of African descent from their parents and their placement in Child Welfare services are not always done in the most appropriate manner for their wellbeing and, in some instances, has resulted in traumatising some children and generating fear among people of African descent in Norway” the Working Group said.

“According to information received from people of African descent, Child Welfare Services are perceived as policing their culture, presuming that they are guilty for the neglect of their children, which, in consequence, has reportedly had a negative impact on their family lives,” the experts said.

The Working Group noted that, in the pubic and private sectors, people of African descent are discriminated against and often offered positions that are not appropriate with their qualifications and capacities, thus resulting in a lack of recognition. Regardless their legal status, people of African descent experience discrimination daily because of their names and racial or ethnic background.

For the youngest generation of Norwegian of people of African descent, identity formation has been affected in many ways, as a consequence of a large-scale social and economic exclusion, which prevents them from being fully included in society.

Further, the Working Group raised concerns about the reportedly inequitable access to justice for people of African descent living in Norway who face racial discrimination and violations of their human rights.

The Working Group will present a report on its visit to the Human Rights Council in September 2024.