Natural resource development in indigenous areas, including the construction of wind parks as part of the national renewable energy initiative, raises several human rights issues. In June 2019, NIM arranged a seminar in Karasjok together with Norway’s National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct to discuss the impacts of natural resource development on the Sámi people and the responsibility of businesses to respect human rights. This is the report from the seminar.
Despite Norway’s relatively strong human rights record, there are still several human rights challenges that need to be addressed by the Norwegian authorities.
In this report, we wish to clarify State authorities’ human rights obligations to prevent, combat and investigate violence and abuse where the person exposed to violence or abuse is Sámi. The report also examines the situation today to better understand the challenges that prevent Sámi victims of violence from receiving adequate help and the measures implemented by Norwegian authorities to remedy this problem. We point out deficiencies in the State’s compliance with its obligation to secure the rights and freedoms of the people within its jurisdiction and make a number of recommendations for improvement.
Human rights recognise the inherent dignity and worth of every person, regardless of their of race, nationality, ethnicity, sex, language, religion, or any other status.
The Norwegian National Human Rights Institution (NIM) is an independent public body established by the Norwegian Parliament in 2015 to strengthen the implementation of human rights in Norway.
