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Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to health, A/HRC/4/28/Add.2, 28 February 2007: Sweden

arch 2006 a new national human rights action plan (2006-2009) was presented to the Riksdag [1]. This second plan represents a very considerable improvement on its predecessor as it includes a chapter on economic, social and cultural rights, as well as a section on the right to the highest attainable standard of health. The right to health section has a welcome focus on discrimination, inequalities and health. The plan proposes governmental measures, in the health context, to combat discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, religion or other belief, sexual orientation, and disability [2]

IV. THE REALIZATION OF THE RIGHT TO HEALTH AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL: SOME ISSUES OF PARTICULAR CONCERN

A. Is appropriate health care accessible to all?

41. The Ombudsmen on disability, ethnic discrimination and sexual orientation are currently undertaking a study on the impact of discrimination on health. The Swedish National Institute of Public Health (SNIPH: Folkhälsoinstitut) is also charged with undertaking surveys on discrimination and health. Sweden’s national human rights action plan (2006-2009) proposes governmental measures to combat discrimination on grounds of gender, ethnicity, religion or other belief, sexual  orientation and  disability, and  its impact  on  access  to, and  quality  of, health care. The Special Rapporteur welcomes these studies, surveys and proposals. He recommends that the Government take measures to combat inequalities in health status and access to care. These measures should focus not only on discrimination, but also on other closely-related obstacles, such as the costs of care which render health care inaccessible for some population groups.

B.   Mental health

44. There is a high incidence of psychosocial disabilities among specific population groups, including homeless persons. [1] Up to a quarter of  refugees  and  asylum-seekers  are affected by post-traumatic stress disorder. [2] Refugees, asylum-seekers  and  homeless persons all reportedly have difficulty accessing mental health care.  Among  children  and young people, suicide bulimia and anorexia are increasing. However, there are few mental health programmes focused on children and young persons. Discrimination and stigma have reportedly created a high incidence of psychosocial disabilities among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. The Special Rapporteur was informed that psychosocial disabilities are the leading cause of ill-health among women in Sweden:  violence  and  discrimination against women have contributed to this situation.

48. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the focus in the Public Health Objectives Bill on addressing the causes of psychosocial disabilities among the population, and urges the Government to ensure adequate funding for these measures. The Special Rapporteur urges the Government to ensure that it takes measures to address causes of psychosocial disabilities among vulnerable and marginalized groups, including children,[5] adolescents, homeless persons, women, asylum-seekers, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons.

[[3]] Så  Vill  vi  Had  Den,  Patient-,  brukar-  och  anhörignätverkets  krav  på  framtida vård, stöd och behandling inom psykiatriområdet, 2006.[[3]] [[4]] National Institute for Psychosocial Medicine, Migration and Stress, June 2004.[[4]]

Link to full text of the report: Misssion report-SR Right to Health-Sweden-2007-eng

Footnotes    (↵ returns to text)

  1.  (2005/06:95)↵
  2.  Åtgärd 55, p. 67↵
  3. In March 2006 a new national human rights action plan (2006-2009) was presented to the Riksdag [1]. This second plan represents a very considerable improvement on its predecessor as it includes a chapter on economic, social and cultural rights, as well as a section on the right to the highest attainable standard of health. The right to health section has a welcome focus on discrimination, inequalities and health. The plan proposes governmental measures, in the health context, to combat discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, religion or other belief, sexual orientation, and disability [2]

    IV. THE REALIZATION OF THE RIGHT TO HEALTH AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL: SOME ISSUES OF PARTICULAR CONCERN

    A. Is appropriate health care accessible to all?

    41. The Ombudsmen on disability, ethnic discrimination and sexual orientation are currently undertaking a study on the impact of discrimination on health. The Swedish National Institute of Public Health (SNIPH: Folkhälsoinstitut) is also charged with undertaking surveys on discrimination and health. Sweden’s national human rights action plan (2006-2009) proposes governmental measures to combat discrimination on grounds of gender, ethnicity, religion or other belief, sexual  orientation and  disability, and  its impact  on  access  to, and  quality  of, health care. The Special Rapporteur welcomes these studies, surveys and proposals. He recommends that the Government take measures to combat inequalities in health status and access to care. These measures should focus not only on discrimination, but also on other closely-related obstacles, such as the costs of care which render health care inaccessible for some population groups.

    B.   Mental health

    44. There is a high incidence of psychosocial disabilities among specific population groups, including homeless persons. [1] Up to a quarter of  refugees  and  asylum-seekers  are affected by post-traumatic stress disorder. [2] Refugees, asylum-seekers  and  homeless persons all reportedly have difficulty accessing mental health care.  Among  children  and young people, suicide bulimia and anorexia are increasing. However, there are few mental health programmes focused on children and young persons. Discrimination and stigma have reportedly created a high incidence of psychosocial disabilities among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. The Special Rapporteur was informed that psychosocial disabilities are the leading cause of ill-health among women in Sweden:  violence  and  discrimination against women have contributed to this situation.

    48. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the focus in the Public Health Objectives Bill on addressing the causes of psychosocial disabilities among the population, and urges the Government to ensure adequate funding for these measures. The Special Rapporteur urges the Government to ensure that it takes measures to address causes of psychosocial disabilities among vulnerable and marginalized groups, including children,{{5}} adolescents, homeless persons, women, asylum-seekers, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons.

    [[3]] Så  Vill  vi  Had  Den,  Patient-,  brukar-  och  anhörignätverkets  krav  på  framtida vård, stöd och behandling inom psykiatriområdet, 2006.[[3]] [[4]] National Institute for Psychosocial Medicine, Migration and Stress, June 2004.[[4]] [[5]] In  2005,  the  Committee  on  the  Rights  of  the  Child  recommended  that  the Government of Sweden should “strengthen mental  health  programmes  for  children, both preventative and interventional” (CRC/C/15/Add.248, para. 32 (e)). The Special Rapporteur endorses this recommendation.[[5]]

    Link to full text of the report: Misssion report-SR Right to Health-Sweden-2007-eng↵

  4. arch 2006 a new national human rights action plan (2006-2009) was presented to the Riksdag [1]. This second plan represents a very considerable improvement on its predecessor as it includes a chapter on economic, social and cultural rights, as well as a section on the right to the highest attainable standard of health. The right to health section has a welcome focus on discrimination, inequalities and health. The plan proposes governmental measures, in the health context, to combat discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, religion or other belief, sexual orientation, and disability [2]

    IV. THE REALIZATION OF THE RIGHT TO HEALTH AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL: SOME ISSUES OF PARTICULAR CONCERN

    A. Is appropriate health care accessible to all?

    41. The Ombudsmen on disability, ethnic discrimination and sexual orientation are currently undertaking a study on the impact of discrimination on health. The Swedish National Institute of Public Health (SNIPH: Folkhälsoinstitut) is also charged with undertaking surveys on discrimination and health. Sweden’s national human rights action plan (2006-2009) proposes governmental measures to combat discrimination on grounds of gender, ethnicity, religion or other belief, sexual  orientation and  disability, and  its impact  on  access  to, and  quality  of, health care. The Special Rapporteur welcomes these studies, surveys and proposals. He recommends that the Government take measures to combat inequalities in health status and access to care. These measures should focus not only on discrimination, but also on other closely-related obstacles, such as the costs of care which render health care inaccessible for some population groups.

    B.   Mental health

    44. There is a high incidence of psychosocial disabilities among specific population groups, including homeless persons. [1] Up to a quarter of  refugees  and  asylum-seekers  are affected by post-traumatic stress disorder. [2] Refugees, asylum-seekers  and  homeless persons all reportedly have difficulty accessing mental health care.  Among  children  and young people, suicide bulimia and anorexia are increasing. However, there are few mental health programmes focused on children and young persons. Discrimination and stigma have reportedly created a high incidence of psychosocial disabilities among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. The Special Rapporteur was informed that psychosocial disabilities are the leading cause of ill-health among women in Sweden:  violence  and  discrimination against women have contributed to this situation.

    48. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the focus in the Public Health Objectives Bill on addressing the causes of psychosocial disabilities among the population, and urges the Government to ensure adequate funding for these measures. The Special Rapporteur urges the Government to ensure that it takes measures to address causes of psychosocial disabilities among vulnerable and marginalized groups, including children,{{5}} adolescents, homeless persons, women, asylum-seekers, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons.

    [[3]] Så  Vill  vi  Had  Den,  Patient-,  brukar-  och  anhörignätverkets  krav  på  framtida vård, stöd och behandling inom psykiatriområdet, 2006.[[3]] [[4]] National Institute for Psychosocial Medicine, Migration and Stress, June 2004.[[4]] [[5]] In  2005,  the  Committee  on  the  Rights  of  the  Child  recommended  that  the Government of Sweden should “strengthen mental  health  programmes  for  children, both preventative and interventional” (CRC/C/15/Add.248, para. 32 (e)). The Special Rapporteur endorses this recommendation.[[5]]

    Link to full text of the report: Misssion report-SR Right to Health-Sweden-2007-eng↵

  5.  In  2005,  the  Committee  on  the  Rights  of  the  Child  recommended  that  the Government of Sweden should “strengthen mental  health  programmes  for  children, both preventative and interventional” (CRC/C/15/Add.248, para. 32 (e)). The Special Rapporteur endorses this recommendation.↵