The UN committee to combat racial discrimination, CERD, presented its report on Sweden on August 11, 2008. The Committee welcomed the adoption of a new Anti-Discrimination Act which merges the existing anti-discrimination legislation into one law, the different Ombudsmen into a single institution and the increase in the level of damages awarded.
The Committee welcomed the adoption of a second National Action Plan for Human Rights for the period 2006-2009. Concerns were raised about the limited enjoyment by members of the Roma community of the rights to education, employment, housing and access to public places and the limited progress achieved in resolving Sami rights issues.
The Committee noted with appreciation the new methods to investigate and combat discrimination, such as situation testing and anonymous job applications. The Committee recommended the State party to intensify its efforts to prevent, combat, and prosecute racially motivated offences and hate speech and review its position on the prohibition of racist organisations. The Committee raised concerns about discrimination in the judicial and law enforcement systems and about allegations of racial prejudice among judicial personnel and about the lack of legal interpreters.


Source: Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/cerds73.htm, Assessed 11-08-2008