Denmark's upcoming 'strategy' targets racial discrimination: Uncovering plans to combat racism.
Chuck it over here: Denmark's government is nearly ready to unveil an "action plan" aimed at stomping out racism, marking three years since it first called for a fresh approach on the issue.
Leaked drafts indicate that the government is clear-as-day that racism has no place in the Danish society. The plan is set to drop soon after various ministries offer their two cents on the current draft, dated December 19th, 2024.
The draft lays out a bunch of measures designed to decrease racism in various aspects of society, including workplaces, schools, and nightlife. It also sheds a spotlight on racism towards Greenlanders—a problem it describes as having been woefully overlooked.
With Greenland in the spotlight thanks to recent statements from the incoming US President Donald Trump suggesting he wants to annex the territory, the timeliness of this focus can hardly be ignored.
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In the draft action plan, the government is already taking steps to clarify how a Greenlandic version of the Danish passport might be created to show the holder's nationality as Greenlandic. Currently, Greenlanders use Danish passports, which list their nationality as Danish.
However, several opposition politicians have slammed the plan, arguing it doesn't go far enough. Greenlandic member of parliament Aaja Chemnitz referred to it as “just a start,” and pointed out that addressing racism and discrimination against Greenlanders requires more substantial efforts, especially in improving the teaching of Greenlandic history in schools.
The draft includes a proposal to make mandatory school lessons about the Danish Kingdom, which includes Greenland and the Faroe Islands. However, Chemnitz is concerned that the plan fails to address the systemic issue of racism, such as the use of the racist slur grønlænderstiv (a pejorative term used to describe someone who is extremely drunk).
Minister for Immigration and Integration Kaare Dybvad Bek denounced racism as "disgusting," and emphasized the government's commitment to combating racism against Greenlanders.
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Christina Olumeko, the spokesperson for minority issues within the Alternative Party, criticized the action plan for being more of a "talking plan" than an "action plan," arguing it lacks concrete measures to combat racism at the workplace. Zenia Stampe, the spokesperson on immigration and integration for the Social Liberal (Radikale Venstre) Party, questioned the plan's effectiveness, suggesting it falls short in addressing racism in nightlife and club scenes.
A total of 6.2 million Danish kroner in 2025 and 5.6 million kroner in 2026 have been allocated for the plan's implementation. Both years include a negotiable reserve budget of 2.9 million and 3.5 million kroner, allowing parties to propose how the additional spending might be allocated.
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The Skinny: International best practices for a comprehensive anti-racism action plan could include:
- Education and Awareness: Implementing educational programs to instill a deep understanding of colonial history and ongoing impacts on marginalized communities.
- Structural Reforms: Ensuring equal access to opportunities through policies aimed at addressing systemic disparities in education, employment, health, and housing.
- Legal Frameworks: Strengthening anti-discrimination laws to hold perpetrators accountable and protect marginalized communities.
- Community Engagement: Collaborating with impacted communities to create initiatives addressing social justice, cultural preservation, and exchange.
- Monitoring and Implementation: Establishing mechanisms to continually evaluate policy effectiveness and adapt strategies as needed to achieve lasting change.
- The Danish government's action plan aimed at eradicating racism, set to be unveiled in 2025, includes a proposal for a Greenlandic version of the Danish passport to show nationality, which has been a concern for Greenlanders using Danish passports currently listing them as Danish.
- Although the action plan includes measures aimed at decreasing racism in various aspects of society, it has received criticism from opposition politicians who argue it does not go far enough, particularly in addressing systemic racism such as the use of the slur grønlænderstiv.
- Analysis of international best practices for an anti-racism action plan suggests that the plan could benefit from education and awareness programs, structural reforms, strong legal frameworks, community engagement, and mechanisms for continuous evaluation.
- Some critics have pointed out that the draft action plan is more of a "talking plan" than an "action plan," lacking concrete measures to combat racism at the workplace and in nightlife venues.
- In the midst of growing attention on Denmark's anti-racism effort, some news outlets have addressed the controversial debate surrounding Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen's proposed limitations on foreign labor, as well as the Danish parliament's contentious increase in citizenship fees, illustrating the intersection between politics, discrimination, and general news topics in Denmark.
