The Ombudsman for Children in Sweden ( sv, Barnombudsmannen, abbreviated ''BO'') is a
Swedish government agency organized under the
Ministry of Health and Social Affairs tasked with public advocacy and the dissemination of information about the rights and needs of children and young people. The Ombudsman should represent children regarding their rights and interests on the basis of the
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (commonly abbreviated as the CRC or UNCRC) is an international human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children. The Co ...
(CRC). The Ombudsman has legal authority to request information and to summon representatives from the
municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
,
counties
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
and other authorities to talks, but hold no regulatory powers. There's no government mandate to focus or issue an opinion on individual cases. However, the Ombudsman has a legal
duty of notification, meaning they are required by law to report to the local social services, whenever they become aware of an abused child.
The Ombudsman holds regular dialogues with children, especially those in vulnerable situations, to obtain knowledge of their conditions and their opinions. The agency report back to the government once a year, and the report consists of a magazine, usually with a specific theme; with additional information presented on the Ombudsman's website.
History
In 1990 the
Riksdag ratified the
CRC. Sweden was thereby committed under international law to implement the Convention, and around the same time the Government appointed a
Commission of inquiry to examine the issue of appointing an Ombudsman for Children. In 1993, the Riksdag finally approved the appointment of an Ombudsman, and The Ombudsman for Children's Act
1993:335 came into effect on July 1.
List of Ombudsmen for Children
Over the years, the following people served as the ombudsman:
* Louise Sylwander, 1993-2001
* Lena Nyberg, 2001-2008
* Fredrik Malmberg, 2008-2017
* Anita Wickström, ''acting'', 2017
* Anna Karin Hildingson Boqvist, ''acting'', 2018
* Elisabeth Dahlin, 2018–
See also
*
Ombudsman
*
Children's Ombudsman A children's ombudsman, children's commissioner, youth commissioner, child advocate, children's commission, youth ombudsman or equivalent body is a public authority in various countries charged with the protection and promotion of the rights of chil ...
References
External links
The Ombudsman for Children in Sweden – Official website(English)
English translation of The Ombudsman for Children's Act
{{authority control
Government agencies of Sweden
Children's
Sweden
Children's rights instruments
Child welfare in Sweden