The national strategies of the countries
The Nordic Welfare Centre, together with the members of the Council of Nordic Cooperation on Disability, monitors what is happening in the national disability policy landscapes. Choose a country in the list below.
The Ministry of Social Affairs, Housing and Senior Citizens (Social-, Bolig- og Ældreministeriet) is the coordinating ministry for disability policy in Denmark. Responsibility for disability policy is shared across all government ministries, with each sector responsible for integrating disability perspectives into its own policy area.
Together with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), four fundamental principles underpin Danish disability policy: the principle of equal treatment, the principle of compensation, the principle of sector responsibility, and the principle of solidarity.
Danske Handicaporganisationer (Disabled People’s Organisations Denmark) represents persons with disabilities and advises the Government and the Danish Parliament (Folketing) on disability policy issues.
The Danish Disability Council (Det Centrale Handicapråd) is the Danish Government’s national consultative body on disability policy. The Council consists of representatives from organisations of persons with disabilities, municipalities, regions, employers’ organisations, civil society organisations and knowledge institutions.
The Danish Institute for Human Rights (Institut for Menneskerettigheder) is Denmark’s National Human Rights Institution. It is mandated to promote and protect human rights and equal treatment both in Denmark and internationally. In the field of disability, the Institute is responsible for promoting, protecting and monitoring the implementation of the CRPD. Its Disability Barometer (Handicapbarometer) provides a continuous assessment of the ten most significant challenges relating to the implementation of the Convention in Denmark, together with ten indicators used to monitor progress.
The Danish Social Authority (Socialstyrelsen) is responsible for developing knowledge, providing guidance and supporting public authorities, municipalities and other organisations delivering social services and support to persons with disabilities.
Denmark’s 98 municipalities are responsible for providing support and services based on an individual assessment of each person’s needs. Municipal councils determine the local level of services and make decisions on the content and scope of support within the framework of national legislation.
The Danish Appeals Board (Ankestyrelsen) is an independent public authority under the Ministry of Social Affairs, Housing and Senior Citizens. It serves as the highest administrative appeals body in the social sector and is also responsible for promoting consistent legal practice among municipalities.
