medborger_i_danmark_engelsk.pdf - Ny i Danmark

20Denmark’s role in the wider worldDENMARK – A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY FOUNDED ON THE RULE OF LAWInternationalcooperationInternationalconventionsEUAs a small country, Denmark has a stronginterest in close cooperation acrossnational borders. Denmark is thereforeengaged in many kinds of internationalrelations.Denmark is a member of, forexample, the European Union (EU), theCouncil of Europe, the United Nations(UN), the North Atlantic TreatyOrganization (NATO), the Organizationfor Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD) and the World HealthOrganization (WHO).In this connection, Denmark has signed anumber of international conventions onthe protection of human rights, includingthe UN convention against torture, the UNconvention on combating all forms ofracial discrimination, the UN conventionon combating all forms of discriminationagainst women and the UN convention onchildren’s rights.Being a member of the Council ofEurope, Denmark has acceded to andratified the European Convention onHuman Rights, which has had significantimpact on Danish law.Since 1973, Denmark has been a memberof the European Union (the EU) –formerly known as the EuropeanEconomic Community (the EEC). SinceDenmark joined the Community, the EUhas continued to gain influence on anincreasing number of issues, and theDanish population has often been dividedover Denmark’s relationship with the EU.Through its membership of the UN,Denmark wishes to help people in distress,to work towards peace and progressworldwide and to promote respect forhuman rights.Denmark’s membership of the NATOmilitary alliance and OECD, the westerneconomic organisation, binds Denmark,the US, Canada and a large number ofEuropean countries closely together.International developmentcooperation programmesDenmark is one of the few countries in theworld that contributes more than the UNrate of 0.7% of the gross national incometo development cooperation programmesin the poor countries in Africa, Asia andLatin America.The economic assistance is allocatedthrough the UN and other internationalorganisations, or channelled directly fromDenmark to the receiving country.To a large extent, the assistance isbased on close cooperation with thereceiving countries, in order to enablethem to take responsibility for developingtheir own societies.Aid to the poorest, equality betweenthe sexes, democracy, human rights andsustainability are some of the key wordsin Danish development aid.UNNATO