The UN has stated that Sweden must increase efforts to fight systemic racism and help restore the trust between minority groups in the country and the Police.
A group of independent experts on advancing racial justice and equality appointed by the UN Human Rights Council has explained that they are “deeply concerned” by the country’s unwillingness to collect data disaggregated by race.
According to a statement put out by the UN, Yvonne Mokgoro, who was leading the group, expressed concerns, explaining, “The collection, publication and analysis of data disaggregated by race or ethnic origin in all aspects of life, especially regarding interactions with law enforcement and the criminal justice system, is an essential element for designing and assessing responses to systemic racism.”
“Sweden needs to collect and use this data to fight systemic racism,” Mokgoro continued.
Tracie Keesee, a fellow member of the group, stated that the majority of testimonies they heard from members of “racialized communities” spoke of “fear of an oppressive police presence, racial profiling and arbitrary stops and searches.”
“The police should focus on strategies to restore their trust among the communities they serve, including through diversifying its staff to reflect Sweden’s true multicultural society,” said Keesee.