Experts of the Committee on the Rights of the Child Commend Norway on Child Welfare Act, Raise Questions on Proposed Increased Use of Force in Schools and Data on Children with Disabilities
The Committee on the Rights of the Child today concluded its review of the seventh periodic report of Norway, with Committee Experts commending the State on the new child welfare act, while raising questions about the proposed increased use of force in schools and the lack of data on children with disabilities.
Bragi Gudbrandsson, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, commended Norway for the child welfare act which was a wonderful piece of legislation.
Mr. Gudbrandsson said the Committee was concerned that Norway planned to use stronger force and constraints. How had the country reached this situation?
Faith Marshall Harris, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, also emphasised her concern, stating that instead of teachers being trained to de-escalate violence, they were given the power to use more force than police officers. It seemed that the Government had responded in a knee-jerk reaction to media pressure; however, the situation was more about training teachers to deal with these situations in a non-violent way. Norway was encouraged to rethink this approach.
Thuwayba Al Barwani, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, said Norway had excellent data but when it came to disability, there was no disaggregated data to better understand the situation of children with disabilities in the country. How many of these children lived with their families? How many lived in residential care? How many were receiving support services? What awareness raising campaigns were in place to remove stigma and educate about disability?
What measures were in place to provide quality psychological care for children with mental health disabilities in all municipalities?
The delegation said the new education act introduced a broader scope for exercising force and restraint. Employees could now intervene against pupils when necessary. Norway shared the Committee’s concerns and had tried to state explicitly in the provision that this was a last resort, with strict measures for physical restriction to take place. The Government and municipalities focused on the competence of the staff to put pre-emptive measures in place so that physical interventions were a last resort and only used when necessary.
The delegation said the Norwegian strategy for equality for all ran until 2030, with an important competence to increase the visibility of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in all municipalities. In 2025, the Government allocated 280 million kroner for grants for people with disabilities. Norway could not definitively say how many people with disabilities were living in the country. A recent report by Statistic Norway, focused on the different definitions of disability, which would hopefully assist the State in future.
Introducing the report, Lene Vågslid, Minister of Children and Families of Norway and head of the delegation, said since the last dialogue with the Committee in 2018, Norway had taken significant steps to further strengthen children's rights.
Last month, the Government presented a proposal for a new children’s act to Parliament, which included a new provision on the child’s right to privacy, and the parents’ responsibility in this regard. Norway had introduced a range of measures in recent years to develop and improve the child welfare sector, including the new child welfare act, which entered into force in 2023, placing greater emphasis on prevention and helping children and parents as early as possible. For the first time, a white paper on “Safe digital upbringing” would soon be presented to Parliament to develop policies that empowered and protected children in their digital lives.
In closing remarks, Mr. Gudbrandsson said it was clear Norway was on an exciting journey in revisiting the fundamental principles of the Convention, which was reflected in the new legislation, guidelines and action plans; the Committee was very impressed and appreciated these efforts.
In her closing remarks, Ms. Vågslid thanked the Committee for the important questions and the dialogue. Norway aimed to highlight that all sectors were working towards the best possible outcomes for children.
The delegation of Norway was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Children and Families; the Ministry of Culture and Equality; the Ministry of Education and Research; the Ministry of Justice and Public Security; the Ministry of Health Services; the Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion; and the Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here. The programme of work of the Committee’s ninety-ninth session and other documents related to the session can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public at 3. pm on Wednesday, 14 May to begin its consideration of the combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of Indonesia (CRC/C/IDN/5-6).
Report
The Committee has before it the seventh periodic report of Norway (CRC/C/NOR/7).
Presentation of Report
LENE VÅGSLID, Minister of Children and Families of Norway and head of the delegation, said since the last dialogue with the Committee in 2018, Norway had taken significant steps to further strengthen children's rights. Fundamental children’s rights were included in the Norwegian Constitution, including that the best interests of the child must be a key consideration, and that children had a right to be heard regarding issues affecting them. Moreover, the Convention was implemented through the human rights act, meaning it was applied as Norwegian law and prevailed if in conflict with other legislation.
Last month, the Government presented a proposal for a new children’s act to Parliament, which included a new provision on the child’s right to privacy, and the parents’ responsibility in this regard. There were also several amendments to strengthen children’s rights when parents separated, including mandatory mediation for the parents and children. Additionally, the new education act of 2023 applied to all public primary and secondary education and contained general provisions stating that the best interests of pupils should be a fundamental consideration in actions and decisions concerning them.
Norway had introduced a range of measures in recent years to develop and improve the child welfare sector, including the new child welfare act, which entered into force in 2023, placing greater emphasis on prevention and helping children and parents as early as possible. Last month, the Government launched the Quality Improvement Initiative, to give children relying on child welfare services greater predictability and stability.
It was only in exceptional cases, and as a matter of last resort, that the best interest of the child could lead to children being separated from their parents. From 2023, children in health institutions had the right to be accompanied by a parent or guardian throughout their stay. Families who had a child with a serious illness, injury or disability now had a right to a coordinator. The Government also recently decided to incorporate the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities into the human rights act.
Since 2022, Norway had offered collective protection to around 90,000 refugees from Ukraine, many of them children. The State had also increased the earmarked budget line for strengthened child expertise in asylum reception centres, and the County Governor’s supervision of unaccompanied minors was increased. A national strategy for children in low-income families (2020-2023) was put forward in 2020 and renewed in 2024, aiming to strengthen the economy of low-income families and reduce economic barriers to kindergartens and after-school programmes.
In 2023, the Government introduced a “youth guarantee” which ensured young people close follow-up and individual support. Since 2022, a cross-sector initiative called the Core Group for Vulnerable Children and Youth coordinated efforts across eight ministries and 14 agencies to address the needs of at-risk children. Two weeks ago, Norway launched a national mission on the inclusion of children in education, work and societal life, with the key goal of reducing exclusion among children by 2035.
For the first time, a white paper on “Safe digital upbringing” would soon be presented to Parliament to develop policies that empowered and protected children in their digital lives. Norway had also, for the first time, established a Ministry of Digitalisation, working closely together on children’s behalf. Norway had high ambitions for all its children and was committed to advancing their well-being. Ms. Vågslid concluded by commending the important role played by the United Nations treaty bodies in improving States’ implementation of human rights.
TORMOD C. ENDRESEN, Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said Norway was looking forward to doing a deep dive with the Committee on the Rights of the Child in the country. He then introduced the Norwegian delegation.
Questions by Committee Experts
BRAGI GUDBRANDSSON, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, said the Committee was aware of Norway’s exemplary record in children’s rights, being the first country to incorporate the Convention into domestic legislation, and the first in the world to establish the position of Ombudsman for children. For this reason, the Committee would do its best to give Norway a critical appraisal.
The Government of Norway had been criticised in the law-making process, including the lack of a child rights assessment impact, and that children’s views were not included in the process of lawmaking. It was understood that steps had been taken to address this; could the delegation share these with the Committee? Could some examples be provided? How was it ensured that the public administration act contributed to strong policies for children? It was interesting that Norway had not yet formulated a comprehensive implementation plan for the Convention on a national, regional or sectoral basis. Could the delegation comment on this?
Norway was commended for collaboration between the Ministries and the Core Group for Vulnerable People. Had it addressed the discrepancies in resources between the different municipalities? Had a strategy been devised in this regard? Were children regularly consulted by the Core Group? Norway currently did not collect disaggregated data which was of concern to the Committee. Could the State use a safeguard strategy, rather than simply not collecting the statistics? How did the State address the concerns of unaccompanied minors in reception centres? What was the status of amendments to the legal aid act? To what extent were local politicians aware of the Committee’s observations since 2018? What was being done to improve this situation? How were the concluding observations applied in the Government?
Mr. Gudbrandsson commended Norway for the child welfare act which was a wonderful piece of legislation. The lack of participation of children in Norway was of concern, with many pieces of legislation being implemented without children having a chance to provide their views. Were steps being taken to follow-up the child welfare act to ensure children were heard? Was there a possibility to accommodate the views of the children during child abuse cases through the Barnahus model? Would the State consider the age limit for accessing Barnahus services to 18? It was important to provide young offenders with inappropriate sexual behaviour with good therapy, and Norway was commended for thinking about this. The Committee welcomed the State’s action plan to address violence against children. Had an evaluation of the previous plans been conducted? How had this impacted the new plan?
The Committee was concerned that Norway planned to use stronger force and constraints. How had the country reached this situation? Would Norway ban child marriages completely without any exceptions? There was a lack of specific prohibition of the sale and sexual exploitation of children; could this be explained?
MARY BELOFF, Committee Vice-Chair and Taskforce Member, said Norway’s high-level delegation present before the Committee highlighted the country’s commitment to human rights. Norway was an exemplary country in so many ways. Why did discrimination still persist in such an egalitarian community, particularly when it came to Sami, migrant, asylum and refugee children? Where did the root causes lie? Were there any plans to diminish the levels of discrimination seen against children?
All State practices in Norway kept the best interests of the child in mind. However, there were certain cases where questions arose. Was there an instrument for local and national authorities for this purpose? How could the best interest of the child be reconciled with chemical restraints or practices of confinement? How was it assessed whether the best interests of the children involved were satisfied?
If a child needed to be removed from their family, was there a protocol in place to ensure that the best interests of the child were still respected? How was the situation of brothers and sisters assessed and the impact on children’s mental health? Was there sufficient information to provide a solution to deportation or family reunification as it pertained to refugees? How did “extended detention” reconcile with the best interests of the child?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the proposed children’s act strengthened the rights of all children in Norway and put their safety first, with the best interests of the child always considered most important. The act aimed to facilitate the child’s contact with both parents and reduce conflict in situations of separation of parents. The new act also included special provisions for cases of abuse of children.
Norway placed a great emphasis on human rights and had implemented human rights conventions in the national law; in case of conflict, the conventions would prevail. Norway’s Parliament had considered the ratification of the third Optional Protocol on several occasions, most recently in 2022, but given several reservations expressed, had voted not to implement it by an 80 per cent majority. Given that recent decision, the Government was currently not considering ratifying the third Optional Protocol. The Government remained adamant to develop a national complaints procedure and had taken steps in this regard. A child-friendly website had been designed, allowing children to access the complaints procedure more easily.
The participation of children was becoming an increasingly valued part of Norway’s decision-making process. The right to be heard was enshrined in the Constitution, and there were now established youth councils and mandated conversations with the Government and youth-oriented non-governmental organizations. In March this year, the Government developed and clarified the role of the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family which would now oversee all aspects pertaining to children and participation, and provide guidance to the public sector in this regard.
There were many national complaints bodies in Norway which had the competence to handle complaints concerning children. Several measures had been taken to strengthen children’s right to complain. Politicians at all levels were responsible for following Norwegian law in all their decisions, and the Convention was part of Norwegian law. Politicians received a copy of the Convention on the first day of work and an informative poster. All general comments made by the Committee were published on the Government’s website in Norwegian and English.
The Norwegian Human Rights Institution had created a guide on children’s rights which was available online. Since 2018, it was forbidden to enter a marriage with someone under 18 in Norway, and from this year, foreign marriages of a person under the age of 18 were not recognised.
In April, a bill was submitted to parliament for a new administrative procedural act. The legal aid act stipulated the right to free legal aid for natural citizens, including minors. The Norwegian Barnahus model was evaluated in 2021, with the system seeming to work well and in accordance with international conventions. The Government aimed to strengthen the legal protection of child suspects, including around interrogation of minors. The evaluation of the Barnahus model did not delve further into the proposal to raise the age for access to services to 18.
Residents in asylum reception centres took part in an information programme about the Norwegian society and its fundamental values. The objective was to help residents take care of their own living situations and also inform them of their rights. In cases of expulsion, an extended right to free legal aid was granted.
In recent years, Norway had taken significant steps to strengthen the child welfare services through policies, research, and financial commitments. The child welfare services aimed to do everything within their power to allow children to live at home. The municipalities were vital in this regard. In Norway, around 54,000 children and adolescents received help from child welfare services annually. The new child welfare act entered into force in 2023, and children were provided with additional rights, including speaking to child welfare authorities without parental consent. The new participation regulation came into force in 2024 and clarified the duty of the child welfare services to provide child participation in cases. Norway was working to improve the system, including through evaluating the new rules, developing more child friendly processes, and ensuring access to qualified legal representation to children, among other measures.
Norway had been working hard on foster homes; nine out of 10 children living in alternative care lived in foster homes. Several measures had been launched to improve the situation of foster parents, including for them to be given clearer decision-making authority. Children who had lived in a foster home for at least two years could be proposed a permanent residence in the home, if the aim of reunification had been abandoned. The State was currently investing in models for foster homes for siblings.
The responsibility of the treatment and follow-up of intersex children was assigned to two hospitals, and necessary medical treatment was initiated when relevant. Treatment practices in Norway were aligned with the rest of the Nordic countries. Norway did not collect any data or statistics based on the ethnicity of the population. The Government was strengthening and renewing its efforts to combat hate and discrimination based on ethnicity and religion, and had delivered four action plans, including against anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim racism and hate speech, as well as discrimination against the Sami. A study showed that a high number of children with ethnic backgrounds had experienced racism.
The kindergarten act and education act stated that children had the right to an education free from discrimination. The new education act introduced a broader scope for exercising force and restraint. Employees could now intervene against pupils when necessary. Norway shared the Committee’s concerns and had tried to state explicitly in the provision that this was a last resort, with strict measures for physical restriction to take place.
Several guidelines had been produced by the immigration service and the appeals board on how to hear children in the case-handling process.
Questions by Committee Experts
THUWAYBA AL BARWANI, Committee Vice-Chair and Taskforce Member, acknowledged the hard work Norway had put into the strategy of equality for persons with disabilities 2020 to 2030. How had the strategy helped mitigate the discrimination of vulnerable children? What interventions were envisaged to address access to services for children with disabilities to ensure their rights were upheld? The Committee had heard reports of abuse of children with psychosocial disabilities, particularly girls. What measures had been taken to address this problem? To what extent did these children know their rights? Was the State party making efforts to give them opportunities to be heard and their views taken into account?
There had been violations found in 76 per cent of respite homes; how was the Government planning to regulate these homes? Were there efforts to reduce and phase out these institutions and replace them with more community-based care?
Norway had excellent data but when it came to disability, there was no disaggregated data to better understand the situation of children with disabilities in the country. How many of these children lived with their families? How many lived in residential care? How many were receiving support services? What awareness raising campaigns were in place to remove stigma and educate about disability?
What measures were in place to provide quality psychological care for children with mental health disabilities in all municipalities?
The Committee had received reports that children without resident permits could not be seen by a general practitioner, and could only receive emergency health care, which was of concern. Was the Government planning to change this practice? The Committee welcomed Norway’s commitment to protect intersex children from violence; however, it was concerned that unnecessary irreversible surgeries had been performed on intersex children without their informed consent. Was this the case? Had data been collected on these practices? Had there been redress for these children? How was the Government planning to protect children from these practices? What measures did the Government have to combat family poverty? What additional measures were in place to improve the living conditions of children in municipal housing?
FAITH MARSHALL HARRIS, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, said Norway had been the envy of the world in terms of the environment and had an incredible record. Why was the State now granting more licenses for gas and extraction and exports? The Committee was concerned about this change of direction. Why was the State turning its back on the commitments made in the Paris Agreement? Why was Norway undermining its incredible heritage in this direction? Given the fact that this was so important to the lives of children, was there a mechanism in place for consulting them on these major decisions?
Children with disabilities in Svalbard could not receive special education and had to move with their parents to the mainland; could more information be provided on this? The use of force by teachers in the classroom against disruptive pupils was concerning and seemed to escalate violence. Instead of teachers being trained to de-escalate violence, they were given the power to use more force than police officers. It seemed that the Government had responded in a knee-jerk reaction to media pressure; however, the situation was more about training teachers to deal with these situations in a non-violent way. Norway was encouraged to rethink this approach.
Could Norway provide more information about programmes and strategies for the Sami people? Had Norway developed a national referral mechanism for trafficking? Was legal representation available to children from the very start of an investigation? How were children who had come out of warzones being rehabilitated?
BRAGI GUDBRANDSSON, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, asked what services children with challenging behaviours were entitled to by law?
MARY BELOFF, Committee Vice-Chair and Taskforce Member, asked how children were heard in cases where the State legally granted a sex change? Had a legal definition of statelessness been adopted? What mechanisms existed to protect children who had been exposed on the internet? Did children deprived of liberty receive information on their rights?
A Committee Expert said Norway did not participate in the ministerial conference on ending violence against children; was there a specific reason for this?
Another Expert asked about the Norwegian children’s act. When would this be finished? How much were children involved in that act?
An Expert asked what was being done to prevent violence against children, including risks in the digital environment? How was the birth declaration of refugee or stateless individuals conducted? What was being done to support those parents?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said children’s rights would always be work in progress; it was important to evolve and improve. Children in Norway were among the highest users of screens, social media and digital technology globally. How could the State protect them in their everyday life? This was a difficult problem to solve.
The work with the Core Group for Vulnerable Children and Youth started in 2021. There was a need for a better cross-sectoral collaboration to ensure children, youth and their families received the necessary support and follow-up. The Core Group was comprised of representatives from seven ministries. Last year, the Core Group was evaluated, with conclusions finding that it was well established. The Core Group did not consult children directly in its work.
To combat complex forms of discrimination, it was important to apply a cross-sectional approach when developing legislation. The action plan to combat hate speech and discrimination against the Sami was launched in January this year, and included 32 measures under headings such as dialogue, democracy, safety and security, among others. Many valuable inputs from those concerned had been received, including from young people, as well as the Sami Parliament, which was actively involved in the development of the plan.
The Norwegian strategy for equality for all ran until 2030, with an important competence to increase the visibility of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in all municipalities. In 2025, the Government allocated 280 million kroner for grants for persons with disabilities. Norway could not definitively say how many persons with disabilities were living in the country. A recent report by Statistic Norway focused on the different definitions of disability, which would hopefully assist the State in the future.
Every year, the Government submitted a forward-looking white paper to the Sami Parliament. The Government aimed to get more qualified teachers in Sami schools and kindergartens. The lack of Sami language competence was the biggest challenge to provide good services to the Sami population. The Government had financed a school programme to assist students with a Roma background to complete primary and secondary education. The unique framework of the Svalbard community determined what services could be provided. It was not possible to ensure all needs could be met in the archipelago as on the mainland, including the educational offering, particularly special education, which required a tailored, individual approach. Any additional needs needed to be met on the mainland.
The education act and the private school act that clarified employees to use physical interventions, included an obligation to prevent physical intervention from occurring. The Government and municipalities focused on the competence of the staff to put pre-emptive measures in place so that physical interventions were a last resort and only used when necessary. Schools should have an environment where all students thrived and benefited from education, including those who exhibited disruptive behaviours. The solutions for these students needed to be adapted to each individual pupil. This year, the Norwegian Government had allocated money to municipalities to address these issues.
Minors who came to Norway alone were a particularly vulnerable group and given high priority. In 2022, an independent evaluation of minors in asylum reception centres was conducted to ensure they received the necessary care, and violations were detected in several centres. In 2025, the Government increased the funding of independent supervision and funding in several reception centres. Norway worked systematically to improve the care provided to children in reception centres. It was mandatory for reception centres to have routines in place to handle violence against children, with staff required to report any violent behaviour to relevant authorities. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration had instructed follow-up procedures for minor asylum seekers who may be victims of human trafficking, violence or child marriage. The Directorate of Immigration had developed specific action cards for the reception centres, for each of these specific issues.
The Directorate of Immigration required that cooperation resident councils were established within asylum centres to ensure residents could express their views on the operation of the centre. When applying for protection, all unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors were offered an asylum interview, either in person or online. Clear child-friendly guidelines had been prepared on interviewing children which needed to be followed by police units. The Immigration Appeal Board heard children orally if deemed necessary. It was rare for children to be involved in the Board meetings. Child hearings were conducted orally by the local police in Norway. The police had received guidance on how to hear children in a child-friendly manner.
A person charged with a criminal offence who was under the age of 18 at the time of the offense would only be sentenced to preventive detention in extraordinary circumstances. Unfortunately, there were cases where the court had found there were no alternative ways to safeguard public security. In light of the recommendation from the Committee, the Norwegian Government was monitoring this situation.
Human trafficking was a grave violation of human rights and a crime with serious consequences. The level of trafficking was low in Norway. The Government had decided to release a strategy on trafficking in human beings which would be presented in 2025. Training to detect victims of torture and trafficking was of utmost importance; a national guideline was published in this regard in 2023. There were several provisions in the criminal procedure act which granted the right to a publicly appointed defence council, which was an unconditional right if the individual was a minor at the time of the offence.
More than 89 per cent of children in Norway participated in kindergartens. The Government’s strategy to 2030 aimed to ensure all children could participate in high quality kindergartens, regardless of where they lived and their financial situation. The Government had taken steps in 2024 to reduce the price of kindergarten places, significantly lowering barriers for families to enrol their children in kindergartens. Children of minority backgrounds had lower levels of enrolment. Children in asylum reception centres were not entitled to a place in kindergarten, but grants were provided to assist them in this regard.
Municipalities were strengthening formal competence in education. School absenteeism could have many different courses and the severity of cases varied. Absenteeism early in the school year could have significant consequences for pupils. The Government was strengthening efforts to prevent students from developing school absenteeism.
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ project was an important measure to ensure the Convention was implemented throughout the whole country. A guide had been created to help the municipalities understand and implement the Convention, and films and other materials had been made to increase the understanding of using the Convention in practice.
Children and young people would have to live with the climate, and the decisions made today would affect their future. It was crucial to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Norway was contributing to this effort by striving to complete its own climate goals and it collaborated with the European Union in this regard. The Government involved children and young people in the development of the climate policy. An agreement had been reached which safeguarded the rights of reindeer herders. The State had taken a responsibility to ensure that reindeer herders could utilise additional land for winter grazing. Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the supply of gas from Norway to Europe had helped free Europe from Russian gas.
Questions by Committee Experts
FAITH MARSHALL HARRIS, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, congratulated Norway on the outcome for the reindeer herders. The issues of violence and bullying in schools was an increasing worldwide phenomenon which had reached even Norway. Did Norway consider that the socialisation in schools needed to increase? What would be done about this? Was the issue of displacement among indigenous peoples being addressed? Was their free, prior and informed consent being obtained for development activities?
A Committee Expert asked if the Immigration Appeals Board had an administrative and judicial competency? What kind of appeals did it hear? Were there age assessment appeals before this Board? How was the right of children to be heard guaranteed if the Board did not hear children directly? Did the Board hear appeals from detention conditions? Was there mandatory reporting with regards to the best interest of the child? Did permanency only apply to children in residential care or those in all care settings?
Another Expert said developing countries were most vulnerable to the impact of greenhouse gases. What was Norway doing for those countries?
A Committee Expert asked if children in Norway had been consulted regarding the ratification of the third Optional Protocol? Norway should be commended regarding its commitment to the landmine treaty, as landmines were some of the worst arms affecting children. Did the State plan to take a stronger stance?
Another Committee Expert asked if there were positive parenting programmes in place in Norway? How was artificial intelligence used in Norway and how did the State protect children from its threats?
MARY BELOFF, Committee Vice-Chair and Taskforce Member, asked why Norway did not feel the need to have a differentiated response between the ages of 15 to 18?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said three quarters of the country’s child and adolescent mental health services had implemented cognitive behaviour therapies to address trauma. The Norwegian Board of Health Supervision conducted nationwide inspections of children in respite homes between 2022 and 2023, and had provided several recommendations, with follow-up measures now initiated. Since 1991, Norway had implemented a reform for the care of people with developmental disabilities, with the goal to phase out institutional care. Data showed that almost 20,000 children had received one or more municipal care services.
Children with disabilities should be treated equally and protected against discrimination. The Ombudsman for Children played an important role in raising awareness about children’s rights. Illegal substance use among children and young people in Norway was relatively low. However, there had been a concerning increase in cocaine use among young men and boys. The Government was particularly focused on preventing substance use among children and young people. Most children and young people in Norway reported a good quality of life and satisfaction; however, there had been an increase of poor self-mental health diagnosis among young people in Norway, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government aimed to ensure that everyone had access to good quality, low-threshold mental health services, and municipal capacities had been developed in this regard.
Combatting violence against children was a high priority for the Norwegian Government and a national action plan had been developed. A whitepaper on safe digital upbringing would soon be submitted to Parliament. The development of social media was being debated, and Norway was assessing an age limit for social media services. Most social media services were not developed with children’s wellbeing in mind. Children of any age could refuse a parent sharing videos or photos of them on social media.
In cases of separation, parents should have shared daily authority as a general rule, to safeguard the child’s right to family life and reduce conflict. Norway had a free and low threshold counselling service for families to prevent disputes. The Norwegian Directorate of Children and Youth offered a wealth of online resources for parents to help them navigate different aspects of parenting.
The Government had proposed legislative amendments to ensure foster parents could be given direct authority to make decisions on behalf of the child. Foster parents were given the right to appeal the decision to move a child. The child welfare act regulated follow-up between parents and monitored the child’s development.
Children could be placed in child welfare institutions if they had serious behavioural problems; this was the case for approximately 20 per cent of children residing in these institutions. The State had a duty to ensure these children received the necessary care and help required.
Norway’s housing allowance had been strengthened in 2024 and 2025 to help those struggling in the housing market. The Government had strengthened the grants scheme for the inclusion of children and youth. Policies targeted newly arrived refugees and immigrants who had lived in Norway for years, to increase their access to the labour market.
The Government had initiated a series of measures to improve the school environment and was further strengthening this effort. Studies showed that pupils who did not use their phones in school hours experienced less bullying, and for this reason there was a directive for schools to keep school-hours mobile free. Schools and kindergartens had an obligation to act if a child was experiencing bullying.
An age assessment was considered during the asylum decision. It was not the case that the Immigration Appeal Board never heard the child. When it was assessed that the case was sufficiently informed, the Board could decide on the case without a hearing. Usually, it was assessed that the case was sufficiently informed, as the child had previously been heard through an asylum-seeking interview. The detention of children was only used to carry out an immediate pending return. Minors above 16 years old could be granted a resident permit if they reached the age of 18. This was important to reduce the number of asylum-seeking minors embarking on dangerous journeys to Norway and Europe. There were special penal sentences in place for juvenile offenders.
Norway regretted the decision of some countries to withdraw from the mine ban treaty and had no plans to withdraw.
Gender affirming treatment was not provided to intersex children based on this diagnosis alone; it was only after a diagnosis of gender dysmorphia where treatment could be received, following years of monitoring. Surgeries were not performed on the psychosocial indications of intersex children. The last time this occurred was several decades ago.
When giving birth in Norway, most births took place in a hospital, where the birth was then registered. If the birth took place at home without a doctor or midwife present, it was up to the mother to report the birth within one month.
Closing Remarks
BRAGI GUDBRANDSSON, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member, appreciated the rich, comprehensive information shared by the delegation. It was clear Norway was on an exciting journey in revisiting the fundamental principles of the Convention, which was reflected in the new legislation, guidelines and action plans; the Committee was very impressed and appreciated these efforts. The proposal to expand the use of force in schools and residential care was of concern to the Committee and it was hoped this would be carefully considered before being enacted.
LENE VÅGSLID, Minister of Children and Families of Norway and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the important questions and the dialogue. Norway had seen a rise in the exclusion of children which it wished to turn around. The proposed children’s act aimed to secure the child’s right to family life, provided it was in their best interest. Norway aimed to highlight that all sectors were working towards the best possible outcomes for children. Norway looked forward to receiving the Committee’s concluding observations.
SOPIO KILADZE, Committee Chair, thanked Norway for the dialogue and for acknowledging the challenges faced by the country. The concluding observations would contain recommendations to make Norway a better place for children. Ms. Kiladze extended warm regards on behalf of the Committee to the children of Norway.
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