Human Rights & Democracy Office

The Office of Human Rights & Democracy enforces the Reykjavík City Human Rights Policy and carries out a wide range of policy-making tasks. The Office also monitors the implementation of the Reykjavík City Democracy Policy.

The Reykjavík City Human Rights Policy

The Human Rights and Democracy Office is responsible for enforcing the City's Human Rights Policy. The Human Rights Policy is based on human rights and the principle of equality.

The principle of equality or non-discrimination is one of the basic notions of human rights. It is found in the main human rights treaties and in Article 65 of the Constitution. The rule stipulates that it is prohibited to discriminate against persons on the grounds of their particular characteristics or for other irrelevant reasons.

The Reykjavík City Human Rights Policy

About the Human Rights & Democracy Office

Main tasks

  • Implementing the Human Rights Policy.
  • Works with the Human Rights & Violence Prevention Council on action plans for human rights and violence prevention issues.
  • Implements decisions made by the Human Rights & Violence Prevention Council, the Elderly Affairs Council, the Multicultural Council, and the Accessibility and Consultative Committee for Disabled People.
  • Cooperating with associations and other municipalities in matters covered by the Reykjavík City Human Rights Policy.
  • Consulting with designated human rights defenders in all departments of the City.
  • Promoting dialogue on human rights and democracy issues within the City.
  • Establishing initiatives that guarantee the human rights of the City’s residents.
  • Protecting the City's residents from discrimination based on origin, ethnicity, language, color, religion, philosophical beliefs, political views, atheism, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, gender identity, age, disability, physique, body form, health, physical abilities, or other status.

Councils and committees

  • Human Rights & Violence Prevention Council
    The scope encompasses developing policy on human rights and violence prevention, thereby improving the human rights of city residents. The Council also takes on tasks from the Equal Rights Committee and other tasks in the field of human rights in accordance with Reykjavík City's Human Rights Policy.
  • Accessibility and Consultative Committee for Disabled People
    Its task is to advise Reykjavík City Council, Committees, and Councils on the issues and interests of persons with disabilities in the broad sense of accessibility, in the development of all City services addressed to persons with disabilities, and, as the case may be, other concerns of persons with disabilities.
  • Intercultural Council
    Its task is to counsel Reykjavík’s City Council, Committees, and Councils on the affairs and interests of the City's immigrant residents.
  • Resident councils
    Their task is to work towards greater participatory democracy within the City and to provide an important forum for consultation with the City of Reykjavík.
  • Elderly Affairs Council
    Its task is to consult Reykjavík’s City Council, Committees, and Councils on the affairs and interests of the City's residents aged 67 and over.

Publication

The Human Rights & Democracy Office publishes a wide range of material.

Education

The Office of Human Rights & Democracy provides training on the City's Human Rights Policy as well as on other human rights issues, and you can send inquiries and educational requests to mannrettindi@reykjavik.is.

Grants and prizes

Every year the Reykjavík City Human Rights Prize is awarded to those individuals, associations, or institutions that have actively defended human rights. Grants are also regularly given to associations, companies, and individuals that contribute to the successful development of civil society, the equity of the city's residents, and diverse human lives.

Director of the Human Rights Office

The Director of the Human Rights Office is Anna Kristinsdóttir.

Contact

You can contact the Human Rights and Democracy Office if you want to know more.

  • Would you like to know more about the Reykjavík City Human Rights Policy?
  • Would you like to get help working on an equality plan for your workplace at the City?
  • Do you feel you have been subjected to discrimination receiving services from the City of Reykjavík?
  • Do you believe that the City of Reykjavík, as an administrative body, has violated your rights?
  • Have you witnessed discrimination in any of the City's workplaces?
  • Do you have a proposal on human rights for the City of Reykjavík?
  • Do you work for an association, or another municipality, and are you interested in forming a partnership?

Email: mannrettindi@reykjavik.is
Telephone: 411 4156