F. REPORTING PROCESS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL 56 I. UN Convention against Torture and Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 56 II. UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 56 III. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) 56 IV. The UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) 57 V. The UN Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) 57 VI. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) 57 VII. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 58 3. INFORMATION ON NON-DISCRIMINATION AND EQUALITY, AND EFFECTIVE REMEDIES 59 G. PROTECTION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION - INTRODUCTION TO THE NORWEGIAN FRAMEWORK 59 I. The Gender Equality Act 60 II. The Act on prohibition of discrimination on the basis of ethnicity and religion 61 III. The Anti-Discrimination and Accessibility Act 61 IV. The Act on prohibition of discrimination on the of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression 62 V. The Working Environment Act (Chapter 13) 63 VI. The Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud 63 VII. The Equality and Anti-Discrimination Tribunal 64 of Protocol No. 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 65 H. ORGANISATION OF THE GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS TO PROMOTE EQUAL RIGHTS AND PREVENT DISCRIMINATION 66 I. Gender equality 66 II. Equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people 67 III. Equal rights for persons with disabilities 68 IV. Equal rights for ethnic minorities 68 V. Indigenous peoples 70 VI. National minorities 72 VII. Immigrants 73 seekers 76 IX. Migrant workers 76 X. Freedom of choice in respect of where to live 79
For persons born before 1954, the old-age pension consists of a residence-based basic pension, an earnings-related supplementary pension, supplements for supported spouse and children and a special supplement securing a minimum pension level for persons with little or no supplementary pension (as before). Persons born in 1963 or later are primarily granted an earnings-related pension, but a residence-based guarantee pension provides a minimum pension level (similar to the old system, but with new rules for calculation). For persons born between 1954 and 1962, one part of the pension is calculated according to the old rules and the other part according to the new rules. The latter part increases for each year after 1954 up to the person’s year of birth. According to the rules for persons born before 1954 (see above), persons who are insured for pension purposes and who have a total insurance period of minimum three years between the ages of 16 and 66 are entitled to a pension. For persons born in 1963 and later all pensionable income earned between the ages of 13 and 75 counts toward the income-based pension (no minimum requirement). However, a minimum insurance period of three years between the ages of 16 and 66 is required to be entitled to a guaranteed pension. A full pension, according to the rules for persons born before 1954, requires an insurance period of minimum 40 years. If the insurance period is shorter, the pension is proportionately reduced. The full minimum pension as of 1 May 2013 is NOK 170 496 per year for single persons and NOK 315 408 for couples (NOK 157 704 for each). expenditures on pensions under the National Insurance Scheme in 2012 were NOK 345 209 million. This amount represents approximately 35.4% of the combined state and national insurance budgets and 12% of GDP. The budget allocations to the national insurance scheme were NOK 96 575 million in 2012, which is equal to 28.0% of the total expenditures under the scheme. In addition to the National Insurance Scheme, a supplementary allowance scheme has been introduced. This scheme is also non-discriminatory. The purpose of the scheme is to provide financial support for elderly persons with shorter periods of insurance under the National Insurance Scheme.
Recognition of non-governmental organisations The Norwegian Register of Non-Profit Organisations was established in December 2008, and close to 30 000 non-profit organisations are registered there. The register is operated by the Brønnøysund Register Centre. Registration is voluntary. The main objective of the Register is to facilitate and improve interaction between the government and the voluntary sector. GENERAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF RIGHTS ACCEPTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS NORMS Main international human rights conventions and protocols Ratification status Convention/ protocol Signature (S) Ratifications (R) Reservations Declarations Acceptance of optional procedures International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), 1966 R 13/09/1972 Subject to reservations to Article 8, paragraph 1 (d) "to the effect that the current Norwegian practice of referring labour conflicts to the State Wages Board (a permanent tripartite arbitral commission in matters of wages) by Act of Parliament for the particular conflict, shall not be considered incompatible with the right to strike, this right being fully recognised in Norway.” International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), 1966 R 13/09/1972 Subject to reservations to Article 10, paragraph 2 (b) and paragraph 3 "with regard to the obligation to keep accused juvenile persons and juvenile offenders segregated from adults" and to Article 14, paragraphs 5 and 7 and to Article 20, paragraph 1. 19 September 1995 [The Government of Norway declares that] the entry into force of an 31 August 1972 "Norway recognises the competence of the Human Rights Committee referred to in Article 28 of the Covenant to receive and consider communications to the effect that a State Party claims that another State Party is not fulfilling its obligations under the Covenant."
Norway has also strategies and action in several other areas that promote social inclusion and poverty reduction by combating inequality, including white papers on education and inequality, a national strategy for reducing social inequalities in health, a National Action Plan on Alcohol and Drugs, and the above-mentioned Action Plan for Integration and Social Inclusion of the Immigrant Population and Goals for Social Inclusion. In its efforts, the Government has strengthened cooperation and communication with user and other organisations and associations in the voluntary sector. These organisations are important cooperation partners for both central and local government. A liaison committee has been established to strengthen the dialogue between the Government and self-appointed representatives of socially and financially disadvantaged persons. Freedom of choice in respect of where to live The point of departure for the Government’s regional policy is the establishment and maintenance of conditions that ensure Norway’s inhabitants real freedom to live in the place of their choice. The Government’s objective is to maintain the main features of the current settlement pattern and to further develop the plurality of historical and cultural resources deriving from it. Rural and regional policy is an integrated part of the Government’s overall political agenda. A well-developed infrastructure is vital to positive development in a country like Norway, with its sparse population and long distances. The Government will continue to strengthen municipal finances, introduce large-scale expansion of road and railway construction programmes, set new objectives for the expansion of broadband infrastructure and pursue an active and differentiated policy for economic growth and jobs in order to secure the goal of full employment. The Government believes that local challenges are most effectively met by local initiatives. It therefore gives priority to providing support for the municipality as a development driver and for community development. In this way the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development invites the county authorities to cooperate further on