National minorities
In Sweden, there are five recognised national minorities. They have in common the fact that they have lived in Sweden for hundreds of years.
Each recognized minority have a religious, linguistic or cultural affiliation and a desire to maintain their identity.
The five recognised national minorities in Sweden are:
- Sweden Finns
- the indigenous Sami
- Tornedalers
- Roma
- Jews
The five recognised national minority languages are:
- Finnish
- Sami
- Romani Chib
- Meänkieli
- Yiddish
It is against the law to keep statistics on an ethnic basis, which means that the data held by the City is based on estimates produced together with the minorities. According to these estimates, there are about 100,000 people living in the City of Stockholm who identify as a national minority. Affinity is based on self-identification.
Administrative area for Finnish, Meänkieli and Sami
The City of Stockholm is part of an administrative area for Finnish, Meänkieli and Sami. This means that the City undertakes special work to promote Finnish, Meänkieli and Sami, which includes the City of Stockholm
- working to ensure that individuals have the right to use the languages in verbal and written contacts with the City’s operations
- striving to ensure the availability of staff with knowledge of the minority languages
- organising elderly care and childcare that promote the minority culture/language if anyone so wishes.
Basic protection for national minorities
In accordance with the Swedish National Minorities and Minority Languages Act (2009:724), municipalities must protect and promote the languages and cultures of national minorities by offering basic protection.
- Basic protection means that the City of Stockholm
informs national minorities in an appropriate way of their rights when necessary - protects and promotes the national minority languages and promotes the opportunities of national minorities to maintain and develop their culture in Sweden
- promotes children’s development of a cultural identity and the use of their own minority language
- national minorities have influence in matters of concern.
The rights of national minorities in the City
- The right to be involved in the City’s work to realise the rights of national minorities.
- The right to develop the minority language, by such means as mother tongue support in pre-school and other educational activities, as well as mother tongue tuition at compulsory and upper secondary school.
- The right to promote their culture by, for example, applying for cultural support.
- The Sweden Finnish, Tornedaler and Sami minority groups have the right to pre-school and elderly care in their minority languages.
- The Sweden Finnish, Tornedaler and Sami minority groups have the right to use their language in contacts with the City.
The City’s work on national minorities is central to the implementation of human rights.
Pre-school
If your child speaks, or has an affiliation with, a national minority language (Finnish, Meänkieli, Sami, Romani or Yiddish), you are entitled to enhanced language support at all pre-schools.
Pre-school in national minority languages
Mother tongue classes
If you are a student or guardian and have questions about mother tongue classes, you should first contact your school.
Elderly care
The Sweden Finnish, Tornedaler and Sami minority groups have the right to elderly care in their minority languages.
Elderly care in the City of Stockholm – Finnish
Elderly care in the City of Stockholm – Meänkieli
Elderly care in the City of Stockholm – Northern Sami
Elderly care in the City of Stockholm – Southern Sami
Elderly care in the City of Stockholm – Lule Sami
Cultural support
The Culture Department answers questions about cultural support for associations for national minorities.
Participation and influence
The City of Stockholm consults with representatives from the minority groups on issues that affect the minority.
Organisation
Each council/committee has its own responsibility for ensuring that the rights of national minorities are respected. The City Executive Office coordinates and supports the work of the councils/committees to respect the rights of national minorities.
Guidelines for the City’s work on the rights of national minorities
The guidelines describe the City’s work on the rights of national minorities and assign responsibilities between the City’s councils and committees.
The City of Stockholm’s guidelines for the work on the rights of national minorities (pdf)
The City of Stockholm’s strategy for Roma inclusion 2018–2022
This strategy aims to establish the City of Stockholm’s overall direction, methods and allocation of responsibilities for how work on Roma inclusion is undertaken.
Strategy for Roma Inclusion 2018-2022 (pdf)
Do you belong to any of the national minorities?
You will find out here what rights you have and what demands you can make of your municipality and of other government agencies. The information is available in each minority language and in Swedish.