Blog post by Thorkild Olesen, Chair of Disabled People’s Organisations Denmark (DPOD).
A year ago, Denmark faced the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the first time in a decade. The conclusion was clear: despite being one of the world’s richest welfare states, Denmark is moving backwards on several disability rights.
Use of coercion in psychiatry has risen by 22 percent over the past ten years, with thousands subjected to restraint, forced medication, or isolation annually. Despite these alarming figures, the Danish Parliament has recently passed laws that make it easier to use physical force in residential care facilities while weakening documentation requirements.
Children with disabilities remain excluded from mainstream education. Inclusion has failed because it has been implemented incorrectly, without proper support. Health outcomes for people with disabilities are significantly poorer, and life expectancy for some groups remains alarmingly low.
Most concerning, the level of support still depends on where you live. In a country that prides itself on equality, it should not matter whether you live in northern or southern Denmark. The law applies nationwide, but its interpretation varies widely.
Denmark also lacks a national disability action plan, and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has yet to be incorporated into national law, despite repeated UN recommendations.
A fragmented system
The core issue is political and structural. Responsibility for disability policy is spread across multiple ministries with no coordination, long-term vision, or accountability mechanisms. People with disabilities and their families navigate a patchwork system that often fails to meet even basic needs.
This affects every aspect of daily life. Healthcare access remains unequal. Public transport and housing are not fully accessible. Participation in cultural and democratic life, including voting, is limited for too many. Even Denmark’s emergency preparedness plans overlook people with disabilities, leaving those who rely on electricity, medicine, or personal assistance uncertain about how they would manage during a crisis.
A call for change
The UN report is not only a list of failures — it is a roadmap for action. Denmark has the opportunity to align its policies with the obligations of the Convention it has ratified.
Disabled People’s Organisations Denmark calls for a comprehensive national action plan for disability inclusion. It must bring together all relevant ministries, set measurable goals, and ensure accountability. It should cover all areas of life — education, work, housing, health, accessibility, and participation — because people do not live in silos.
From cost to investment
For too long, disability has been seen as a cost, but it should be treated as an investment socially, economically, and democratically. A society that includes everyone is stronger, more innovative, and more just.
The UN’s criticism should serve as a wake-up call for Denmark and a reminder to all European states that ratifying the Convention is not enough. It must be implemented, monitored, and lived in practice.
Denmark has the resources, the legal framework, and the moral obligation to lead by example. But leadership requires action. For the thousands of Danes with disabilities still fighting for access to education, healthcare, work, and equal participation, there is no time to waste.
About DPOD
Disabled People’s Organisations Denmark (DPOD) is an umbrella organisation consisting of 38 member organisations established in 1934.
DPOD represents Danish disability organisations in national and international co-operation and have a total of over 400.000 members across all their member organisations.