Denmark

Denmark is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. However, in 2003 it was found that 20,000 Danish children are still affected by poverty every year. These children, for the most part, come from refugee and immigrant families, commonly found in the largest and smallest municipalities. It was found that more than half of the children from these backgrounds have a severely limited income, in comparison to the rest of the population.

Poverty in Denmark is characterized when a family’s income is so low that their children have a hard time participating socially on an equal level as other children, such as attending birthday parties of friends. Its extent of poverty does not mean that children cannot attend school or will starve to death.

Denmark is one of the most liberal countries in the world. In a national study, Denmark ranked as #3 in the most democratic forms of government. The law protects the freedom of speech and press, and prohibits discrimination based on gender, race, disability, language, and social status. It has one of the lowest rates of corruption and highest freedom of press.

Danish law does not consider torture as an offense and the prolonged use of solitary confinement continues to be a problem. Convicted prisoners are denied effective means to challenge the use of solitary confinement. Although new safeguards attempt to reduce the use of court-ordered solitary confinement, the CPT continued to find detainees in court-ordered solitary confinements locked in their cells for 23 hours a day.

The AIDS epidemic is of a relatively small concern to the country of Denmark. The HIV prevalence rate in adults (ages 15-49) is at a tiny rate of .2%. However, prostitution continues to remain legal and while it is clear that legal prostitutes get tested for AIDS, illegal underage prostitutes are most likely not being tested. Illegal prostitution continues in the streets of Denmark, therefore, making the poll less accurate.

Because Denmark is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, testing and treatment for AIDS is more readily accessible. Because the people are more able to afford treatment than other poorer countries, survival rates of infected people are much higher.

The Ministry of the Environment, alongside local authorities have been entrusted with antipollution responsibilities by the Environmental Protection Act of 1974. The basic concept of the act is that the polluting company or individual must pay the cost of adapting facilities to environmental requirements.

Although most of Denmark’s household and industrial waste is recycled, land and water pollution continue to be Denmark’s two most significant environmental problems. animal wastes continue to pollute drinking and surface waters. In the mid 1990s, an average of 447.3 thousand tons of solid waste per year was emitted by Denmark. In the early 1990s, Denmark ranked within the 50 nations that emitted the heaviest carbon dioxide emissions. However since that time, Denmark has done it’s part to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. One of the several efforts includes raising taxes on carbon-intensive cars while simultaneously reducing the registration fees for energy-efficient vehicles.

The remaining environmental problems of Denmark include air pollution, excessive noise, especially in the major cities; the pollution of drinking and surface water from animal wastes; and the pollution of rivers, lakes, and open sea by raw sewage.

Pre-school is a type of school in Denmark elapsing the time before children enter compulsory education. It is the time when 97% of Denmark children enter the Danish education system. Education is highly valued in Denmark explaining why the educational level of the population is high with 77% of adults have completed a vocationally qualifying education. Compulsory education entails nine years of learning and tuition is free. Denmark spends a significant percent of their country’s GDP on education, 7%.

Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR) is a charity organization dedicated to providing sustainable livelihoods for all Afghans. DACAAR runs water, sanitation, and rural development programs in Afghanistan’s twenty-two provinces. They also carried out relief activities for Afghan refugees living in earthquake hit areas of Northern Pakistan.

Danish Red Cross is primarily interested in promoting humanitarian values, disaster response, disaster preparedness, and healthcare in the community. The humanitarian aspect of this organization encourages respect and a willingness to work together among individuals to find solutions. Additionally, the disaster response assists millions of people, from refugees to victims of natural disaster yearly. Disaster preparedness activities aim to make communities more aware of the risks they face, how to reduce their vulnerability, and how to cope when disaster strikes. Programs of the Danish Red Cross enable communities to reduce vulnerability to disease and prepare for public health crises.

FINFO is an organization that provides ethnic minorities with better access about their rights, obligations and opportunities within Danish society. They see access to information as the primary requisite to integrating minorities into society and to active participation in all spheres of social life.

Friendship Over Borders is a Danish organization whose aim is to help children affected by Chernobyl recover. The method by which they use to achieve their goal is by disseminating knowledge about Belarus, lending aid to affected children, and inviting affected children to stay in Denmark for part of the summer.

Happiness Foundation provides pro bono legal advice to non-profit organizations. Specific projects are selected and a Project Manager is then assigned to assess the short- and long-term goals of the organization. They seek to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of projects regarding poverty alleviation, education, human rights and health to ensure that it can thrive on its own.

Lions Clubs is involved in improving the needs of people in communities throughout the world. Lions members tackle difficult problems such as blindness, diabetes awareness, and drug abuse prevention. They also provide immediate and long-term relief to those in need and to those in times of disaster.

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