Country Profiles

Denmark

Context

Denmark remains governed by the centrist coalition formed in 2022 led by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (Social Democratics) alongside the Liberal Party, and the Moderates (a the centre-right party).

Denmark
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In August 2024, a major reshuffle created three new ministries and dissolved the Ministry of Development Cooperation, placing its responsibilities under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and without appointing a dedicated minister for the first time since 1993. Additionally, the Ministry of Gender Equality was merged into the Ministry of the Environment, following a long trend of institutional shifts with the portfolio having moved through 15 departments and 17 ministers since 1999.

Concurrently, Denmark held a prominent international role as the President of the EU Council during the second semester of 2025. While Denmark’s EU Presidency’s priorities were centred on security and competitiveness, the country also placed gender equality high on the agenda. This includes advancing the EU Gender Equality and LGBT+ Strategies, addressing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and promoting the meaningful inclusion of men and boys in equality efforts. Denmark further sought to revive the stalled Anti-Discrimination Directive and to strengthen EU-wide protections against all forms of discrimination.

Denmark is currently serving on the UN Security Council until December 2026, and its three key priorities are: 1) Conflict responses and prevention suited to new realities, 2) Climate, Peace, and Security, and 3) Women, Peace, and Security (WPS). In May 2025, the government launched its fifth WPS National Action Plan with strong references to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), SGBV, conflict related violence and technology facilitated gender-based violence.

Policies & funding

Effective from July 1, 2025, Denmark’s new development policy strategy “A Changing World – Partnerships in Development” sets a renewed direction for international cooperation. It focuses on economic growth, conflict and migration responses, green transition, democracy, and access to education and health, with SRHR featured prominently. Rights are increasingly framed as tools to promote stability and manage migration, while the strategy maintains a strong emphasis on gender equality, LGBTIQ+ inclusion, youth engagement, and civil society leadership as integral to Denmark’s partnership-based approach.

In August 2024, Denmark launched a new Africa Strategy, “Africa’s Century” prioritizing political ties with Africa in response to its growing geopolitical relevance. The strategy covers key themes like trade, security, and migration while promoting equal partnerships based on mutual interests. The strategy commits on building on the rights for women and girls, but it does not include any reference to SRHR.

Denmark maintains an allocation of 0,7% of GNI to official development assistance (ODA), an internationally benchmark it has consistently met for the past 45 years. Funding for SRHR in Denmark´s Finance Act has also remained stable in recent years. In the Danish Finance Act 2025, there was a modest increase of DKK 10 million (1.3 million Euros) specifically allocated to SRHR and LGBTIQ+ initiatives in low- and middle-income countries. Furthermore, DKK 15 million (2 million Euros) out of a total allocation of DKK 50 million (almost 7 million Euros) is designated for the implementation of Denmark’s fifth National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. This marks the first time that the Finance Act includes funds specifically earmarked for WPS.

In August 2025, the Danish government presented its 2026 Finance Act proposal, reaffirming priorities in line with recent strategies such as the 2025 development cooperation strategy, the Action Plan for Economic Diplomacy, and the 2024 Africa’s Century strategy. It emphasizes economic diplomacy, defence, and a green transition, with SRHR remaining a flagship area and Denmark maintaining its 0.7% GNI commitment.

Internationally Vocal

Denmark continues to be a champion on family planning and SRHR building on its longstanding commitment including convening the Nairobi Summit with UNFPA in 2019 marking the 25th anniversary of the ICPD Programme of Action.

Denmark remains vocal in its support for sexual and reproductive health and rights in global forums including at the UN such as the UN Commission on Population and Development (CPD) and the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). At the UN Executive Board in June 2025, Denmark reaffirmed its full support for UNFPA´s next strategic plan and its continued leadership in advancing the ICPD agenda emphasizing the agency’s vital role amid global pushback on sexual and reproductive health and rights and ongoing UN reforms.

Forecast

Denmark´s officially development cooperation increasingly continues to prioritize security and trade as well as irregular migration, climate mitigation and adaptation and resilience core areas that a central to both the 2025 development strategy and the Africa strategy. It is however expected that funding to SRHR is kept in the near future, given the official commitment to the 0.7% ODA target and the modest additional allocation of funds brought in by annual budgets.

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