Increased research capacity; more focus on education and capacity building; increased cooperation with major human rights players; a more central role in promoting diversity and non-discrimination and a greater emphasis on human rights and diversity within the business sector, are just some of the goals, which the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) has set itself for its strategic work on human rights over the next four years.
New challenges both in Denmark and around the world require new strategies for the Institute's work, explained Dr Jonas Christoffersen, who was appointed to the post of Director of DIHR in January 2009.
“A lot of water has run under the bridge since DIHR was established more than 20 years ago. The Institute must of course adapt to the changes that are taking place around the world today where human rights are increasingly on the agenda. At the same time human rights are coming increasingly under pressure because of violent conflicts, the war on terrorism and climate change. Most recently the international financial crisis has created additional challenges and we still need to get an overview of its human rights implications,” said the Director.
“One of the ways we as a human rights institution can have a positive affect on developments is by continually strengthening our role as a preferred partner for governments, international organizations, civil society groups and other key players,” continued Jonas Christoffersen.
In addition to launching a brand-new strategy to direct its human rights activities - which can be downloaded as a PDF file in the box to the right – the Institute also presented its new logo and design identity which will represent the Institute both in Denmark and internationally. 
“It is actually almost impossible to imagine a logo that can visually represent all our work and everything we stand for. Nonetheless, I think our new logo very nicely embraces some essential elements of our work, namely dialogue and continuity,” said Jonas Christoffersen.
“You could say that human rights will never be effective if we are not willing to engage in dialogue. It is a process that never stops. Human rights are, like the societies we live in, constantly evolving and developing, and our new strategy is a good reflection of the way we work and our desire to be at the forefront of developments,” he concluded.
DIHR presents today its new strategy and visual identity during an open-house event at the Institute’s headquarters in Christianshavn, Copenhagen.
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