Denmark is a constitutional monarchy with a democratic government elected in free and fair elections held on the basis of universal suffrage. The Queen is head of state. The unicameral Folketing (Parliament) is headed by the Cabinet. The territories of Greenland and the Faroe Islands elect 2 representatives to the Folketing and also have their own elected governments to deal with matters other than foreign affairs and national security, police services, the judiciary and financial matters. The judiciary is independent.

Discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, faith, national or ethnic origin, sex, creed or ethnicity. The rights of the indigenous people are protected. Allegations of abuse by security or police forces are investigated, and impunity is not a problem. Residents enjoy a high standard of living.

Freedom of speech and of the press are guaranteed and respected. The issue of free speech became a topic of international debate as a result of cartoons published in Denmark that were criticised by many Muslims. The law provides public access to government information. Prostitution is well compensated and not illegal, but trafficking in women for prostitution remains a problem. Denmark is both a destination and a transit country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The traffickers are suspected of being organised crime gangs. The government cooperated with international investigations of trafficking and has taken significant steps to address it. The government does not directly provide medical or legal assistance to victims.

The official state religion is the Evangelical Lutheran Church, which receives government subsidies.

Education is compulsory through Grade 9 and free through university; school attendance is almost universal. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reports that 95% of students graduate from secondary school and other education programmes. Slightly more women than men complete postsecondary education. The law prohibits physical punishment of children by adults. Religious education (Evangelical Lutheran) is taught in public schools, though students may withdraw from religious classes with parental consent. Statistical information on the number teachers in each sector is not included in UNESCO statistics for Denmark.

A 4-year programme begins at age 3. 27% of ECE is private. The Net Enrolment Rate (NER) is 90%.

Primary education begins at age 7 and lasts for 6 years. All children who enrol in Grade 1 reach the final grade of primary school. The NER is 100%.

Secondary education begins at age 13 and lasts for 6 years. 53% of students in upper secondary education study in technical/vocational programmes. The NER is 95% (93% of boys, 96% of girls).

287,001 students are enrolled in tertiary institutions, giving a Gross Enrolment Rate of 37%. 18,120 foreign students study in Denmark, coming for example from North America and Western Europe (5,835), Central and Eastern Europe (2,268), Asia (2,084) and Sub-Saharan Africa (557). The country of origin of 6,697 foreign students is not specified. At the same time 6,318 Danish students study overseas, such as in the UK (1,662), Sweden (995), Norway (868), the USA (859) and Germany (697). Women professors are reported to be under-represented in university faculties.

Discrimination against persons with disabilities is prohibited in education or in other state services. The Equal Opportunities Centre for Disabled Persons is a government-funded entity that investigates inequalities related to persons with disabilities. An action plan to increase access to the job market for persons with disabilities includes increasing opportunities for education. Students with disabilities are integrated into public schools and offered specialised training programmes.

The law provides for the granting of asylum or refugee status in accordance with the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, and the government has established a system for providing protection to refugees. Education is provided for refugee children.

The rights of the inhabitants of Greenland and the Faroe Islands are protected in law. Education in Greenland is provided to the native population in both Greenlandic and Danish. Greenland's legal system accommodates Inuit customs. Prisoners are sent to holding centres rather than to prisons, and they are encouraged to work, hunt or fish during the day. 15,000 to 20,000 German-speaking citizens live in the southwestern region bordering Germany. A policy to protect and promote German as a minority language has been recommended to comply with the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

An increase in numbers of racially diverse refugees and immigrants has caused some tension between citizens and immigrants, and racial discrimination and racially motivated violence are reported. An Action Plan to Promote Equal Treatment and Diversity and to Combat Racism is bringing initiatives to improve access to the education system and promote public awareness about diversity. An outreach campaign is proposed to encourage young ethnic minorities to participate politically, to increase access to the labour market and to reduce ghettoisation of minorities. Unemployment is high among ethnic minorities. The integration of immigrant groups from Islamic countries has become an important political and social topic of discussion.

Academic freedom is currently not restricted, but teachers believe there is pressure in Denmark to identify and standardise best practice. Teachers at all levels of education believe that to require specific methodology or ideological content is an unacceptable constraint.

A project has been established to promote gender equality in government agencies. Women's groups have lobbied on issues such as wage disparity and parental leave. Only 40% of women from ethnic minority groups are in the labour market, compared to 76% of other women. Equal pay for work of equal value is provided in law, but women workers still earn on average 14% less than their male counterparts. Job discrimination on the basis of sex is prohibited. Women hold positions of authority but are under-represented in senior positions and as university professors.

Sexual harassment is prohibited, and monetary compensation can be awarded to victims of sexual harassment by a law that the government effectively enforced. Violence against women remains a problem. Steps are being taken to combat forced marriage within immigrant groups.

The exploitation of children in the workplace is illegal, and legislation is effectively enforced. The minimum legal age for full-time employment is 15. The minimum age for any kind of work is 13. Hours of work are limited, and occupational health and safety rules are set specifically for those under 18.

Workers have the right to form and join trade unions. About 85% of wage earners are union members. Unions are politically independent. Collective bargaining is freely practised, and collective agreements outline the rights and benefits of workers. The right to strike is provided. Forced or compulsory labour is prohibited, though such practices reportedly occur among trafficked women. No minimum wage is established, but collective agreements set wage levels. The average net hourly wage and benefits of adult workers was US$29 (177 kroner). A 37-hour work week is the norm.