On 6 November 2007, Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Verhagen presented a new human rights strategy for foreign policy, “Human dignity for all”.

The strategy places human rights at the centre of Dutch foreign policy and explains how the Netherlands intends to implement it. Policy priorities vary from striving for the abolition of the death penalty, an absolute ban on torture and championing women’s and children’s rights to advocating freedom of expression, preventing discrimination and promoting human rights in connection with security policy and counterterrorism.