Julia Carlzon works at Oxfam Sweden. She believes that Sweden's opposition to the EU bill on corporate responsibility worsens the image of Sweden as a leading country in climate and human rights. Photo (left): Alexey Larionov. Source: Unsplash. Image (right): Julia Carlzon.
Of: Fleur Riller Loins
Sweden recently announced that it will vote against the EU bill that will increase companies' responsibility for human rights and the environment, despite the fact that the bill has strong support from both civil society and companies. The bill has now been revised and a vote will take place on Friday. - What Sweden does, other countries listen to, says Julia Carlzon, communicator at Oxfam, about the upcoming vote.
March 14, 2024, Interview
Culture is conspicuous by its absence in Agenda 2030 and the global goals. Several actors in the cultural sector have therefore started the #culture2030goal campaign, to include an eighteenth culture-focused goal in Agenda 2030. "Culture has the ability to change our way of thinking," says Natalie Giorgadze at Culture Action Europe. Photo: Natalie Giorgadze/UN Women. Source: Flickr.
Of: Nora Nattorp
All UN members signed the agenda in 2015 and thereby established that the work for sustainable development requires efforts in several sectors. But one sector seems to be missing: culture.
May 23, 2023, Interview
Félix Díaz, president of the Consultative and Participatory Council of Indigenous Peoples of Argentina (CCPPIRA) and leader of the Qom indigenous people, has been camping outside the presidential palace in Buenos Aires, Argentina for two years. He wants the indigenous people's right to land and dialogue with the state to be respected, but according to Félix Díaz, the politicians do not respond to attempts to talk. Photo: Vilma Ellemark.
Of: Vilma Ellemark
The indigenous Qom people have camped outside the Argentine presidential palace in the capital Buenos Aires for over two years. This is in protest against the fact that politicians do not initiate dialogue with the group about their land rights. - The politicians have not responded to a single one of our formal letters or requests for dialogue, says protest leader Félix Díaz.
May 12, 2023, FUF-correspondents, Interview
Despite the beautiful nature of Armenia, the country is not yet an obvious destination for outdoor tourism. Photo: Tom Allen, Transcaucasian Trail Armenia.
Of: Sara Lannebo
In mountainous Armenia, a new hiking trail will promote tourism, environmental protection and young leadership. The project, which goes by the name Transcaucasian Trail (TCT), has as a vision to tie the three together South Caucasian the countries of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Development magazine has interviewed ashot Davtyan, project manager for TCT, about the challenges and opportunities the project faces.
April 25, 2023, FUF-correspondents, Interview
Agricultural aid is a low priority in Swedish aid, but the Africa Groups' secretary general, Louise Lindfors, believes that it is central to development in southern Africa. Photo: Department of foreign affairs and trade/Africa groups. Source: Flickr/Africa groups.
Of: Amanda Rossling
a revolutionary time for Sweden's civil society organisations. restructuring as the Swedish government has done in aid has meant both cuts to developing countries and to civil society in Sweden.
April 12, 2023, Interview
20-year-old Amapola Manquehual in Chile continues to participate in the protests for abortion rights and social reforms that have swept Latin America in recent years. This despite the fact that Chile last autumn voted no to a constitutional proposal that would legalize abortion in the country. Photo: Vilma Ellemark/Amapola Manquehual.
Of: Vilma Ellemark
In September 2022, Chile voted no to a historic constitutional proposal that, among other things, included gender quotas in public bodies and the right to abortion. This after several years of protests for social reforms and women's rights. - I cried when I saw the result, but I still have hope, says women's rights activist Amapola Manquehual.
April 5, 2023, FUF-correspondents, Interview
Munisa Rashid's life has been severely restricted since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan - just like most women in the country. She is no longer allowed to dress however she wants or leave the house without a male guardian. Photo: Shabnam Alkozay.
Of: Liljan Daoud
Since the Taliban took over the Afghan state in 2021, everyday life looks different for most Afghans. Their economic opportunities and women's rights have been severely limited. munisa Rashid, communicator at Swedish Afghanistan Committee (SAK), is one of many women in the country who are no longer allowed to start their dream education or dress how they want.
March 8, 2023, Interview
In November, the International Center for Local Democracy (ICLD) concluded the 2022 round of the Women's Leadership Program. The final workshop was held in Kigali, Rwanda. In the picture, this year's participants can be seen together with the Swedish politicians who through Sweden's Municipalities and Regions (SKR) are mentors in the program, as well as Rwanda's Minister for Gender Equality Jeannette Bayisenge and Sweden's ambassador to Rwanda Johanna Teague. Photo: ICLD.
Of: Agnes Durbeej-Hjalt
Every year, the International Center for Local Democracy (ICLD) organizes a leadership program for women in local political positions of power in low- and middle-income countries. The aim is to strengthen women in their leadership role to contribute to the development of local democracy. Development magazine has interviewed Anne Scheffer Leander, responsible for the program, about how the promotion of local democracy actually works in practice.
January 23, 2023, Interview
Maja Magnusson, press officer and information officer at Svalorna Latinamerika, is concerned that reduced aid and scrapped feminist foreign policy could affect gender equality work in Latin America. Photo: Swallows Latin America.
Of: Vilma Ellemark
The new direction of Swedish foreign policy has caused concern among many organizations that work with global development issues. - We are worried about severe cuts, says Maja Magnusson, press officer and information officer at Svalorna Latin America.
December 9, 2022, Interview
For the past two years, the Ethiopian region of Tigray has been plagued by brutal fighting. Now the Ethiopian state and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) have reached a ceasefire. Pictured: A destroyed tank in Edaga Hamus in Tigray, June 2021. Photo: Yan Boechat. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Of: Elianne Kjellman
One of the bloodiest conflicts of the 2000st century has been fought in Ethiopia since November 2020. A solution has seemed far away. But in early November came the surprising announcement that a ceasefire had been reached. Liisa Laakso, Senior Researcher at the Nordic Africa Institute, explains how the friction between the Ethiopian state and the People's Liberation Front in Tigray led to war - and how they have managed to reach a ceasefire.
December 2, 2022, Interview
