Week 41: New government proposal agreed to reduce aid and five years since the start of #metoo

"Without yes it's no" - a placard from a demonstration in Montréal, Canada on June 19, 2020. Photo: Mélodie Descoubes. Source: Unsplash.

Of: Fredrik Govenius and Jonathan Lamy

The new government with Ulf Kristersson as prime minister will drop the one percent target and work to reduce Sweden's aid. The proposal arouses criticism from humanitarian organizations but is encouraged by some bourgeois leaders. Meanwhile, it's been five years since #metoo took the world by storm. 

October 17, 2022, Current debate

Week 38: Debaters demand support for Iranian women's freedom struggle

Protests have spread across Iran, and also elsewhere in the world, since 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died after being beaten by Iran's so-called morality police for wearing her veil "the wrong way". The protests have been a central topic on Swedish debate and editorial pages during the past week. Pictured: Protest in London against the compulsion for women to wear the veil in Iran. Photo: Gary Knight. Source: Flickr.

Of: Elianne Kjellman and Ella Sjöbeck

The wave of protests in Iran, which erupted after the 22-year-old mahsa Aminis death that occurred in connection with her arrest by the Iranian morality police, has characterized the past week's debate and editorial pages. Several debaters are now calling on governments, organizations and individuals to support Iranian women's fight for freedom. Concerns about the consequences of cuts in Swedish aid has also been debated.

September 26, 2022, Current debate

Sexual violence in conflict: “psychological warfare”

Sexual violence in conflict is a serious problem in several countries around the world. The African groups' partner Ondjango Feministas raises awareness of women's rights in Angola. Photo: Sheila Nangue. Source: Ondjango Feministas.

Of: Alice Eriksson

Sexual violence increases in connection with conflict and natural disasters in the world, says Ylva Jonsson Strömberg from the Swedish Red Cross. Several civil society organizations point to the importance of development aid to break the negative trend in the world. 

August 11, 2022, Almedalen - article, Reportage

The organizations about development aid settlements: "The outside world is losing confidence in Sweden"

The umbrella organization CONCORD organized a breakfast mingling during the Almedal week to run the campaign #RäddaBiståndet on the streets of Visby together with various member organizations. Photo: Christina Wassholm, CONCORD Sweden.

Of: Hibo Yusuf Ahmed

Sweden's settlements on aid meant 40 percent cut annual budgets for several civil society organizations and their partner operations. Utvecklingsmagasinet has interviewed five organizations that warn that their partner organizations are losing confidence in Sweden and finding it difficult to maintain their work against, among other things, child marriage and female genital mutilation.

July 21, 2022, Almedalen - article, Reportage

One year after the Taliban took power: "Do not forget Afghanistan"

Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to repression under the Taliban regime, something Elham Kohistani, an activist, and Najiba Sanjar, a crisis coordinator and consultant, said at a seminar during Almedalen Week. Photo: Julia Lundén Azzeddine.

Of: Julia Lundén Azzeddine

One year after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, the country is hard hit by poverty, famine, unemployment and dismantled health care. During Almedalen Week, several people discussed the crisis situation in the country. 

July 20, 2022, Almedalen - article, Reportage

Johan Pehrson (L) highlighted democracy aid and NATO in his Almedal speech

In Johan Perhrson's (L) party leadership speech during Almedalen Week, he raised several foreign policy issues - including the EU, NATO and Swedish democracy assistance.

Of: Julia Lundén Azzeddine, Andreas Klawitter and Elin Malmqvist

"The school's biggest champion". This is how the Liberals' party leader Johan Pehrson was introduced at Tuesday's second party leadership speech during Almedalen Week 2022. When Pehrson left Sweden and the school world for a while, he highlighted, among other things, the security policy situation in the world and Swedish democracy assistance. 

July 6, 2022, Almedalen - article, News

The Christian Democrats: Women's rights in focus in development aid policy

The fact that the Social Democratic government in this situation has decided that parts of the development assistance should be used in Sweden gives completely wrong signals about what international solidarity means. All this risks making an insecure world even more insecure. It writes Gudrun Brunegård, development policy spokesperson (KD). Photo: Bernard Gagnon. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Of: Gudrun Brunegård

Standing up for the one percent goal, women's education and poverty reduction are some of several attributes that characterize the Christian Democrats' development aid policy. With democracy as the highest guarantor of peace, values ​​such as human rights must be defended in the world through Swedish development assistance. It writes Gudrun Brunegård, bdevelopment policy spokesperson within the Christian Democrats.  

July 2, 2022, Debate

The Social Democrats: Sweden's development aid model works well

The government has announced that a certain part of the aid funds will be used to help the refugees who come to Sweden from Ukraine. But the fact that Sweden is one of the world's largest donors remains. It is written by Kenneth G Forslund, chairman of the Riksdag's Foreign Affairs Committee (S), and Anders Östberg, Member of the Riksdag and head of development policy (S). Photo: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine / Nathalie Beser / Swedish Parliament. Source: Wikimedia Commons / Socialdemokraterna / Sveriges riksdag.

Of: Anders Österberg and Kenneth G Forslund

We Social Democrats know that a world with great inequality, hunger and more conflicts is a more insecure world for all. Not least the covid-19 pandemic and Russia's war of aggression have shown this. The world is connected and when it burns in your neighbor's house, it also concerns you, whether it happens in Ukraine, Yemen or Sudan - therefore is development aid policy important and we Social Democrats see it as part of security policy. It is written by Kenneth G Forslund, chairman of the Riksdag's Foreign Affairs Committee (S), and Anders Östberg, Member of the Riksdag and head of development policy (S).

June 30, 2022, Debate

Left Party: One percent floor instead of settlements

Among other things, the Left Party wants to make the one percent goal a one percent floor that development cooperation must not be less than, and introduce a new climate aid that will be used to counteract the consequences of climate change. It writes the Left Party's aid policy spokesperson Yasmine Posio. Photo: Takver, Left Party. Source: Wikimedia Commons, Flickr.

Of: Yasmine Posio

With an acute climateödlägive and a serious humaniteär situation ivärlden it is not enough to as the government reduce areåthe end through the extensive avräthe knowledge one has now chosen to giveöra. Sweden has all möopportunities to be a sanctuary förmäpeople fleeing war and föpressure and at the same time stå up för and areånd policy värd the name. It writes the Left Party's aid policy spokesperson Yasmine Posio. 

June 13, 2022, Debate

Week 22: Climate summit in Stockholm and Turkey's demands for Swedish NATO membership guide this week's debate

This is what it looked like when world leaders triumphantly agreed on the 1,5-degree goal at the climate summit in Paris in 2015. In connection with the Stockholm + 50 meeting that took place this week, it is still a matter of rolling up our sleeves and getting the job done, Lovisa Arvidsson writes in Aftonbladet. Photo: UNclimatechange. Source: Flickr.

Of: Hanne Karlsson and Markus Hietanen

During the past week, both Turkey's demands for Swedish NATO membership and the Stockholm + 50 Climate Summit have been debated. How should Sweden respond to Turkey's various demands and what is most important to prioritize in the climate issue? 

June 8, 2022, Current debate