Journalist Yara Bader and lawyer Raghda Sheikh at the human rights organization Civil Rights Defenders' office in Stockholm. Photo: Agnes Fältman/Utvecklingsmagasinet
Of: Agnes Fältman
The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) has been awarded this year's Civil Rights Defender Award. Now the organization's program director Yara Bader and project coordinator Raghda Sheikh talk about their experiences and how they see the future of Syria. “I am happy that the future is coming,” says Yara Bader.
June 2, 2025, Interview
In an opinion poll conducted on behalf of the aid organization Diakonia, 42 percent wanted to see Sweden return to spending one percent of its GNI on aid. Image: Collage in Canva.
Of: Agnes Fältman
Four out of ten Swedes think that Sweden's aid should be increased to one percent of gross national income, according to a new survey by the aid organization Diakonia. At the same time, Donald Trump is dismantling USAID, and several European countries are calling for tighter aid budgets.
– When the US turns its back, many seem to think that Sweden should step forward, says Mattias Brunander, Diakonia's Secretary General.
April 1, 2025, News
Myanmar's junta leader Min Aung Hlaing in June 2017. "The military forces young people into the battlefield as human shields in order to advance," says Veronica Sällemark to Utvecklingsmagasinet. Photo: Vadim Savitsky, mil.ru/ Wikimedia Commons
Of: Agnes Fältman
The chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague (ICC) suspects Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing of human rights violations against the Rohingya minority group. The decision highlights the crisis the country has been in since the military coup in 2021.
- There are extensive reports of human rights violations such as torture, murder and rape, says Veronica Sällemark at the Olof Palme International Center.
December 16, 2024, Interview
Women at a stall selling veils near Tripoli. Archive image. Photo: David Stanley/Flickr
Of: Agnes Fältman
Libya's Minister of the Interior doesn't that, among other things, compulsory veiling for girls from the age of nine and a ban on "inappropriate" hairstyles and clothing should be introduced. the new rules and the country's "social values" afteris followed. Amnesty International criticizes the decision and believes that it worsens discrimination against women and girls.
November 13, 2024, News
Former Foreign Minister Margot Wallström answers questions after a meeting in 2016. The fact that it has been 10 years since the Stefan Lövfen government recognized Palestine has been the subject of debate this week. Photo: Anna Palmehag/News Øresund.
Of: Agnes Fältman
Exactly ten years ago, Sweden recognized Palestine as an independent state, which has been debated this past week. Sweden's Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari's presence at the UN summit on biodiversity in Colombia is criticized, at the same time as voices are raised against Russia's war in Ukraine and the influence on the election in Georgia.
November 4, 2024, Current debate
Herbert Kickl's party was founded by Nazis in the 1950s. Now it is the largest in Austria. Photo: Michael Lucan. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Of: Agnes Fältman
The right-wing nationalist party Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (FPÖ) won the Austrian parliamentary election for the first time in the country's history. Despite the recent devastating floods, the climate-denying and pro-Russia party won the most votes. Now possibly a darker future awaits the EU's support for Ukraine, because the FPÖ wants to completely abolish it, writes Agnes Fältman.
October 14, 2024, Think piece
The new foreign minister has previously been migration minister in Ulf Kristersson's government. Opinions on the editorial pages differ on which parts of the world Maria Malmer Stenergard (M) should focus on in her new role. Photo: News Øresund, Henrik Smångs. Source: Flickr.
Of: Agnes Fältman
Maria Malmer Stenergard succeeds Tobias Billström as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Johan Forssell becomes the new Minister of Migration and Benjamin Dousa, former CEO of Företagarna and think tank Timbro, takes over as Minister of Aid and Foreign Trade. The ministerial changes have sparked a great deal of debate about the government's foreign and aid policy and what role Sweden should play in the international arena.
September 16, 2024, Current debate
Women's negative special position on the labor market is often connected to the fact that they have children and are on parental leave. This is, for example, the case in Austria and the cultural neighbors Germany and Switzerland. "There is an unspoken expectation for women to do the unpaid work in the home," says Austrian social anthropologist and preschool teacher Hannah Büchel to Utvecklingsmagasinet. Photo: Agnes Fältman.
Of: Agnes Fältman
quo and want to see a change.
June 24, 2024, FUF-correspondents, Reportage
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico survived an assassination attempt on May 15 and is struggling to recover. Since he took office in October 2023, political tensions in Slovakia have increased, as his government implemented a series of controversial reforms that, according to the European Commission, threaten the rule of law in the country. Photo: European Council. Source: Flickr.
Of: Agnes Fältman
The assassination attempt against the pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico has already left a deep mark and has become political dynamite in polarized Slovakia. With the upcoming EU elections, it is eagerly awaited what the recovering leader's next step will be - continued radicalization, or increased humility and tolerance towards dissenters?
May 27, 2024, Analysis, FUF-correspondents
"Firewall against right-wing extremism". Since January, thousands of protesters regularly gather and march through central Vienna. Photo: Agnes Fältman.
Of: Agnes Fältman
EU-critical party Freiheitliche Party Austria (FPÖ). With 30 percent of voter support is FPÖ according to opinion polls the largest party ahead of the country's upcoming parliamentary elections. About FPÖ comes to power, it could mean major changes for Austria, the EU and European aid to Ukraine - which the party wants to stop.
April 8, 2024, FUF-correspondents, Reportage
