When I started my internship this autumn, I had no idea what I was going to be thrown into or what I would come to learn during these twenty weeks. I had completed my master’s degree in gender studies at Södertörn University during the summer and began my internship at Operation 1325 with a desire for change. A thought that I have had my whole life: That I can make a difference. That we are quite small individually, but strong and influential together.
This autumn the situation in Palestine and Israel worsened and, as with the war in Ukraine, my grandmother urged me to buy powdered soup and withdraw money from the bank. She was worried. So was I. I thought, and I am still thinking, about people living in and fleeing from war. Bombs and destroyed homes. Children who should be going to school, play in playgrounds, but instead are lying lifeless in body bags on the streets. People living in insecurity and uncertainty about the present and the future.
At the same time, I saw a worrying development in Swedish politics, where the space for civil society seemed to be shrinking by each day that passed. This development raised doubts and concerns for me: Is the struggle worth continuing? Will change be possible? The fact that the government and the Sweden Democrats have chosen a completely new direction for Sweden’s aid policy, which focuses more on trade and business than on poverty reduction and oppression, has undeniably had negative consequences for the Swedish civil society. Government funding has been cut and the gender perspective is nowhere to be found. Is this really the right way to ensure democracy and international peace?
My doubts intensified at the meetings with CONCORD Sweden‘s communication network, where I heard about how several civil society organisations have had to lay off staff. Civil society, which resists the evil forces of war in our society, is where I belong. Within the civil society, I have an arena where I can make a difference. However, the fact that the Swedish civil society is being dismantled made me begin to doubt the possibility of even working in this area in the future. When so many strong forces are working against what is necessary (gender equality and international peace), it is easy for me – and certainly for many others who are new workers within civil society – to doubt whether it will really work out. War, financial cuts and political changes have undoubtedly created a sense of uncertainty and anxiety for many.
But autumn turned into winter and my doubts were gradually replaced by hope and a stronger belief in the possibility for us to create change together. I was reminded of the vital role of civil society and realised that this is something that we should never forget. Civil society carries out work that is vital to achieving global justice, not only by influencing policy makers and politics, but also by working to defend and uphold human rights. Although much of what has happened in the world over the past year at times has made me doubt the possibility of change, I have not given up on the idea of a more peaceful and equal world. I still come to the conclusion that it is all worth it. And after my time as an intern at Operation 1325, I believe even more in the fact that women around the world must be given the opportunities and spaces they need to achieve peace and gender equality. Together. I continue to believe in us, in civil society, in women’s empowerment and in solidarity.
I am grateful to have been part of this important work for women, peace and security. I am also very grateful for the meetings with CONCORD, where I have had the opportunity to participate in a context of skilled communicators who share ideas and help each other. I have learnt more about external communication, about how words really make a difference, while seeing concrete examples of how much potential and how much expertise there is in civil society. People who are dedicated and who work tirelessly despite resistance from a variety of sources. It is challenging, it is tough and demanding, but it is so rewarding. And I believe that we can make a difference when we do it together. Only together can we make a difference.
I am now leaving my time as an intern behind, but I am determined to continue fighting for a future where equality is a self-evident fact in society. I choose not to fall into hopelessness. I choose hopefulness, solidarity and the fight for a better world.
Nanna Thydén, intern in communication during the autumn of 2023.