It is now one year since I was entrusted with the role as Director at Operation 1325. It was a turbulent start with the withdrawal of Sida’s support for information and communication activities within the Swedish civil society, and the generally increased competition for institutional funds. This led to staff reductions. At the same time, we produced several reports and I tried to learn everything about my new workplace and our international partners in Palestine, Yemen, Sudan and Turkey.
Little did I foresee that the situation would change drastically in both Sudan and Palestine in the upcoming year. In April, civil war broke out in Sudan and no improvement of the situation is in sight eight months later. The situation in Palestine also looks bleak. The projects we support are located in the West Bank, and although our partners do not experience direct bombing, I will never forget my digital meeting with the team in Ramallah, in the West Bank, when I could hear the bombing of Gaza through my computer screen. The mental stress for our colleagues who have to listen to this on a daily basis, the worry it brings for loved ones in Gaza, and the uncertainty for their own future – while experiencing increased restrictions in their daily lives in the West Bank, is hard to imagine. Such a burden, in an already violent environment, for our partners working to create a better life. Not only for themselves but for all Palestinians in harmony with Israel.
Given this, it is even more difficult to understand the Swedish government’s continued decision to pause development aid to Palestine, despite the fact that Sida has reviewed and guaranteed that no funds are going to terrorists, while strongly recommending the resumption of development aid. However, the government gave an indication of its view on aid to Palestine already in January 2023, when they decided to cut the aid to Palestine in half. We now eagerly await a decision on the continuation of development aid following Sida’s extended reporting at the government’s request, with final deadline in February.
Just as our international colleagues have experienced how their world is turned upside down, we have also experienced a turn of events here in Sweden, albeit in a different way. We have a completely new aid policy where the focus is on developing opportunities for Swedish companies and increased trade to cooperate with middle-income countries (read, for example, CONCORD Sweden’s analysis of the reform agenda). And where the poorest and most vulnerable will be abandoned, for example in Mali, South Sudan, Burkina Faso and Cambodia according to the appropriation directions released just before Christmas. With the argument that aid should go where it gives more bang for the buck, rather than focusing on poverty reduction. Which takes time, as does building peace. Development aid takes time. That is why it is called development and in a global world, we in Sweden are affected both by what happens in our immediate vicinity and by what happens further away, whether it is people fleeing, the digital spread of opinions, production flows or transports being restricted, or viruses spreading globally. It should therefore continue to be in our interest to provide development assistance to countries outside our immediate area in order to promote security in Sweden.
The new aid policy counters what I have always believed to be common Swedish values that we all agree on: The importance of human rights, gender equality, and belief that the rich and privileged should support those who come from different circumstances in life. It is therefore particularly worrying that the new aid policy links aid to migration. I myself have spent about 10 years in conflict areas, and for me it is baroque to say that we should only “help on the ground” and not welcome those who are in need of a safe place to live.
The direction of appropriation also made it clear that the Folke Bernadotte Academy will no longer manage and distribute support to Swedish civil society organizations working in the field of peace and security. It is still unclear whether it will be transferred to another actor or completely discontinued. Now the great question remaining is, what all of this will lead to for our Swedish civil society in 2024. Already in 2023, redundancies have been plentiful in civil society organizations and this trend does not seem to diminish in 2024. I fear another year where more and more organizations will vanish to exist. And where collaboration around operations and resources will become even more important for survival, coming with a great risk of losing specific competences and the focus on selected issues. Within Operation 1325, I have built up a volunteer network of young, driven and competent women to support our operations.
But more resources are needed if our Swedish civil society is to continue working to make the world a better place and if we are to achieve a more equal distribution of resources. Whether it is about building peace, creating opportunities for women and girls to use their full potential or whatever it may be among the essential work our civil society carry out.
We hope that 2024 will bring more opportunities to negotiate peace, in which women must be involved. Do you want to support our important work? Become a supporting member, get involved as a volunteer, sign up for our newsletter, or donate below.
Anette Uddqvist, Director at Operation 1325
