Q&A with Kvinna till Kvinna’s new secretary-general

The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation’s new secretary-general, Petra Tötterman Andorff, has worked for Kvinna till Kvinna for almost five years already. She started as head of planning, moved on to the post of deputy secretary-general and has during the past half year been acting secretary-general.

Why were you interested in this role?

“For me, being secretary-general of Kvinna till Kvinna is a dream job. I have a genuine interest in women’s rights and believe in the importance of including a gender equality perspective in peace and security discussions. It’s such an exciting field of work. Women are affected by war and conflicts in a completely different way than men – that fact needs to be put on the agenda.”

Who are you?

“I’ve wanted to work with international issues and contribute to change for as long as I can remember. As a child, I loved the comic book series ‘The Phantom’ and was a part of the Döskalle fan club. But instead of being interested in the superhero himself, I was drawn to his wife Diana: she worked for the UN, saved the world, flew a helicopter and had classy outfits and high-heeled shoes. I thought she rocked! Although I’m not sure what I would think if I picked up one of these comics today, and read the series with gender equality glasses and the knowledge that I have today about international relations and world history.

What are your plans for the organisation?

“Our world is facing major challenges when it comes to equality and the position of women. Not just in conflict-affected areas, but also in Sweden. In times of increasing militarisation, nationalism and radicalisation, women’s rights are always the first to suffer. Our job is to keep highlighting the perspective of women. In this, we are supported by a century-long fight for women’s rights – so we will never give up.”