Kvinna till Kvinna ("Woman to Woman" in Swedish) is an organization that has worked for women’s rights worldwide for 30 years. Today, Kvinna till Kvinna is one of the world’s leading women’s rights organizations that, together with 140 local partner organizations, reaches out to women in 20 countries located in areas affected by war and conflict. Kvinna till Kvinna works to strengthen women’s influence and power, put an end to violence against women, and create conditions that will enable women to take power over their own lives.
Kvinna till Kvinna supports the work of local women's rights advocates in conflict-affected regions.
We support Kvinna till Kvinna by donating 10% of the proceeds of Chari-Tee, the ultimate pick-me-up for moms. With smart functions and the mirrored print, "Damn you’re a good mother," it is a statement T-shirt that works for women in all walks of life.
Five questions for Petra Tötterman Andorff
Five questions we asked Petra Tötterman Andorff, Secretary General of Kvinna till Kvinna.
Tell us briefly about your background and why you started working with Kvinna till Kvinna?
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to work with issues that can make a change. It was the focus of my studies both in Sweden and internationally, and it eventually took me to New York where I was given an assignment on women's rights at the world's oldest women's peace organization, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.
I applied to Kvinna till Kvinna because my greatest driving force is to strengthen women's rights and apply a gender equality perspective to international issues such as peace and security. As Secretary General, I get to work on exactly those issues. My childhood dream of working for an equal and peaceful world came true!
Photo: Christopher Herwig
What is the main goal of Kvinna till Kvinna?
Women's rights need to be defended, everywhere and every day. We live in a world where every third woman is subjected to violence or abuse at some point in her lifetime. Twelve million girls are given away in child marriage each year. And in a number of countries, men are still allowed to prevent their wives from being employed. Of course, this is totally unacceptable, and that is why Kvinna till Kvinna exists. We work every day to strengthen women's rights, and our goal is an equal world where all women have power over their own lives.
Photo: Cato Lein
In what way has Kvinna till Kvinna's work made the biggest difference?
Kvinna till Kvinna works on several levels and we take the long view. We are in the corridors of power where we make sure that the issue of women's rights is kept alive at the global level, both at the UN, and on the country level, for example, to create legislation that protects women. But also on the local level, for example, we work to ensure that women who are subjected to violence receive support and protection, and are informed of their rights. It is possible to make the world more equal, and one of several important advances we have made with our partner organizations was to ensure that women who were raped during the Balkan wars in the 1990s were finally entitled to receive justice and financial compensation. In the same way, we are now supporting women's rights organizations in Ukraine so that women exposed to violence can receive support and help.
Photo: Christopher Herwig
Which countries are at the forefront in terms of gender equality and women's rights? Where do you feel that equality is most threatened?
If you look at the statistics, Sweden is the most equal among the EU countries, and when it comes to the whole world, Norway is at the top. Gender equality is most threatened in those countries where religious, conservative and nationalist forces do common cause to force women into a traditional women's role as wife and mother, and take away the right to, for example, abortion. In 2022, for example, the United States withdrew the nationwide right to abortion.
Photo: Christopher Herwig
Do you feel that gender equality is higher on the agenda than it used to be?
Yes and no. In Sweden and northwestern Europe, the issues have been raised a lot, especially the right to avoid sexual abuse and harassment, as in connection with #metoo. In other parts of the world, such as Eastern Europe and Brazil, but also in the United States and countries in the Arab world, there are those who say that “equality has gone too far,” and they are placing restrictions on women’s rights. In Russia, for example, it is now permissible to beat one’s wife, if the violence does not result in her being hospitalized.