Sweden’s new Human Rights Institute Strengthened with Expertise from Civil Rights Defenders

Today, the Swedish Government presents who will form the board of Sweden’s new Human Rights institute, which starts its operations in January 2022. Civil Rights Defender’s Senior Legal Adviser, Annika Åkerberg, is appointed as a board member.

“I am happy to be assigned the role. An independent institute for human rights is needed not least to strengthen the rights of the most vulnerable individuals in society. I look forward to contributing to that work”, said Annika Åkerberg.

Annika Åkerberg has been working as a Senior Legal Adviser at Civil Rights Defenders for over six years. Her areas of work cover issues such as the situation in Sweden’s locked institutions, the right to a fair trial, and the rights of people with disabilities – expertise that is important in forming the institute and the work ahead.

Civil Rights Defenders has, through Annika Åkerberg, worked for a long time to make an institute for human rights a reality in Sweden.

About the Human Rights Institute

The new agency starts its operations in early 2022 and will report on how human rights are respected in Sweden. In addition, the institute will submit proposals to the Government on measures needed to ensure human rights protection. The institute will be located in Lund.

Click here to read more (in Swedish).