Anders L Pettersson leads the day-to-day work at Civil Rights Defenders together with the Executive Office and the Management Team.

Anders L Pettersson most recently led and developed the children’s rights organisation ECPAT Sweden for almost five years as the Secretary General. He has extensive experience of working at an international level and has previously worked as an Executive Officer for the Management Team of UNICEF’s National Committees. He has also worked at Sida, where he coordinated Sweden’s participation in peacekeeping operations and served in the Swedish Foreign Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) as well as in Croatia and Bosnia (UNPROFOR). Anders holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in international relations from Stockholm University.

John is a human rights lawyer with a Master of Laws from Stockholm University. He has previously worked for the Ombudsman Against Ethnic Discrimination and the Equality Ombudsman where he was responsible for investigating cases of discrimination. John also spent time in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the conflict working with human rights. During his four years working with the OSCE mission, John initially focused on creating conditions for the return of displaced persons. Later on, as the Director of the Human Rights Department, he was responsible for the organisation’s work on issues such as war crimes, rule of law, minority rights, economic, and social rights. He joined Civil Rights Defenders in March 2013.

Karin Ancker holds a bachelor of science degree in business, economics and marketing from Mälardalen University and joined Civil Rights Defenders in September 2019. Karin has extensive experience in both the private and the public sectors. For the last ten years, she has worked in roles such as Head of Strategy, CFO, HR Manager, Head of Business Support and Senior Project Manager. The overall theme in these roles has been to drive and implement change as well as build a strong team.

Gabrielle holds a MA in Political Science and Economics from the University of California, Berkeley and Lund University. Prior to joining Civil Rights Defenders, her last assignments were at CONCORD Sweden and at the World Bank, where she focused on development and human rights issues in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. She has also studied journalism at JMK in Stockholm. She worked extensively as a journalist and together with civil society organisations in South, Southeast and East Asia.

Catrin has studied Media and Communication, Spanish and Gender studies at Södertörn’s University in Stockholm. She joined Civil Rights Defenders in October 2019, working with strategic communication and campaigns. Catrin has extensive experience in communication work within the civil society sector. Before joining Civil Rights Defenders, she worked with press and communication, fundraising, and gender equality issues in other Swedish non-governmental organisations, including two years in Central America with We Effect.

Mikael Wu Björk holds a diploma in Human Resources Management from FEI (The Institute of Business Administration) with special expertise in labour law and positive organisational cultures. Before Mikael started working at Civil Rights Defenders in December 2019, he most recently was responsible for the Social Democratic Party’s strategic and operational human resources work at a national level. Mikael also co-founded RFSL Ungdom (the Swedish Youth Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Rights) in 1999. Since then, he’s had a number of assignments within RFSL, including as CFO and President of the youth organisation. He’s also been a board member of the employers’ organisations Arbetsgivaralliansen and KFO.

Helen holds a MA in Sociology from Lund University. For the past 20 years, Helen has worked with various forms of crises, preparedness, and response, especially within the UN and at Sida, and as a consultant.

Anna holds a master’s degree in International Economics and Politics from Jönköping International Business School. Before joining Civil Rights Defenders in May 2017, Anna worked with Corporate and Major Donor Relations at SOS Children’s Villages Sweden for nine years. She has also worked for the French export council in Stockholm, Business France.

Erik holds a Master’s degree in Sociology specialising in democratisation processes. He has worked with democracy promotion in Latin America as well as the Balkans and Eastern Europe. From 2010-2013 he worked as a journalist in Brazil, and before joining Civil Rights Defenders in 2014 he was a researcher at Swedwatch.

Gabrielle holds a MA in Political Science and Economics from the University of California, Berkeley and Lund University. Prior to joining Civil Rights Defenders, her last assignments were at CONCORD Sweden and at the World Bank, where she focused on development and human rights issues in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. She has also studied journalism at JMK in Stockholm. She worked extensively as a journalist and together with civil society organisations in South, Southeast and East Asia.

Goran holds a Master of Laws from Belgrade University and an MA from the European Regional Master on Democracy and Human Rights in Sarajevo. He began working for Civil Rights Defenders in 2004 as a Programme Officer for the Western Balkans. Today he is Director of the Europe Department.

John is a human rights lawyer with a Master of Laws from Stockholm University. He has previously worked for the Ombudsman Against Ethnic Discrimination and the Equality Ombudsman where he was responsible for investigating cases of discrimination. John also spent time in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the conflict working with human rights. During his four years working with the OSCE mission, John initially focused on creating conditions for the return of displaced persons. Later on, as the Director of the Human Rights Department, he was responsible for the organisation’s work on issues such as war crimes, rule of law, minority rights, economic, and social rights. He joined Civil Rights Defenders in March 2013.

Karin Ancker holds a bachelor of science degree in business, economics and marketing from Mälardalen University and joined Civil Rights Defenders in September 2019. Karin has extensive experience in both the private and the public sectors. For the last ten years, she has worked in roles such as Head of Strategy, CFO, HR Manager, Head of Business Support and Senior Project Manager. The overall theme in these roles has been to drive and implement change as well as build a strong team.

Mesfin holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from Addis Ababa University and an MA in Journalism from Södertörn University. Mesfin was the Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of a popular newspaper in Ethiopia. Later, the government accused and sentenced him in a politically motivated trial for “supporting terrorism”. Continuing his journalism and human rights activism in exile, he joined Civil Rights Defenders in 2012. Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders in Sweden awarded him prizes for his contribution to freedom of speech.

Mikael Wu Björk holds a diploma in Human Resources Management from FEI (The Institute of Business Administration) with special expertise in labour law and positive organisational cultures. Before Mikael started working at Civil Rights Defenders in December 2019, he most recently was responsible for the Social Democratic Party’s strategic and operational human resources work at a national level. Mikael also co-founded RFSL Ungdom (the Swedish Youth Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Rights) in 1999. Since then, he’s had a number of assignments within RFSL, including as CFO and President of the youth organisation. He’s also been a board member of the employers’ organisations Arbetsgivaralliansen and KFO.

Anders L Pettersson leads the day-to-day work at Civil Rights Defenders together with the Executive Office and the Management Team.

Anders L Pettersson most recently led and developed the children’s rights organisation ECPAT Sweden for almost five years as the Secretary General. He has extensive experience of working at an international level and has previously worked as an Executive Officer for the Management Team of UNICEF’s National Committees. He has also worked at Sida, where he coordinated Sweden’s participation in peacekeeping operations and served in the Swedish Foreign Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) as well as in Croatia and Bosnia (UNPROFOR). Anders holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in international relations from Stockholm University.