Meet Gabriella Fredriksson – IM’s New Secretary General: “The Future Is Something We Build Together”

“It feels fantastic to be here,” says Gabriella as we sit down to talk about her first day at IM, what drives her engagement, and her vision for the future.

Gabriella Fredriksson is the lawyer who became a human rights advocate, and later a leader with a focus on inclusion and change. She has worked at Civil Rights Defenders, UNHCR, Save the Children, and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute. Most recently, she led the work on equality, diversity, and inclusion for IKEA in Sweden. But her professional path is just one part of who she is.

“I’m curious by nature, and I want to grow together with other people. That’s how we make a difference – and how we help people thrive,” she says.

A Deep-Seated Sense of Justice

Her interest in human rights emerged early. During her law studies, Gabriella completed a master’s degree with a focus on human rights, and wrote her thesis in Guatemala.

“For me, human rights have always been about improving people’s lives. It’s exciting to now return to civil society – this is where the real power lies.”

That she chose IM as the organization to help shape the future with is no coincidence. Having lived in Lund, she’s long been familiar with IM, and during her years in the development sector – including as a board member of Concord – she frequently crossed paths with the organization.

“IM has always stood out as a strong human rights organization,” she says.

Part of Something Bigger

When Gabriella speaks about IM, one word comes up time and again: together. For her, leadership is about seeing people, listening, and creating a sense of safety.

“I believe safety is a prerequisite for development. I lead in an inclusive, coaching way – together we’ll define where we want to go, and how to get there.”

Right now, she sees great opportunities for IM to take bold steps forward. But it will require courage, clarity, and new collaborations.

“We need a strong financial foundation in order to remain a powerful voice and a vibrant membership-based movement. That means diversifying our income streams and partnering with actors who share our values – both in Sweden and internationally.”

She especially emphasizes the importance of being clear not just about what IM does, but what the organization aims to achieve.

“We know what we do, and we’re good at communicating that. But what do we want? That’s where we can be even more clear.”

A Changing Civil Society

Gabriella sees civil society in Sweden as both essential and vulnerable. As the space for human rights shrinks – both here and globally – organizations like IM must take a stand.

“I think we’ve become a bit too comfortable in Sweden. We need to dare to take a stand, and we need to remain a relevant people’s movement for the times we live in – and into the future.”

How do we make that happen? She points to IM’s members, volunteers, and partners as key.

“Society looks different today. How do we reach people we haven’t connected with before? How do new generations want to get involved? These are questions we need to explore – together.”

Looking Ahead

Among the issues closest to Gabriella’s heart are children’s rights, women’s rights, and the rights of people with disabilities.

“My previous role had a strong focus on disability rights, and that’s something I’m truly passionate about. Women’s rights are a given for me – and an area where we’re seeing setbacks globally. IM must continue to hold the torch high.”

At the same time, she highlights the need to help build a more inclusive society here in Sweden.

“We need to bring Sweden together – not create an ‘us and them’ society.”

Looking ahead, she sees both challenges and possibilities.

“I see incredible potential in IM. We have a powerful legacy and clear values. We’ve gone through a difficult transformation, but now we’re in a unique position to be bold and clear about the road ahead.”

And three years from now? What does she hope to have achieved?

“That we have a solid financial base, that we’ve retained and gained new partners, and that we’ve identified new areas of collaboration that keep us relevant in a changing world.”

And what message would she like to send to IM’s followers, members, and partners? She doesn’t hesitate for a moment:

“One word: Together. It’s together we build our future. We have so much knowledge, strength, and deeply rooted values based on human rights – that must be our foundation as we build what’s next. Together.”

Text and photo: Malin Kihlström