Interview with Fredrik Malmberg

Fredrik Malmberg takes up his post as the new Swedish Ombudsman for Children in November 17th, 2008. Fredrik’s most recent assignment was as regional representative of the Save the Children Fund in Southern and Central Asia. Now he answers questions on what he thinks about his new assignment and talks a little about himself and his experiences.

What is your goal as the Ombudsman for Children?
Adults must listen more! No important decisions that concern children should be taken without the decision-makers listening to the children first. The promise to all of the two million children in Sweden to comply with the CRC (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child) shall be kept. As the Ombudsman for Children, I will work hard to make all the decision-makers realise that children obviously know best what it is like to lead their lives!

What is the biggest challenge facing you in your new appointment?
The most important thing for me is to have time to talk to children and young people. At the same time, there are many adults who want to talk to the Ombudsman for Children. Making adults understand that they must wait their turn will probably be a challenge!

What is the greatest challenge the Ombudsman for Children is facing ?
There are not many of us working at the Ombudsman for Children in Sweden, but there is a lot that needs to be done! We must dare to choose the things that are most important to do first. I want us to listen more to those children in Sweden for whom life is most difficult.

What are your thoughts and ideas on your role to represent the interests of children and young people?
A lot remains to be done before the goals set by Parliament to implement the CRC are met. Change is also too slow. I believe the Ombudsman for Children must do four things to speed up the pace of change:
• Become tougher. We have legal power that can be used to tighten up dialogue with municipalities, county councils, county administrative boards and authorities. We will use this power.
• Go into depth and prioritise. We must go into greater depth in our follow-ups with a few decision-makers at a time.
• Talk more to children. We must listen more to children, especially those children who are seldom heard. We must also conduct general reviews based on individual cases. Dialogue with children will give us the insight and strength we need to influence those in power.
• More cooperation. There is immense strength in Bris, Save the Children and other non-governmental organisations. The Ombudsman for Children's role is different as an agency, but we must work together if we are to achieve results.

How would you like to cooperate with other authorities and with the Government and Parliament?
The Ombudsman for Children can only be successful if others in power listen carefully to our advice and choose to actively change their way of working. That is why we must cooperate. I believe cooperation will work best when we have time to go into depth – set goals together, evaluate the results we see, and on condition that we have time for thorough dialogue with the children affected by the decisions of the authority, municipality, etc with which the Ombudsman for Children is working at the time.

We must have frequent contact with Parliament and the Government. Our knowledge of the way children’s rights are respected and the challenges we see is important information for the highest decision-makers in Sweden.

How important is the CRC to children in Sweden? How important should it be?
The CRC gives all children important rights. I have seen the power the CRC can have for children in Sweden – but also in very poor countries. Children who know their rights demand participation and respect. That is why it makes me sad when only a third of all students at intermediate level of compulsory school know about the CRC. All children have the right to receive information about their rights! This is not just my view, but also that of the Swedish Parliament!

How do you see the independence of the Ombudsman for Children in Sweden – sufficient, room for improvement, how?
The Ombudsman for Children in Sweden is independent and it is important that all children know that. We choose how we work and which issues we bring up. Our assignment is laid down in Swedish law: to represent children and young people and to monitor and push through the implementation of the Children’s Convention. To be successful in this work, we have also been given some legal powers – authorities, municipalities, county administrative boards and county councils cannot avoid cooperating with us!

What experiences of particular importance do you bring from your international work on children’s rights?
I have gained greater insight that it is important to listen to children’s experiences also in situations when they have suffered seriously from catastrophes, war and injustice. Maybe Sweden can learn something here, as we like to put everything to rights, not uncommonly over the heads of children who fare badly. Children in exposed situations need support, but that does not mean that we can take away their right to also be strong and have influence over their situation.

What kind of leader and head would you like to be?
I am usually told that I am open, a good listener, clear in my communication and that I can make decisions. I hope to continue that way!

What are you like as a person – any particular strengths and weaknesses?
I am headstrong, methodical, goal-oriented, open and cheerful! But I am working hard to be a little less impatient when change takes longer than I had hoped!

Leisure interests today?
I have tried all the ball sports, but I have been forced to accept that I have no ball sense! I like to run and ski (a long way!).

What did you want to become when you were little?
When I was really young, I wanted to become a pilot and when I was a little older I wanted to become a diplomat (a person who negotiates between countries). Today, I think that’s quite funny because I don’t like heights and I am not naturally diplomatic – quite the reverse, I find it hard not to take a clear stand.
 
What did you like doing as a child?
I have always loved reading books! My friends and I also used to pretend that we were in the Olympic Games and that was great fun. I think we all used to win almost all the time! Was there anything you thought was wrong or unfair as a child that you wanted to change? Lots! I often became angry about things I thought were wrong, and I think my teachers would tire of me sometimes. We argued about a driver who was mean to some children, and several years later we arranged a demonstration when a refugee we knew was going to be deported. On a more personal level, I was very upset and angry when my parents divorced when I was little.

Do you have a role model or idol?
A woman who lived in England 100 years ago whose name was Eglantyne Jebb. She was tough and dared to challenge all those in power who didn’t care about children. It is much due to her that we have a convention for the rights of children today.

Was there anything you thought was wrong or unfair as a child that you wanted to change?
Lots! I often became angry about things I thought were wrong, and I think my teachers would tire of me sometimes. We argued about a driver who was mean to some children, and several years later we arranged a demonstration when a refugee we knew was going to be deported. On a more personal level, I was very upset and angry when my parents divorced when I was little.

What didn’t we know about Fredrik Malmberg?
When I was at upper secondary school, I used to spend my summer holidays installing fridges in hotels in Paris. I learnt French of course, but I became so tired of dragging the, in themselves quite small, fridges up all the stairs! The hotel owners forbade us from using the elevators – they were just for the guests.