“It’s wonderful, I’m extremely excited to take on this role. Many thanks for having confidence in me,” said Trifa Shakely shortly after she was elected.

Trifa Shakely, 45, is a lawyer and social worker with a base in the feminist and anti-racism movements. She was involved in the foundation of Gothenburg’s Human Rights Center and has worked as an organisational developer at the Swedish Red Cross, among other things with issues concerning intimate partner violence. Trifa Shakely has also been the editor in chief for the Magazine Bang as well as a writer for media outlets such as Arena, Expressen Culture, and Göteborgs-Tidningen.

“She brings her commitment and experience from civil society and grassroots movements, as well as strategic steering to her role as president of RFSL,” wrote the nominating committee in their motivation of their choice of Trifa Shakely.

Trifa Shakely considers the role of leading a movement that is vital to the LGBTQI community in Sweden and internationally as an important and honorable task. During her presentation today she emphasised that she wants to use her experience, competency, and commitment to shoulder the responsibility in the best possible way for RFSL.

More about Trifa Shakely

Trifa Shakely has worked closely with RFSL and its sibling organisations in a range of contexts; among other things as a moderator and advisor in issues concerning asylum and migration. Gothenburg’s Human Rights Center, which Trifa Shakely co-founded, has RFSL Göteborg as its partner. In 2010, Trifa Shakely successfully led the campaign “Ain’t I a woman” for undocumented women’s right to protection.

At the Swedish Red Cross, Trifa Shakely has held the role of counselor for victims of war and torture, and she has also been coordinating projects aimed at assisting children and families in their asylum processes.

Lately, she has worked as a lecturer and trainer on issues concerning human rights, psychosocial wellbeing among refugees, and sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflicts.