Hand in Hand for Women participated in Järvaveckan 2025!

Seminar: Work, Power, Gender Equality at Järvaveckan 2025

At the Swedish Women’s Organizations’ tents, women gather to discuss which reforms and measures are needed so that foreign-born women receive the right support and the opportunity to establish themselves in the labor market.

Speakers:

On stage were Hacer Korucu from Hand In Hand For Women, Anja Nordenfeldt from Mamma United, Janine Alm Ericson (Miljö partiet), and Camilla Rinaldo Miller (Kristdemokraterna), together with Susannah Sjöberg and Hanne Samuelsson from the Sveriges Kvinnoorganisationer.

At Järvaveckan 2025 in Spånga, our chair, Hacer Korucu, took a big step forward from the perspective of the association Hand in Hand for Women, to show what women can do when they are simply given the chance.

Quote from Hacer’s talk in the discussion:

“MAKE USE OF FOREIGN-BORN WOMEN IN THE LABOR MARKET — WE ARE HERE, WE WANT TO WORK!”

Hacer highlighted many clear needs for foreign-born women to be able to establish themselves in the labor market. Here you can read more from her speech at the seminar at Järvaveckan 2025.

There is often a lack of sufficient support and clear information about how to navigate the labor market or what rights one has.

Unfair competition in work sectors: It is almost impossible for a person with language barriers and a foreign background to compete on equal terms for a job with someone who is fluent in the language.

Long and complicated validation/complementation processes:

They face discrimination and prejudice based on appearance, ethnicity, or limited language proficiency.

Insufficient career guidance: Many foreign-born women receive inadequate guidance during their schooling (such as SFI, vocational school, or university) to enter the labor market.

Cooperate with civil society:

— Make it easier to obtain grants for associations started by foreign-born women that work for women’s integration.

— Create new employment opportunities for women in the labor market.

— Validation and completion processes can be accelerated, which would be a serious reform.

— Highlight good examples and provide financial support to companies and organizations that take on helping foreign women (e.g., tax reductions for employers).

— Spread clear information in multiple languages about workplace rights and what to do if you are discriminated against.

— Anti-discrimination laws need to be stronger, and it must be easier for women to file complaints if they are discriminated against at work.

— We need to inspect workplaces and companies to create a safe working environment.

MESSAGE TO SWEDEN FROM HAND IN HAND FOR WOMEN!

We see women’s strength every day — but we also see how the system fails them.

Therefore, we say:

• Make it easier to validate education and experience.

• Cooperate with civil society, especially with women’s associations.

• Provide clear information about rights in multiple languages.

• Strengthen protection against discrimination.

• Create safe workplaces where everyone is treated equally.

OUR OTHER ACTIVITIES AT JÄRVAVECKAN!

Creative Women’s Platform at Järvaveckan!

Within our “Creative Women” program, we created solidarity among women at Järvaveckan. Through workshops, meetings, and discussions, women from different backgrounds had the opportunity to share experiences, show their skills, and build networks.

At Järvaveckan, the women not only got to showcase their art, crafts, and ideas; they also got to meet, make contacts, and become part of society on their own terms. Hand in Hand for Women gives women a place to be seen, to be listened to, and to take their place through its work.

Seminar on “INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE”

Another important feature was our seminar on violence in close relationships — a subject that affects many but is often silenced.

We invited Leila Nedaei, a lawyer and expert in medical law, who lectured on the National Board of Health and Welfare’s regulations and healthcare’s responsibilities regarding exposure to violence. She particularly emphasized the importance of detecting and acting when violence is suspected among both adults and children within healthcare.

This seminar provided knowledge, courage, and a sense that no one stands alone.

WOMEN’S VOICES INTO POLITICS

To seriously influence society, Hacer Korucu also took part in a panel discussion together with politicians at the KSAN tent. She highlighted the structural barriers that foreign-born women face — from discrimination and lack of guidance to long validation processes and workplaces that are not accessible.

With courage and clarity, she underscored how important it is to create new employment opportunities, provide financial support to companies that hire women with foreign backgrounds, and strengthen anti-discrimination laws in practice.