Frida Lockner

The path to EHS, education and professional career

Vilket program läste du på EHS?

I studied both the bachelor’s (graduated 2015) and the master’s programs (graduated 2017) in human rights.

Why did you choose to study at EHS?

It all started with me studying political science with a focus on crisis management and security at the Norwegian Defense Academy, which was very interesting! However, I also felt that there was something missing. A former classmate suggested that I look at EHS and your MR courses. I quickly went in and read about your training courses on human rights and democracy and decided to apply immediately.

What were the most enjoyable aspects of your time at EHS?

There was a lot that was enjoyable during the study period, not least the social parts of student life. The most enjoyable aspect of the studies themselves was tackling the issues in an interdisciplinary way – it both challenged and complemented my understanding of human rights, which is extremely useful today in my working life.

What did you write your essay about? Why were you interested in that particular subject?

At bachelor’s level, I wrote my thesis on The Responsibility to Protect – a study of the UN’s ability to take action in the case of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. The starting point was a legal method, as the purpose was to determine the legal situation.

My master’s thesis was about derogations of rights in crisis situations and was a theoretical analysis of the concept of human rights. I wanted to examine derogations of rights in crisis from both a legal and philosophical perspective – and how they relate to each other.

It’s hard to put my finger on why I was (am) interested in these particular subjects, but I’ve had that interest from the start. This applies both to the intersection between security issues and human rights, as well as the need to investigate and understand it from a multidimensional perspective. I think it is basic to my understanding that nothing is black or white and this inspires my curiosity about questions such as “is what is legally correct always morally correct, or vice versa – and what does that mean in practice?”

What have you been working on since graduating from EHS?

As part of my studies on the master’s program, I had an internship at the civil society organization the Human Rights Foundation. After the internship period ended, I was employed as a human rights officer. I worked as such until February 2018 when I moved to Geneva, Switzerland to begin an international internship at the International Planned Parenthood Federation. There I carried out policy and advocacy work within sexual and reproductive health and rights on a global level, including the UN Human Rights Council, the UN Refugee Agency, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the World Health Organization.

When I was back in Sweden and was about to look for a job, I ended up at the Agency for Participation and worked there as an investigator for two years. Since March this year, I have been back at the Human Rights Foundation working as a human rights advisor. I work with policy, advocacy and education in the thematic areas of economic, cultural rights, transitional justice and regional MR systems.

Alongside my studies, I worked at the Swedish Migration Agency, got involved in the Red Cross, the organization Danaini and was president of the EHS student union. These were important experiences which will help me get a foothold in the labor market.

What is the most enjoyable aspect about your job?

The most enjoyable things about my job are that it is varied and encompasses both the national and international.

What is the most important thing you took with you from EHS into working life?

Of course, I have brought with me a lot of theoretical knowledge about different legal areas and structures/systems. On the other hand (because it is a little less concrete and harder to define) I would also like to highlight a developed analytical ability – the interdisciplinary way of thinking and being able to tackle issues from different perspectives. As I mentioned earlier, it has been of great use in my working life so far.

Has your work given you any unexpected experience and/or knowledge?

One thing I have reflected on is that there are many actors in society who work with human rights without really understanding it or actively naming it from a rights perspective. I feel that there is a will and interest in human rights and that sometimes it’s just a matter of helping to understand how one’s business is connected to it. And, if there is no interest/understanding of “human rights” in particular, it is possible to use other concepts such as democracy, agenda 2030 or other political goals and strategies to put the rights perspective higher up on the agenda.

Do you have any tips and advice for EHS students who are going into working life?

Don’t hesitate to apply for a job where it says they are looking for someone with expertise in, for example, political science or law – call the recruiter or write an extra line about your interdisciplinary training in human rights and the benefits of that. In the cases where I have done it, I have been told that it is highly relevant and that they just didn’t think to ask for that particular discipline.