Assyrian Monitor for Human Rights and Sadda Kulturförening brought together more than 45 women from associations in Helsingborg for a day about what integration means — and about the road from carrying the burden to making the decisions.
On Saturday 18 April 2026, Assyrian Monitor for Human Rights, together with Sadda Kulturförening, held a workshop in Helsingborg under the title “Your voice is heard”. More than 45 women took part, from a range of social, cultural and women's associations in the city and from different backgrounds and communities. The day opened with a speech by Rabaa Rahal, chair of Sadda Kulturförening, who said that integration does not mean dissolving into a society but taking part in it consciously. The keynote followed, given by Jamil Diarbakerli, executive director of the Monitor: “Women from the Mashriq in Sweden — between the challenges of reality and the chances to grow strong”.
The lecture turned on what awareness is as a kind of power. Diarbakerli argued that a woman's dignity does not mean staying silent about injustice, but moving from the one who carries the burden to the one who makes the decisions. He went through the CEDAW convention as an international instrument for protecting human dignity and for securing partnership rather than dependency within the family, and warned against the authority of shame and against injustice becoming something people grow used to. He also raised the challenges particular to Sweden — language isolation above all — stressing that the legal and economic opportunities available here are a guarantee of a family's stability when they are taken up. Questions and contributions from the participants ran through the lecture.
The participants then divided into five working groups, each with its own theme. The groups looked for answers on how to take apart the norms that dress injustice as virtue, what a financial partnership that keeps both partners' dignity looks like, how children are raised in trust, and how the law becomes a source of protection. Each group presented its view and its proposals at the end.
The day closed with a panel led by the journalist Yazan Saad, media adviser at the Monitor, with the artist Aseel Al-Amiri, Rabaa Rahal, and Ola Smairi, a teacher and educator. They spoke about their experience in art, in leading an organisation and in social work, and gave advice on taking part in earnest.
Jamil Diarbakerli presented the Monitor's shield and a certificate of honour to Rabaa Rahal for her contribution to civic and cultural life in Helsingborg. Sadda Kulturförening in turn presented shields to Jamil Diarbakerli and to Yazan Saad for their work in human rights and in media, and a certificate of thanks to ATTEA Smycken AB for supporting the workshop.
The participants agreed at the end that a woman's knowledge of her rights and duties is the key to succeeding and settling in a new society. The day ended with certificates of participation handed out.
