Mette Müller Kristensen
Mette Müller Kristensen is a dedicated and experienced leader within the Danish and global civil society. She is a strategic and visionary pioneer who brings together organisations, politicians, and international actors around key development policy agendas. Based on a deep commitment to inclusive, feminist leadership principles, she holds the ability to build new alliances, engage, and mobilize, to ensure that good intentions are turned into real action.
With a master’s degree in African studies from the University of Copenhagen, several years in Mozambique where she has led a number of international development projects, and nearly two decades at the helm of several prominent civil society organizations, Mette Müller Kristensen combines deep professional insight, sharp strategic vision, and human-centred leadership in her work to develop and strengthen the political presence and independence of civil society.
As Executive Director of Global Focus – The Danish platform for civil society organisations engaged in international development cooperation, Mette is running for the board of CIVICUS with a heartfelt dedication to strengthening and empowering a global, independent, and strong civil society - as she believes that a vigorous civil society is the driving force behind a just and sustainable world.
Mette holds a deep commitment to empowering and advancing the role of civil society in addressing global challenges, strengthening solidarity, and promoting sustainable development. Historically, global civil society has a strong track record of securing rights, shifting power balances, and systematically working for sustainable changes that benefit everyone. This work – and some places the mere existence of civil society – is under attack. This challenges not only the vital work civil society is doing, and how we work together to deliver on it, but also the norms and frameworks for human rights across the world. We need an independent and solidary civil society to counter this.
As the lead of an NGO platform based in the global minority, Mette believes that civil society actors must find new ways of collaborating and sharing power to ensure this. At the moment, she is bringing this into FORUS’ working group on Shift the Power as the co-lead. Recognizing the importance of diverse voices and perspectives from Global Focus’ work as partner to the Digital Democracy Initiative, managing the rapid response mechanism Claim Your Space, and secretariat of the Building Reponses Together Network.
It lies in the DNA of Global Focus to address pressing issues such as climate change, inequality, and human rights violations through international cooperation in the strive for a more sustainable and just world. Many years in civil society and the political arena have given Mette a unique network across various professions, perspectives, and competencies, which she often activates – and preferably in unconventional ways. In Mette's view, we cannot develop long-lasting solutions that benefit everyone if we do not bring wildly different perspectives, approaches, and competencies into play, which Mette will have a strong foundation for contributing to with a seat on the CIVICUS Board pursuing the mission of CIVICUS.
- What is your favorite quote by someone who inspires you?
"The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in her Ted Talk ‘The danger of a single story’. This quote inspires me to see the nuances in every person and situation, reminding me that understanding our interconnectedness across cultures and perspectives leads to better decisions and deeper empathy.
- What skills are you most proud of or want to learn?
Being in a privileged position as part of the Danish delegation, I attended the Summit of the Future in September 2024 witnessing the adoption of the Pact of the Future. Being one of the initiators of a new Danish Coalition for Future Generations, new methods such as strategic foresight and future literacy are part of my curriculum for 2025. With this, I hope to improve the ability to (re)imagining just futures - not least in shifting power and working in solidarity across borders and actors.
- What is your vision for civil society?
We live in a time when the world, perhaps more than ever, needs independent forces that champion democratic values, sustainability, and cohesion, ensuring both current and future generations a world worth living in. My vision is that global civil society works together in solidarity to ensure this, explore new and meaningful alliances to support this, and continue to insist on setting high ambitions for new systems and power balances to ensure a just and sustainable world.
- What lesson(s) have you learnt from failure?
In my previous role as International Director within the Danish disability movement, we worked tirelessly to advocate for disability rights in Danish international development cooperation. It has always been (and remains) an uphill battle, contending with other, more 'trendy' political topics among decision-makers and stakeholders. Nevertheless, through persistence, innovative approaches, and—most importantly—strong partnerships and cross-sectoral alliances, it is possible to advance inclusion and ensure that no one is left behind
