Nanne Grönvall: “Children are the most precious and important beings in this world.”

She is one of Sweden’s most beloved artists, with a career spanning decades. Nanne Grönvall has competed in Melodifestivalen ten times – both as a performer and a songwriter – and won the contest in 1996. As a songwriter, she has seen major success, including with the ballad Det vackraste, which earned her a Grammis award.

But behind the powerful voice and vibrant stage persona lies a heart deeply committed to children’s rights. Now, Nanne joins ChildX as an ambassador – bringing with her the same passion that has always defined her work and life, and a firm belief that every child deserves safety, love, and a future free from violence.

When did you first hear about ChildX, and what sparked your interest in the organization?
I’ve always had a strong commitment to vulnerable children. Kids are dependent on adults to create safe conditions for them – whether our own or someone else’s. We all share a collective responsibility to demand laws and systems that protect children from abuse, violence, and exploitation in all forms. Children are the most precious and important beings in this world.

Why have you chosen to speak out specifically against child sexual exploitation and trafficking?
The horrific things being done to children to satisfy perverse desires – where men are overwhelmingly overrepresented – are beyond words. These children suffer lifelong trauma, both physical and mental. Some don’t survive the abuse.

There’s a silence around this issue because many people can’t bear to face the truth – it hurts too much and feels overwhelming. But the more of us who speak out and put pressure on our governments to introduce tougher laws to prevent the sexual exploitation of children, and the more we shine a light on the children who are subjected to this violence, the more we can protect and support them.

Which areas within child sexual exploitation are you most passionate about?
I believe the government should appoint a dedicated official solely responsible for children’s safety and protection from abuse and sexual exploitation. A child ombudsman or social minister who juggles many responsibilities is not enough.

We need a powerful child representative who consistently bangs their fist on the table in Parliament and updates the public on the brutal reality children face — online, in organized trafficking networks, and in society as a whole. Civil society organizations working with children are incredibly knowledgeable and engaged, but governments listen far too little. In France, they’ve started to consider requiring age verification (18+) to access pornography.

We’re getting constant reports that boys as young as 9 or 10 are developing sexual addictions after stumbling upon porn when searching for innocent words — words that the industry also uses as search terms. As these boys grow up, they seek more extreme content. We’ve seen the results in hospitals, where young girls come in with serious strangulation injuries caused by their partners during sex.

It often turns out that these equally young boys have watched porn with violent themes. This kind of content is reaching kids younger and younger. We need to educate youth in schools and make this a topic in wider society.

We desperately need men — both young and old — to engage. Right now, it’s mostly women fighting for children’s safety from sexual exploitation, while men — who are also fathers, brothers, sons, or partners — are sadly underrepresented in this work.

We need men to step up and be role models for young boys — who themselves can be victims of sexual exploitation, and just like girls, often don’t tell anyone. Together, we can inform, change, prevent, and support children and youth who are at risk.