The Norwegian Association for Women's Rights
Encyclopedia
The Norwegian Association for Women's Rights is a Norwegian
organization advocating women's liberation and equality between the sexes, and is Norway's oldest feminist organization.
The organization was founded in 1884 by teacher Gina Krog
and editor and liberal Member of Parliament
Hagbart Berner. Fredrikke Marie Qvam and Randi Blehr, both wives of Norwegian Prime Minister
s, also played a major role in the initial phase of the movement. Ragna Nielsen
was chairman for some time (1886-1888 and 1889-1895), until the so-called morality debate caused a split in the movement and Anna Bugge became the new leader. Historically, the organization was strongly associated with the Liberal Party; 22 liberal members of parliament signed a declaration of support for the organization on the occasion of its establishment.
The Association also initiated the founding of The Norwegian Women's Public Health Association to deal with humanitarian issues.
Among the important causes that the NAWR has fought for are women's suffrage
(achieved in 1913), the right to work
(in the 1930s), abolishment of the common taxing for spouses (the 1950s), right to equal schooling (the 1960s), the establishment of the Council for Equality between the Sexes 1972, later replaced by the Centre for Equality between the Sexes - 1977, later by The Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud - 2006).
The NAWR has co-operated with the National Association for Women's suffrage and later with the Norwegian National Women's Council. Prominent figures within the association were Aasta Hansteen
, Randi Blehr
, Margarete Bonnevie (chair 1936-1946) and Eva Kolstad (chair 1956-1968), who later became a cabinet minister and the world's first Gender Equality Ombud. The current leader is Torild Skard
, a former Member of Parliament and Director for Women's Affairs of UNESCO.
The Norwegian Association for Women's Rights has been affiliated with the International Alliance of Women
since 1904.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
organization advocating women's liberation and equality between the sexes, and is Norway's oldest feminist organization.
The organization was founded in 1884 by teacher Gina Krog
Gina Krog
Gina Krog was a Norwegian feminist pioneer, teacher, politician and editor. She played a central role in the Norwegian women's movement in the 1880s.-Early and personal life:...
and editor and liberal Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Hagbart Berner. Fredrikke Marie Qvam and Randi Blehr, both wives of Norwegian Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
s, also played a major role in the initial phase of the movement. Ragna Nielsen
Ragna Nielsen
Ragna Vilhelmine Nielsen was a Norwegian pedagogue, school headmistress, publicist, organizer, politician and feminist.-Personal life:...
was chairman for some time (1886-1888 and 1889-1895), until the so-called morality debate caused a split in the movement and Anna Bugge became the new leader. Historically, the organization was strongly associated with the Liberal Party; 22 liberal members of parliament signed a declaration of support for the organization on the occasion of its establishment.
The Association also initiated the founding of The Norwegian Women's Public Health Association to deal with humanitarian issues.
Among the important causes that the NAWR has fought for are women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
(achieved in 1913), the right to work
Right to work
The right to work is the concept that people have a human right to work, or engage in productive employment, and may not be prevented from doing so...
(in the 1930s), abolishment of the common taxing for spouses (the 1950s), right to equal schooling (the 1960s), the establishment of the Council for Equality between the Sexes 1972, later replaced by the Centre for Equality between the Sexes - 1977, later by The Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud - 2006).
The NAWR has co-operated with the National Association for Women's suffrage and later with the Norwegian National Women's Council. Prominent figures within the association were Aasta Hansteen
Aasta Hansteen
Aasta Hansteen, , was a Norwegian painter, writer, and early feminist.-Background:Aasta Hansteen was born in Christiania, modern day Oslo, the daughter of Christopher Hansteen, a noted professor of astronomy, geophysics and applied mathematics at the University of Oslo...
, Randi Blehr
Randi Blehr
Randi Marie Blehr was a Norwegian feminist. She was married to Prime Minister of Norway Otto Blehr, and was the mother of Eivind Blehr. She was a co-founder of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights, and chaired the association from 1895 to 1899, and again from 1903 to 1922.-References:...
, Margarete Bonnevie (chair 1936-1946) and Eva Kolstad (chair 1956-1968), who later became a cabinet minister and the world's first Gender Equality Ombud. The current leader is Torild Skard
Torild Skard
Torild Skard is a Norwegian psychologist and researcher, feminist, politician for the Socialist Left Party, civil servant and former high-ranking United Nations official . She served as a Member of Parliament, President of its upper chamber and Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Justice...
, a former Member of Parliament and Director for Women's Affairs of UNESCO.
The Norwegian Association for Women's Rights has been affiliated with the International Alliance of Women
International Alliance of Women
The International Alliance of Women is a non-governmental, feminist organization, which embraces both women’s groups and individuals. The basic principle of the IAW is that the full and equal enjoyment of human rights is due to all women and girls....
since 1904.
Presidents
- Hagbart Berner 1884-1885
- Ragna NielsenRagna NielsenRagna Vilhelmine Nielsen was a Norwegian pedagogue, school headmistress, publicist, organizer, politician and feminist.-Personal life:...
1886-1888 - Anna BuggeAnna BuggeAnna Wicksell Bugge was a Norwegian feminist. She helped found the debate society Skuld in high school...
1888-1889 - Ragna NielsenRagna NielsenRagna Vilhelmine Nielsen was a Norwegian pedagogue, school headmistress, publicist, organizer, politician and feminist.-Personal life:...
1889-1895 - Randi BlehrRandi BlehrRandi Marie Blehr was a Norwegian feminist. She was married to Prime Minister of Norway Otto Blehr, and was the mother of Eivind Blehr. She was a co-founder of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights, and chaired the association from 1895 to 1899, and again from 1903 to 1922.-References:...
1895-1899 - Fredrikke Marie Qvam 1899-1903
- Randi BlehrRandi BlehrRandi Marie Blehr was a Norwegian feminist. She was married to Prime Minister of Norway Otto Blehr, and was the mother of Eivind Blehr. She was a co-founder of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights, and chaired the association from 1895 to 1899, and again from 1903 to 1922.-References:...
1903-1922 - Valborg Tveter 1922-1923
- Aadel Lampe 1923-1926
- Fredrikke Mørck fra 1926
- Anna Hvoslef ?-1935
- Kitty Bugge 1935-1936
- Margarete Bonnevie 1936-1946
- Dakky Kiær 1946-1952
- Ingerid Gjøstein Resi 1952-1956
- Eva Kolstad 1956-1968
- Clara Ottesen 1968-1972
- Kari Skjønsberg 1972-1978
- Karin M. BruzeliusKarin Maria BruzeliusKarin Maria Bruzelius is a Swedish-Norwegian judge.She was born in Lund, Sweden, graduated as cand.jur. from Lund University in 1964 and Master of Law from Columbia Law School in 1969. She worked in the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police from 1965, and became deputy under-secretary of...
1978-1984 - Sigrun Hoel 1984-1988
- Irene Bauer 1988-1990
- Siri Hangeland 1990-1992
- Bjørg Krane Bostad 1992-1994
- Kjellaug Pettersen 1994-1998
- Siri Hangeland 1998-2004
- Berit KvævenBerit KvævenBerit Kvæven is a Norwegian politician for the Liberal Party. She has been Vice President of the Liberal Party, President of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights and President of Tekna....
2004-2006 - Torild SkardTorild SkardTorild Skard is a Norwegian psychologist and researcher, feminist, politician for the Socialist Left Party, civil servant and former high-ranking United Nations official . She served as a Member of Parliament, President of its upper chamber and Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Justice...
2006-
Further reading
- Aslaug Moksnes. 1984. Norsk Kvinnesaksforenings historie 1884 – 1913: Likestilling eller særstilling? (in Norwegian)