Guro Fjellanger
Encyclopedia
Guro Fjellanger is a Norwegian politician for the Liberal Party. She served as Minister of the Environment
in the first cabinet Bondevik
, as the first Norwegian government minister
with a disability
.
as the daughter of lector Håkon Fjellanger and interior decorator Jorunn Carlsen, and grew up in Stokmarknes
. She briefly studied to be a goldsmith
, but left this career path in favor of politics. She was hired as a secretary in the Young Liberals, the youth wing of the Liberal Party in 1985, and from 1986 to 1988 she chaired the organization. From 1988 to 1991 she was the deputy leader of the organization Nei til EU
, which opposes Norwegian membership in the European Union
. She was then secretary-general from 1991 to 1995; during this period the Norwegian people rejected membership in the 1994 referendum.
In 1994 Fjellanger became a member of the central committee of the Liberal Party. She was hired as the party's information director in 1995, and was selected deputy leader in 1996. That year she also worked briefly as a manager in the Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature
. Following the 1997 general election
, the first cabinet Bondevik
was established, consisting of the Christian Democratic, Centre
and Liberal parties. Fjellanger was appointed to serve as Minister of the Environment
in this cabinet. She lost this job when the first cabinet Bondevik fell on a vote of confidence in March 2000. In the same year she stepped down as deputy leader of the Liberal Party.
From 2000 to 2002 Fjellanger was registered as self-employed. From 2003 to 2004 she was the director of the Norwegian Centre Against Ethnic Discrimination, a government agency. She had been a member of the board of the Norwegian Organization for Asylum Seekers from 1996 to 1997, and also the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (2001–2007), Ecolabelling Norway (2004–) and the Norwegian Consumer Council (2008–2012). In 2007 she was elected to serve in the city council of Oslo
. She resides in Gamle Oslo.
, a dysfunction of the spinal cord
which inhibits normal walking. She learned to walk to a certain degree, she later used a wheelchair exclusively. When hired as Minister of the Environment she became the first Norwegian government minister with a disability.
In 2007 she notably won a lawsuit against the state, who in 2004 had refused to grant her industrial insurance.
Minister of the Environment (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of the Environment is the head of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of the Environment. The Ministry was established in 1972....
in the first cabinet Bondevik
First cabinet Bondevik
Bondevik's First Cabinet governed Norway between 17 October 1997 to 3 March 2000. It was led by Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, and consisted of the Christian Democratic Party, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party. There was a major reshuffle in March 1999. It had the following...
, as the first Norwegian government minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
with a disability
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
.
Career
Fjellanger was born in BergenBergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
as the daughter of lector Håkon Fjellanger and interior decorator Jorunn Carlsen, and grew up in Stokmarknes
Stokmarknes
is a small town on the island of Hadsel in Nordland, Norway. It is the municipality centre of the Hadsel municipality. Township was declared in 2000. It is home to Hurtigruten. The local hospital for the Vesterålen region is situated in Stokmarknes....
. She briefly studied to be a goldsmith
Goldsmith
A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Since ancient times the techniques of a goldsmith have evolved very little in order to produce items of jewelry of quality standards. In modern times actual goldsmiths are rare...
, but left this career path in favor of politics. She was hired as a secretary in the Young Liberals, the youth wing of the Liberal Party in 1985, and from 1986 to 1988 she chaired the organization. From 1988 to 1991 she was the deputy leader of the organization Nei til EU
Nei til EU
Nei til EU is the main Norwegian interest group opposing a future Norwegian accession to the European Union . It began informally in 1988 and became a full organization in 1990.-Criticism:...
, which opposes Norwegian membership in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. She was then secretary-general from 1991 to 1995; during this period the Norwegian people rejected membership in the 1994 referendum.
In 1994 Fjellanger became a member of the central committee of the Liberal Party. She was hired as the party's information director in 1995, and was selected deputy leader in 1996. That year she also worked briefly as a manager in the Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature
Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature
The Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature , also known as Friends of the Earth Norway and commonly abbreviated NNV is the largest Norwegian environmental organization with 28,000 members. The organization is based on a volunteer work among the members, constituting work both at local and...
. Following the 1997 general election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1997
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on 15 September 1997. Before the election, Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland of the Labour Party, issued the 36.9 ultimatum declaring that the government would step down unless it gained 36.9% of the vote, the percentage gained...
, the first cabinet Bondevik
First cabinet Bondevik
Bondevik's First Cabinet governed Norway between 17 October 1997 to 3 March 2000. It was led by Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, and consisted of the Christian Democratic Party, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party. There was a major reshuffle in March 1999. It had the following...
was established, consisting of the Christian Democratic, Centre
Centre Party (Norway)
The Centre Party is a centrist and agrarian political party in Norway, founded in 1920. The Centre Party's policy is not based on any of the major ideologies of the 19th and 20th century, but has a focus on maintaining decentralised economic development and political decision-making.From its...
and Liberal parties. Fjellanger was appointed to serve as Minister of the Environment
Minister of the Environment (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of the Environment is the head of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of the Environment. The Ministry was established in 1972....
in this cabinet. She lost this job when the first cabinet Bondevik fell on a vote of confidence in March 2000. In the same year she stepped down as deputy leader of the Liberal Party.
From 2000 to 2002 Fjellanger was registered as self-employed. From 2003 to 2004 she was the director of the Norwegian Centre Against Ethnic Discrimination, a government agency. She had been a member of the board of the Norwegian Organization for Asylum Seekers from 1996 to 1997, and also the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (2001–2007), Ecolabelling Norway (2004–) and the Norwegian Consumer Council (2008–2012). In 2007 she was elected to serve in the city council of Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. She resides in Gamle Oslo.
Disability
Guro Fjellanger was born with spina bifidaSpina bifida
Spina bifida is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. Some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain unfused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude through...
, a dysfunction of the spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
which inhibits normal walking. She learned to walk to a certain degree, she later used a wheelchair exclusively. When hired as Minister of the Environment she became the first Norwegian government minister with a disability.
In 2007 she notably won a lawsuit against the state, who in 2004 had refused to grant her industrial insurance.