Tove Strand Gerhardsen
Encyclopedia
Tove Astri Strand is a Norwegian director and former politician for the Labour Party
. She was active in politics between 1963 and 1992, including two periods as a government minister
. She headed the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
from 1997 to 2005, and since 2005 she is the director of Ullevål University Hospital
.
as the daughter of local bureaucrat Norvald Strand and nurse Svanhild Lundhaug, she chaired the local chapter of the Workers' Youth League
from 1963 to 1966. She then enrolled as a student at the University of Oslo
, having chosen to study economics over medicine, She graduated in 1971 with the cand.oecon.
degree, and cited Leif Johansen and Nobel Prize laureate Trygve Haavelmo
as inspirational economists. While living in Oslo
she was a member of the board of local Workers' Youth League chapter from 1968 to 1970.
Tove Strand was formerly married to Rune Gerhardsen
, a fellow Labour Party politician and son of former Prime Minister
Einar Gerhardsen
whom she met in university. Due to the marriage she was named Tove Strand Gerhardsen during this period. Before the couple split in 1996, they had two daughters, Marte and Mina Gerhardsen
. Both daughters joined the Labour Party too, and Mina Gerhardsen, as political advisor for Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg
, has been considered particularly influential in Norwegian society.
Tove Strand later married Tor Saglie
, the director of the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service.
. At the same time, she was elected to serve in the city council of Oslo for the term 1971–1975. When the cabinet Nordli assumed office in January 1976, she was appointed personal secretary (today known as political advisor) in the Ministry of Trade and Shipping
. She left in January 1979, to concentrate on her career as a civil servant in the Ministry of Finance, where she was promoted to assistant secretary (byråsjef). However, after only one year she returned to the political scene as a personal secretary, this time in the Ministry of Finance. In February 1981, when the first cabinet Brundtland
, Strand was again promoted, this time to state secretary. The first cabinet Brundtland losing office to the cabinet Willoch
following the 1981 election
, Strand returned to work one more year as assistant secretary in the Ministry of Finance.
In 1982 she left the executive branch of government to work as a head of a department at Rikshospitalet
. In May 1986, the second cabinet Brundtland
took over as the cabinet Willoch
lost a vote of confidence. Strand was brought back to the government's offices, this time as Minister of Social Affairs
. She stayed in this position until October 1989, when the second cabinet Brundtland fell due to the 1989 election
. However, its successor lasted only one year, and Strand returned in 1990 as Norwegian Minister of Government Administration and Labour in the third cabinet Brundtland
. In addition, she had been elected to the Oslo city council for the term 1987–1991.
In between the two tenures as government minister, she had worked as a "project leader" at BI, the Norwegian School of Management
. When leaving the third cabinet Brundtland in September 1992, she returned to BI to work as a "special advisor". From 1993 to 1996 she worked as a regional director of the Research Council of Norway. From 1997 to 2005 she headed the state-run directorate Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
. In 2005 she returned to the hospital business to work as director of Ullevål University Hospital
.
. She returned in 1990-1991 as a member of the cultural committee in Oslo.
In 1984 she became a board member of the Norwegian Confederation of Sports
. She left in 1987, but returned as vice president of the organization from 1994 to 1999. She was also a board member of the Norwegian Handball Federation
from 1993 to 1995. She was also a member of the board of the publishing house Universitetsforlaget
from 1982 to 1985, and the Bank of Norway
from 1990 to 1999. She chaired the board of the National Institute of Occupational Health
from 1990 to 1991, and was also involved in the Royal Norwegian Society for Development and the Norwegian UNESCO
commission. From 1993 to 1994, she was deputy chair of the organization Sosialdemokrater mot EU
, which opposed a Norwegian application for membership in the European Union. Following the Norwegian European Union membership referendum, 1994, such a membership was out of the question.
After some years without committee or board memberships, she joined the board of the International Development Law Organization and Arbeidsgiverforeningen Spekter
in 2007. Also, since 2006 she has chaired the Kronprinsparets Humanitære Fond, a humanitarian fund initiated by Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway
and the Crown Princess Mette-Marit
.
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
. She was active in politics between 1963 and 1992, including two periods as a 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....
. She headed the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation is a directorate under the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Its task is to ensure effective foreign aid, with quality assurance and evaluation. NORAD both finances NGOs, and does its own research and projects. The current director general is...
from 1997 to 2005, and since 2005 she is the director of Ullevål University Hospital
Ullevål University Hospital
Ullevaal, Oslo University Hospital was opened in 1887. From January 1, 2009, the hospital is part of the Oslo University Hospital.Ullevål has more than 8,600 employees. 940 of them are doctors and 2,400 nurses. With a total of 1,200 beds Ullevål, admits some 45,000 patients per year and its...
.
Early and personal life
Born in KongsvingerKongsvinger
is a town and is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Glåmdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kongsvinger....
as the daughter of local bureaucrat Norvald Strand and nurse Svanhild Lundhaug, she chaired the local chapter of the Workers' Youth League
Workers' Youth League (Norway)
The Workers' Youth League is Norways biggest political youth organization, and is affiliated with the Norwegian Labour Party.AUF took its current form in April 1927, following the merger of Left Communist Youth League and Socialist Youth League of Norway corresponding with the merger of its...
from 1963 to 1966. She then enrolled as a student at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
, having chosen to study economics over medicine, She graduated in 1971 with the cand.oecon.
Cand.oecon.
Candidatus oeconomices or Candidata oeconomices , often abbreviated cand.oecon. is an academic degree in economics at Danish and Norwegian universities. It is roughly equivalent to a Master of Economics, but it consists of 4+2 years, and was based on a four year cand.mag.. The degree was replaced...
degree, and cited Leif Johansen and Nobel Prize laureate Trygve Haavelmo
Trygve Haavelmo
Trygve Magnus Haavelmo , born in Skedsmo, Norway, was an influential economist with main research interests centered on the fields of econometrics and economics theory. During World War II he worked with Nortraship in the Statistical Department in New York City. He received his Ph.D...
as inspirational economists. While living in 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 was a member of the board of local Workers' Youth League chapter from 1968 to 1970.
Tove Strand was formerly married to Rune Gerhardsen
Rune Gerhardsen
Rune Gerhardsen is a Norwegian politician, representing the Norwegian Labour Party. He is son of Einar Gerhardsen.He chaired the Norwegian Skating Association from 1986 to 1990 and 2001 to 2003.-References:...
, a fellow Labour Party politician and son of former Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Norway
The Prime Minister of Norway is the political leader of Norway and the Head of His Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Stortinget , to their political party, and ultimately the...
Einar Gerhardsen
Einar Gerhardsen
was a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party of Norway. He was Prime Minister for three periods, 1945–1951, 1955–1963 and 1963–1965. With 17 years in office, he is the longest serving Prime Minister in Norway since the introduction of parliamentarism...
whom she met in university. Due to the marriage she was named Tove Strand Gerhardsen during this period. Before the couple split in 1996, they had two daughters, Marte and Mina Gerhardsen
Mina Gerhardsen
Mina Gerhardsen is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party.She is the daughter of Rune Gerhardsen and Tove Strand, and granddaughter of Einar Gerhardsen. She led the Oslo branch of Natur og Ungdom from 1993 to 1995, and was deputy leader of the Workers' Youth League in Oslo in 1997. She took...
. Both daughters joined the Labour Party too, and Mina Gerhardsen, as political advisor for Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg
Jens Stoltenberg
is a Norwegian politician, leader of the Norwegian Labour Party and the current Prime Minister of Norway. Having assumed office on 17 October 2005, Stoltenberg previously served as Prime Minister from 2000 to 2001....
, has been considered particularly influential in Norwegian society.
Tove Strand later married Tor Saglie
Tor Saglie
Tor Saglie is a Norwegian civil servant. He was educated at the University of Oslo, graduating in 1976 with a cand.polit. degree . He was the director of the University of Oslo from 1991 to 2003 and permanent under-secretary of state in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development...
, the director of the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service.
Professional career
After graduation, she worked five years as a clerk in the Ministry of FinanceNorwegian Ministry of Finance
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Finance is a Norwegian ministry established in 1814. The ministry is responsible for state finance, including the state budget, taxation and economic policy in Norway. It is led by Sigbjørn Johnsen...
. At the same time, she was elected to serve in the city council of Oslo for the term 1971–1975. When the cabinet Nordli assumed office in January 1976, she was appointed personal secretary (today known as political advisor) in the Ministry of Trade and Shipping
Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Shipping
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Shipping was a Norwegian ministry that existed from 1947 to 1987.It was established on 6 December 1947. It ceased to exist on 31 December 1987...
. She left in January 1979, to concentrate on her career as a civil servant in the Ministry of Finance, where she was promoted to assistant secretary (byråsjef). However, after only one year she returned to the political scene as a personal secretary, this time in the Ministry of Finance. In February 1981, when the first cabinet Brundtland
First cabinet Brundtland
Brundtland's First Cabinet was a minority, Labour Government of Norway. It succeeded the Labour Cabinet Nordli, and sat between 4 February 1981 – 14 October 1981. The cabinet was the first in Norwegian history to be led by a woman. It was replaced by the Conservative Willoch's First Cabinet after...
, Strand was again promoted, this time to state secretary. The first cabinet Brundtland losing office to the cabinet Willoch
First cabinet Willoch
Willoch's First Cabinet was a minority, Conservative Government of Norway. It succeeded the Labour First cabinet Brundtland, after the Conservative victory in the 1981 Storting election and sat between October 14, 1981 - June 7, 1983. It was replaced by the Conservative/Centre/Christian Democrat...
following the 1981 election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1981
-Results:...
, Strand returned to work one more year as assistant secretary in the Ministry of Finance.
In 1982 she left the executive branch of government to work as a head of a department at Rikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet is located in Oslo, Norway. From January 1, 2009, the hospital is part of Oslo University Hospital....
. In May 1986, the second cabinet Brundtland
Second cabinet Brundtland
Brundtland's Second Cabinet was a minority, Labour Government of Norway. It succeeded the Conservative Willoch's Second Cabinet, and sat between 9 May 1986 and 16 October 1989. It was replaced by the Conservative/Centre/Christian Democrat cabinet Syse after the 1989 election...
took over as the cabinet Willoch
Second cabinet Willoch
Willoch's Second Cabinet was a majority, Conservative/Centre/Christian Democrat Government of Norway. It succeeded the Conservative First cabinet Willoch in mid-term to secure a majority, right-winged government, and sat from 8 June 1983 to 8 May 1986...
lost a vote of confidence. Strand was brought back to the government's offices, this time as Minister of Social Affairs
Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion (Norway)
The Norwegian Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion is the head of the Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion. The position has existed since 1 January 1846, when the Ministry of the Interior was created...
. She stayed in this position until October 1989, when the second cabinet Brundtland fell due to the 1989 election
Norwegian parliamentary election, 1989
A general election to the Storting, the parliament of Norway, was held on 11 September 1989.-Results:1 This list was a cooperation between the Norwegian Communist Party, Workers' Communist Party, Red Electoral Alliance and independent socialists....
. However, its successor lasted only one year, and Strand returned in 1990 as Norwegian Minister of Government Administration and Labour in the third cabinet Brundtland
Third cabinet Brundtland
Brundtland's Third Cabinet was a minority, Labour Government of Norway. It succeeded the Conservative/Centre/Christian Democrat Cabinet Syse, and sat between 3 November 1990 and 24 October 1996. It was replaced by the Labour Cabinet Jagland. The cabinet was active during two parliaments, both...
. In addition, she had been elected to the Oslo city council for the term 1987–1991.
In between the two tenures as government minister, she had worked as a "project leader" at BI, the Norwegian School of Management
Norwegian School of Management
BI Norwegian Business School former name BI Norwegian School of Management is the largest business school in Norway and the second largest in all of Europe. BI has in total 6 campuses with the main one located in Oslo.-History:...
. When leaving the third cabinet Brundtland in September 1992, she returned to BI to work as a "special advisor". From 1993 to 1996 she worked as a regional director of the Research Council of Norway. From 1997 to 2005 she headed the state-run directorate Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation is a directorate under the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Its task is to ensure effective foreign aid, with quality assurance and evaluation. NORAD both finances NGOs, and does its own research and projects. The current director general is...
. In 2005 she returned to the hospital business to work as director of Ullevål University Hospital
Ullevål University Hospital
Ullevaal, Oslo University Hospital was opened in 1887. From January 1, 2009, the hospital is part of the Oslo University Hospital.Ullevål has more than 8,600 employees. 940 of them are doctors and 2,400 nurses. With a total of 1,200 beds Ullevål, admits some 45,000 patients per year and its...
.
Boards and committees
During her career she has been a member of several boards and committees, both public and private. During her early political career, she was a member of the kindergarten committee of Oslo, as well as a member of the board of the publicly owned electricity company Oslo Lysverker, both from 1971 to 1975. From 1971 to 1979 she was a member of the regional planning council for Oslo and AkershusAkershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
. She returned in 1990-1991 as a member of the cultural committee in Oslo.
In 1984 she became a board member of the Norwegian Confederation of Sports
Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports
The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports is the umbrella organization for sport in Norway. It is the largest volunteering organization in Norway, with more than 2 million members, and 12000 sports clubs, in 19 region confederatons and 56 national federations...
. She left in 1987, but returned as vice president of the organization from 1994 to 1999. She was also a board member of the Norwegian Handball Federation
Norwegian Handball Federation
The Norwegian Handball Federation is the national handball association in Norway.The Norwegian Handball Federation was founded in 1937, and is a member of the Norwegian Confederation of Sports , the European Handball Federation and the International Handball Federation. Its headquarters are in Oslo...
from 1993 to 1995. She was also a member of the board of the publishing house Universitetsforlaget
Universitetsforlaget
Universitetsforlaget AS is a Norwegian academic publishing company, which publishes non-fiction literature and journals. Universitetsforlaget is the main academic press in Norway....
from 1982 to 1985, and the Bank of Norway
Bank of Norway
Norges Bank / Noregs Bank is the central bank of Norway. Apart from having traditional central bank responsibilities such as financial stability and price stability, it manages The Government Pension Fund of Norway, a stabilization fund that is world's largest investment pool.On 31 December 2010,...
from 1990 to 1999. She chaired the board of the National Institute of Occupational Health
National Institute of Occupational Health
National Institute of Occupational Health , also known as Statens arbeidsmiljøinstitutt or STAMI is a government body organised by the Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion. The institute deals with a range of health areas, with staff with competence in medicine, physiology, chemistry,...
from 1990 to 1991, and was also involved in the Royal Norwegian Society for Development and the Norwegian UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
commission. From 1993 to 1994, she was deputy chair of the organization Sosialdemokrater mot EU
Sosialdemokrater mot EU
Sosialdemokrater mot EU was a Norwegian interest organization which opposed a future Norwegian membership in the European Union, coupled with a Social Democrat ideology. It was special in that the Social Democrat Norwegian Labour Party, spearheaded by Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, strongly...
, which opposed a Norwegian application for membership in the European Union. Following the Norwegian European Union membership referendum, 1994, such a membership was out of the question.
After some years without committee or board memberships, she joined the board of the International Development Law Organization and Arbeidsgiverforeningen Spekter
Arbeidsgiverforeningen Spekter
Arbeidsgiverforeningen Spekter is an employers' organisation in Norway.It was established in 1993 as the Norwegian Association of Publicly Owned Companies . The name was shortened to Arbeidsgiverforeningen NAVO in 1999, and Arbeidsgiverforeningen Spekter in 2007...
in 2007. Also, since 2006 she has chaired the Kronprinsparets Humanitære Fond, a humanitarian fund initiated by Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway
Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway
Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway is the heir apparent to the throne of Norway. On birth he was named Prince Haakon Magnus but it was stressed in the announcement that he would go by the name Haakon. He became Crown Prince Haakon when his father ascended to the crown as Harald V in 1991...
and the Crown Princess Mette-Marit
Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway
Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway , is the wife of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.-Background and education:...
.