Mrs. Berit ANDNOR

Politics / Personal

As Minister for Social Affairs with responsibility for, among other things, social insurance systems, pensions, disability issues and Nordic cooperation, I truly feel that I am working with policies for every phase of life.

Politics has shaped my life and my choices, and social issues are therefore also part of my leisure time.

 I grew up in Gothenburg in a working-class family. My parents worked full time and my father was active in a trade union. During my childhood and adolescence we had many long conversations at the kitchen table about the unions and politics. That was when I became aware of the importance of politics. I also saw the deficiencies in society at that time. The foundations of my political commitment were laid although I did not become politically active until later. Purposeful and consistent political work is needed to bring about change. It is therefore essential that as many people as possible are involved in politics. The basis for a vibrant democracy is the involvement of many people.

My sister and I were the first in our family to be given an opportunity to study. I chose to study for a qualification in social studies at the University College of Östersund and stayed in Jämtland where I have now lived for over 30 years. To work for a fair, equal and gender equal society has always been a driving force for me, both in my capacity as head of the social welfare service and as a politician. I helped to start the womens shelter in Östersund, I worked full time with health and medical service issues and personnel matters as a county council politician. When I became a member of the Riksdag in 1991 I worked with gender equality issues and labour market policy and in 1998 I became chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Social Insurance a committee responsible for social insurance, pensions, and migration and integration policy. Today, as Minister for Social Affairs, I am responsible for many of the issues I have been engaged in most of my professional life. And naturally that feels very satisfactory.

We often say that Sweden is a good country and it certainly is. However, much still remains to be done if this country is to become even better. There is still a high rate of unemployment. Many find it difficult to make ends meet, children fare badly and some feel excluded from society. There is probably no such thing as the perfect society that is why we must make every effort to continually develop and improve the society we live in. Naturally, we must carry on this work in cooperation with our Nordic neighbours and in the EU.

But everything in life is not politics, even if it is fun. When I am free I relax, read, get together with my friends and family, go to the cinema, try to go jogging in the country as often as possible. Jogging is truly a healthy pleasure, a combination of exercise and proximity to nature.

Berit Andnor's biography

Date of birth, 20 November 1954 in Haga parish, Göteborg

2004-
Minister for Social Affairs

2002-2004
Minister for Children and Families

2002-2002
Member, Parliamentary Committee on European Union Affairs

2001-2002
Chair, Swedish EU-2004 Committee

2001-2002
Member of the Riksdag Board

1998-2002
Alternate member, Parliamentary Committee on European Union Affairs

1998-2002
Chair, Parliamentary Committee on Social Insurance

1997
Member, Social Democratic Party National Executive

1997-2000
Chair, National Labour Market Board

1996-1998
Vice-President, Council of Europe Parliamentarian Assembly

1996
Chair, Swedish Social Democratic Party, County of Jämtland

1996-1997
Special advisor, Ministry of Labour

1995-2003
Member of the executive committee of Social Democratic Women in Sweden

1994-1998
Member, Council of Europe

1994-1998
Member, Parliamentary Committee on the Labour Market

1991-1994
Alternate Member, Parliamentary Committee on the Labour Market

1991
Member of the Riksdag

1988-1991
Chair, county health services

1988-1991
Chair of the Personnel Reorganisation Delegation

1986-1988
Chair, Östersund primary health care services

1986-1991
Member, County Council Executive Board

1982-1991
Member, Jämtland County Council

1981
Director, Social Welfare Services (leave of absence since 1986)

1979-1981
Chief Accountant, Berg municipality Social Welfare Services

1976-1978
Senior Planning Officer, Haninge municipality

Education
1977
University Diploma in Social Work, public administration programme