Eva Kolstad

File:Eva Kolstad NFDB-26109-620.jpg

Eva Kolstad during the parliamentary elections in 1957

Eva Lundegaard Kolstad (6 May 1918 – 26 March 1999) was a Norwegian politician and government minister for the Liberal Party, and a central figure in the history of gender equality in Norway and internationally. She served as President of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights (1956–1968), member and vice chairman of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (1969–1975), Minister of Government Administration and Consumer Affairs of Norway in Korvald's Cabinet (1972–1973), leader of the Liberal Party (1974–1976) and as Norwegian Gender Equality Ombudsman (1978–1988), the first gender equality ombudsman worldwide. She contributed significantly to the development of the United Nations' gender equality policies.

Early life

Eva Kolstad was born in 1918 in Fredrikshald.

Career

Kolstad was the leader of the Liberal Party from 1974 to 1976, making her the first female party leader in Norway. She was also the first ombudsman for gender equality (likestillingsombud) in Norway, and in extent the world. Outside politics she worked as an accountant.

She was a minor ballot candidate in the 1953 election, and was not elected. She served as a deputy representative to the Parliament of Norway from Oslo during the terms 1957–1961 and 1965–1969. In between she was runner-up behind Helge Seip on the Liberal ballot in the 1961 election, but the Liberals had no MPs elected. She was the Minister of Administration and Consumer Affairs in 1972–1973 during the cabinet Korvald. On the local level she was member of the executive committee of Oslo city council from 1960 to 1975.

Kolstad was a Commander of the Order of St. Olav and received the Medal of St. Hallvard in 1986.

References

Political offices
Preceded by Inger Louise Valle	Norwegian Minister of Administration and Consumer Affairs 1972–1973	Succeeded by Odd Georg Sagør
Party political offices
Preceded by Helge Rognlien	Leader of the Liberal Party of Norway 1974–1976	Succeeded by Hans Hammond Rossbach
Civic offices
Preceded by position created	Norwegian Gender Equality Ombud 1978–1988	Succeeded by Ingse Stabel