Hadia Tajik facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hadia Tajik
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Tajik in 2017
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| Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion | |
| In office 14 October 2021 – 4 March 2022 |
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| Prime Minister | Jonas Gahr Støre |
| Preceded by | Torbjørn Røe Isaksen |
| Succeeded by | Marte Mjøs Persen |
| Minister of Culture | |
| In office 21 September 2012 – 16 October 2013 |
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| Prime Minister | Jens Stoltenberg |
| Preceded by | Anniken Huitfeldt |
| Succeeded by | Thorhild Widvey |
| Member of the Norwegian Parliament | |
| Assumed office 1 October 2017 |
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| Deputy | Tom Kalsås |
| Constituency | Rogaland |
| In office 1 October 2009 – 30 September 2017 |
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| Deputy | Karin Yrvin Prableen Kaur |
| Constituency | Oslo |
| Deputy Leader of the Labour Party | |
| In office 18 April 2015 – 6 March 2022 |
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| Leader | Jonas Gahr Støre |
| Preceded by | Helga Pedersen |
| Succeeded by | Tonje Brenna |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 July 1983 Strand, Rogaland, Norway |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouses |
Stefan Heggelund
(m. 2014; div. 2016)Kristian Skard
(m. 2021) |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | University of Oslo Stavanger University College Kingston University |
Hadia Tajik (born 18 July 1983) is a Norwegian politician. She is also a jurist (someone who studies law) and a journalist. Hadia Tajik is part of the Labour Party in Norway.
She was the Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion from 2021 to 2022. Before that, she was the Minister of Culture from 2012 to 2013. When she became Minister of Culture, she was 29 years old. This made her the youngest minister ever in the Norwegian government. She was also the first Cabinet member who is a Muslim.
Hadia Tajik has been a Member of Parliament for Rogaland since 2017. Before that, she represented Oslo from 2009 to 2017. She also served as the Labour Party's deputy leader from 2015 until 2022.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Hadia Tajik was born on 18 July 1983. Her birthplace was a village called Bjørheimsbygd in Strand, Rogaland. Her parents, Mohammad Sarwar Tajik and Safia Qazalbash, moved to Norway from Pakistan in 1974.
She went to Bjørheimsbygd Primary School, which was a very small school. Later, she attended Tau Lower Secondary School and Strand Upper Secondary School.
Hadia Tajik studied journalism at Stavanger University College. After that, she went to Kingston University in England. There, she earned a Master's degree in human rights. In 2012, she completed her law studies at the University of Oslo, earning a Master of Law degree.
Political Journey
Hadia Tajik started her political journey at a young age. She was a leader in the local youth branch of the Labour Party, called the Workers' Youth League (AUF). She led the Strand chapter from 1999 to 2002. Then, she became the deputy leader for Rogaland AUF until 2003.
She worked as an advisor for different ministers. From 2006 to 2008, she advised the Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion. In 2008, she briefly advised the Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg. Later, from 2008 to 2009, she was a political advisor to the Minister of Justice.
Serving in Parliament
On 14 September 2009, Hadia Tajik was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party. She represented Oslo at that time. Being listed as candidate number six meant she was very likely to win a seat.
While in Parliament, she was part of important committees. She was a member of the Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs. She also served on the Election committee. After the 2013 election, she became the leader of the Standing Committee on Justice. This is considered a very important role in the Parliament. In 2019, she became a spokesperson for financial policy.
In March 2024, Hadia Tajik announced she would not seek re-election for Rogaland in the 2025 election. However, she had considered running for Oslo again. She did not win the nomination for Oslo in November 2024.
Minister of Culture Role
On 21 September 2012, Hadia Tajik became the new Minister of Culture. This was part of a larger change in the government. She was 29 years old at the time, making her the youngest person to become a minister in Norway. She was also the first Muslim to serve in the Norwegian government.
She left this role in the fall of 2013. This happened after the Labour-led government lost the parliamentary elections.
Hadia Tajik was known for using social media a lot. She also strongly supported E-books. Because of this, some people called her Norway's "first digital Minister of Culture."
Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion Role
On 14 October 2021, Hadia Tajik was appointed Minister of Labour, Social Inclusion, and Integration. She was part of Støre's Cabinet.
Key Actions in 2021
Soon after becoming minister, Hadia Tajik said the government would look into special rules for hiring in some workplaces. She wanted to make sure this was done carefully and correctly.
When pilots who lost their jobs at SAS during the COVID-19 pandemic wanted them back, Tajik spoke about it. She said it was not fair for companies to make workers reapply for their old jobs through new companies. She worked with other Nordic countries to improve workers' rights.
In November, she met with the head of SAS Norway. She asked why staff had little trust in the company's leaders. She made it clear she would support the affected workers.
On 2 December, Tajik announced a new pension rule for young people. Starting in 2022, people over 13 would earn pension savings from their very first earnings. This meant they no longer had to earn a certain amount before their pension savings started.
In December, she presented the government's economic plans for the COVID-19 pandemic. She announced that people who needed unemployment benefits would get them faster. She said this was to help people have an income during difficult times.
By the end of 2021, Tajik announced that labor unions would get more power to help workers. This meant unions could take legal action for groups of workers. She believed this would give workers more control over their daily lives.
Key Actions in 2022
In January 2022, Hadia Tajik and the transport minister said they would fight against unfair practices in the transport sector. She explained that tired, underpaid drivers are dangerous for everyone.
On 17 January, she asked safety authorities to issue more fines against companies that do not follow rules. This included increasing fees and punishments.
In February, she showed understanding for people affected by a social security scandal from a previous government. She encouraged anyone who thought they were affected to contact the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration.
On 2 March, Hadia Tajik announced her resignation as minister. This followed questions about her use of a government apartment and some tax matters. She formally resigned on 4 March 2022.
Other Important Events
On 22 July 2011, Hadia Tajik visited the Workers' Youth League summer camp at Utøya. She left just a few hours before a terrible attack happened there.
In 2015, Hadia Tajik was chosen as one of the two deputy leaders of the Labour Party. On 6 March 2022, shortly after resigning as minister, she also resigned from her role as deputy leader.
In November 2021, a magazine called Kapital listed Hadia Tajik as the most powerful woman in Norway. She was the first woman from a minority background to receive this recognition.
In February 2025, it was announced that she would join a law firm called Haavind. She will work there as an attorney and advisor after the 2025 election.
Personal Life
Hadia Tajik was married to Stefan Heggelund. He is a politician from the Conservative Party. They got married on 28 June 2014, but they divorced in February 2016.
In November 2018, Hadia Tajik started dating Kristian Skard. He is a reporter. They got engaged in May 2019 and married on 19 June 2021. In January 2021, they welcomed their daughter, Sofia.
Hadia Tajik describes herself as a Muslim. She has said, "I am a politician, who happens to be Muslim, but I am not a Muslim politician."
See also
In Spanish: Hadia Tajik para niños
