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 lawyer, journalist, and politician. She is a member of the Labour Party. She served as the Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion from 2021 to 2022. Before that, she was the Minister of Culture from 2012 to 2013. At 29, she became the youngest minister in Norway's government. She was also the first Muslim person to be a cabinet member in Norway. Tajik has been a Member of Parliament for Rogaland since 2017. She also represented Oslo from 2009 to 2017. From 2015 to 2022, she was the deputy leader of the Labour Party.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Hadia Tajik was born on 18 July 1983. Her birthplace was the village of 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. Later, she attended Tau Lower Secondary School and Strand Upper Secondary School.
Hadia Tajik earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Stavanger University College. She then studied human rights at Kingston University in England, getting her master's degree in 2005. In 2012, she completed her Master of Law degree at the University of Oslo.
Political Journey
Hadia Tajik started her political journey at a young age. From 1999 to 2002, she led the Strand chapter of the Workers' Youth League (AUF). She then became the deputy leader of 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 Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. After that, from 2008 to 2009, she was a political advisor to the Minister of Justice, Knut Storberget.
In March 2022, Gunnar Stavrum, a journalist, praised Tajik. He said she was the most effective minister in the Støre Cabinet. He noted her work on changes popular with the left wing, like stopping temporary service agencies.
Serving in Parliament
On 14 September 2009, Hadia Tajik was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Norwegian Labour Party. She represented Oslo. This was considered a secure seat for her party.
While in parliament, she was part of the Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs. She also served on the Election Committee.
After the 2013 elections, the Labour-led government lost power. However, Tajik kept her seat in the Storting (Norwegian Parliament). She was then chosen to lead the Standing Committee on Justice. This is a very important role in the Storting. In 2019, she became the spokesperson for financial policy and deputy parliamentary leader.
In March 2024, Tajik announced she would not run for re-election in Rogaland for the 2025 election. However, she mentioned she might still run as a candidate for Oslo.
Minister of Culture
On 21 September 2012, Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg announced a change in his cabinet. Hadia Tajik became the new Minister of Culture. She took over from Anniken Huitfeldt.
At 29 years old, she was the youngest person ever to become a minister in Norway. Her appointment also made her the first Muslim to serve in the Norwegian cabinet.
She left her position in the fall of 2013. This happened when the Labour-led government lost the parliamentary elections.
Tajik is known for using social media a lot. She also strongly supports E-books. Because of this, she was often called Norway's "first digital Minister of Culture."
Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion
On 14 October 2021, Hadia Tajik was appointed Minister of Labour, Social Inclusion, and Integration in Støre's Cabinet.
Key Actions in 2021
Soon after her appointment, Tajik said the government would consider special rules for hiring in some workplaces. She emphasized the need for careful and proper legal work.
When pilots fired by SAS wanted their jobs back after the COVID-19 pandemic, Tajik spoke out. She noted that some companies create new subsidiaries, forcing workers to reapply for their old jobs. She called this unfair and said the government wanted to prevent such situations. She also worked with other Nordic countries to improve cooperation and strengthen workers' rights.
On 15 November, Tajik and Minister of Transport Jon-Ivar Nygård met with the head of SAS Norway. They discussed the ongoing conflict with staff. Tajik questioned why staff had little trust in the leadership. She made it clear she would not back down and wanted to support the affected staff.
On 2 December, Tajik announced a new pension plan for young people. Starting in 2022, those over 13 would earn pension from their very first kroner earned. She explained that people would get pension earnings no matter how small their income or how few hours they worked.
On 14 December, Tajik attended a press conference about the government's economic COVID-19 measures. She announced that the government would extend advance payments for unemployment benefits. This was to ensure people had income during the holidays. She said, "We do not want people to go into Christmas with a lump in their stomach." She added that these measures aimed to help people unable to work due to health rules and ensure fairness.
On 31 December, Tajik announced that labour unions would get access to collective legal action. She said the government wanted to give workers more power over their daily lives. This change received mixed reactions. Some labour groups praised it, while others worried about potential conflicts. Tajik disagreed with the idea of increased conflict. She pointed out that central supervisors supported the proposal.
Work in 2022
In January, Tajik and transport minister Jon-Ivar Nygård announced actions against "workplace crime" in the transport sector. Tajik stated that a tired, underpaid, or overworked driver is dangerous for everyone. She also mentioned that some drivers were wrongly treated as self-employed.
On 17 January, Tajik asked the Petroleum Safety Authority and the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority to issue more fines. This was aimed at companies that did not follow rules.
In February, she showed understanding for victims of a social security scandal under the previous government. She encouraged people who thought they were affected to contact the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration.
On 2 March, Tajik announced her resignation as minister. This followed public discussion about her use of a government apartment and a tax matter. She formally resigned on 4 March.
Other Contributions
On 22 July 2011, Hadia Tajik visited the Workers' Youth League summer camp at Utøya. She was there with former prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland. They left just a few hours before the massacre happened, narrowly avoiding it.
Tajik was chosen as one of two deputy leaders of the Labour Party in 2015. On 6 March 2022, after resigning as minister, she also announced her resignation as deputy leader.
In November 2021, the magazine Kapital listed Hadia Tajik as the most powerful woman in Norway. She was the first woman from a minority background to receive this recognition.
Personal Life
Hadia Tajik was married to Stefan Heggelund. He is a communications consultant and a politician for the Conservative Party. They made their relationship public because they both had a chance to be elected to Parliament in the 2013 election. Both were indeed elected. They married on 28 June 2014, in a private ceremony. The wedding took place at The Thief hotel in Oslo. Many politicians from both the Labour and Conservative parties attended. They announced their divorce in February 2016.
In November 2018, Tajik announced she was dating Kristian Skard. He is a reporter for Dagens Næringsliv. In May 2019, Skard proposed to Tajik, and she accepted. Their wedding was planned for 22 August 2020, but it was postponed to 19 June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, they welcomed their daughter, Sofia.
Tajik describes herself as a Muslim, but not one who strictly practices. She says, "I am a politician, who happens to be Muslim, but I am not a Muslim politician."
Images for kids
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Tajik in 2017
See also
In Spanish: Hadia Tajik para niños
