KVINFO facts for kids
KVINFO office in Copenhagen.
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| Formation | 1964 |
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| Founder | Nynne Koch |
| Purpose | Documentation and information services |
| Location |
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Official language
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Danish |
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Director
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Nina Groes |
| Christina Fiig, Sabrina Speiermann, Thomas Rasmussen (auxiliary), Dorthe Staunæs (chair), Gert Martin Hald, Lynn Roseberry (auxiliary), Mogens Blom, Robin May Schott (auxiliary), Marianne Bruun, Hanne Fokdal Barnekow (auxiliary), Michael Cutta-Schønberg, Birte Christensen-Dalsgaard (auxiliary), Tonny Skovgård Jensen (vice-chair), Ellen V. Knudsen (auxiliary), Jytte Nielsen, Anita Frank Goth (auxiliary) | |
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Parent organization
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Ministry of Culture (Denmark) |
| Affiliations | Danish library sector |
The Danish Center for Research on Women and Gender (KVINFO) is a special center in Denmark. It focuses on information about women and gender. Its main goal is to share what researchers learn about women and gender, both in Denmark and around the world.
KVINFO has a large library with over 20,000 books and magazines. These materials cover topics like equal opportunity and women's issues. Beyond the library, KVINFO also creates a web magazine. It has an online encyclopedia about Danish women and a list of female experts. The center also runs special programs. These include a mentor network for women from different backgrounds in Denmark. It also helps with discussions about human rights for women in the Middle East.
Contents
What Does KVINFO Mean?
The name KVINFO is a short way of saying several Danish words. These words are køn (gender), viden (knowledge), information (information), and forskning (research). The name also sounds like a mix of "kvinde" (woman) and "info" (information).
KVINFO's Journey Through Time
How KVINFO Started
KVINFO began in 1964 thanks to a woman named Nynne Koch. She worked at the Royal Danish Library in Copenhagen. Nynne started a service to keep track of books about women's issues. She was given 15 minutes each day to write down new books on cards.
Over time, Nynne Koch and special librarians created a unique system. This system helped researchers find information about women and gender studies easily. It added many keywords to each entry, making it simple to search.
Becoming an Independent Center
In 1982, KVINFO became a four-year project. The Danish Ministry of Culture provided the funding. Nynne Koch and her team of volunteers moved to a new place. They expanded their activities. By 1987, KVINFO became an independent organization.
Elisabeth Møller Jensen was the director of KVINFO from 1990 to 2014. During her time, KVINFO grew a lot. Its budget and staff became three times bigger. The center's magazine was updated, and its readership doubled. KVINFO also launched its online database of women experts. This was the first of its kind in Europe.
Nina Groes became the new director on February 1, 2014. KVINFO has also used technology in all its work. It helps coordinate a project for the Danish Ministry of Culture.
What KVINFO Does
KVINFO started in the Danish library world. But it has also helped bring women's issues and research into public discussions. It has done this in Scandinavia for many years.
KVINFO collects and records books and articles on many topics. These include women's studies, gender studies, and gender equality. It also gathers statistics and biographies. KVINFO shares this information with people in Denmark and other countries.
An Online Magazine for Gender and Culture
KVINFO's magazine, Forum, first came out in print in 1982. For ten years, it was the only Danish journal about women's studies. In 1998, it became an online magazine. This helped it reach more readers and highlight gender topics.
The main goal of Forum is to make Danish women and gender issues more visible. It also aims to connect with other women and gender researchers worldwide. Most of its content is in Danish.
An Encyclopedia of Danish Women
In 2003, KVINFO launched an online encyclopedia called Dansk kvindebiografisk leksikon. This encyclopedia has about 2,000 entries on Danish women. These women were pioneers in fields like education, science, and music. They were also important figures in politics and women's organizations. This information is free for everyone to use online.
A Database of Women Experts
In 1995, KVINFO created a database called "Women Online." This database lists women experts in Denmark. It makes it easy to find information about many modern women. These women are leaders, managers, politicians, and researchers. The database helps find candidates for jobs, committees, and speaking roles.
A Website on Women's History
KVINFO launched a website in November 2001. It tells the story of Danish women's journey to equal opportunities. This story covers the years from 1850 to 1920. The website has documents about important events. These include women getting the right to vote and access to education. It also covers women's fight for independence. The information is available in Danish online.
Other Important Activities
KVINFO is involved in many other projects. It organizes lectures, seminars, and cultural events. The center also supports women's rights in the Middle East. It helps immigrant women in Denmark find opportunities.
Mentor Program for Immigrant Women
In 2001, some people criticized the Danish women's movement. They felt it was not doing enough for immigrant women.
So, in 2003, KVINFO started a mentor network. This program helps refugee and immigrant women living in Denmark. The idea is to connect KVINFO's network of strong, educated women with immigrant women.
Mentors meet one-on-one with the women they help. They share their professional connections. They also give advice on job applications, interviews, and workplace culture. This helps women understand their job potential.
It is believed that over 50 percent of jobs in Denmark are found through personal connections. Networks are very important for settling into Danish society. Immigrant women are matched with Danish mentors. The matches are based on education, job, and personal wishes.
By 2013, more than 3,300 women had joined KVINFO's network. This network is set up in four different cities in Denmark.
Women in Dialogue in the Middle East
KVINFO started its Middle East program in 2006. This program aims to connect Denmark with different Arab countries. The goal is to promote gender equality and women's rights.
The program supports projects that help civil society groups. This includes women's organizations. It focuses on four key areas: changing laws, women's involvement in public life, stopping domestic violence, and research on gender issues.
In its early stages, KVINFO's program included Morocco, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.
See also
- Knowledge organization
- Timeline of women in Denmark
