Hedy d'Ancona

Hedwig (Hedy) d'Ancona (Den Haag, october 1 1937) is a Dutch politician and feminist. She was the minister for welfare, public health and culture from 1989 until 1994 and the Secretary of state ("staatssecretaris") for issues concerning women's liberation from September 1981 until May 1982. She also served in the European Parliament and in the first chamber of the Dutch parliament, for the Labour Party. Outside of government, she is known for starting the feminist monthly Opzij as well as the pressure group "Man-Vrouw-Maatschappij" ("Man-Woman-Society", started with Joke Kool-Smit). From April 1995 through June 2004, d'Ancona was the chairwoman of Oxfam Novib (Oxfam Netherlands), serving also as vice-chairwoman of Oxfam international during part of her tenure.

Career

*1962-1965 TV-producer for the VARA
*1965-1975 Researcher in social geography at the University of Amsterdam
*1974-1981 Member of the first chamber of Dutch parliament, for the Labour Party.
*1975-1981 Director of the "Centrum Beleidsadviserend Onderzoek" (Cebeon), a company that offers research-based advice to government and non-profit organisations, with Maurice de Hond
*September 1981-May 1982 Secretary of state or a.o. women's emancipation, at the Ministry of Welfare and Employment
*augustus 1982-September 1983 Member of the first chamber of parliament
*1984-1989 Member of the European Parliament
*1989-1994 Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture
*1994-1999 Member of European Parliament

Personal

d'Ancona's father was Jewish. During World War II, he was deported and he died before the war ended. Hedy was raised by her grandparents.She is not married and has two children: a son, Hajo and a daughter, Hadassah, who is a television presenter.

Honors

In 1992, d'Ancona was awarded the Harriet Freezerring, a women's liberation prize, by the monthly "Opzij" she started. In 1994, she got a royal decoration (she was made "Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion") and in 2002, she won the Aletta Jacobsprijs, a women's emancipation prize awarded by University of Groningen every second year.

External links

* [http://www.emancipatie.nl/_documenten/e-alg/fem/dAncona/JannyNieboeroverHedydAncona.pdf} biography of d'Ancona from "emancipatie.nl"]
* [http://www.brugerforeningen.dk/bfny.nsf/0/5839CB40DF18C6FBC125686600472FD9?OpenDocument&K=Users%20opinion&S=UK Lecture by d'Ancona] on drugs policy in Europe
* [http://www.fen-netherlands.nl/files/verslagen/fenn_website_launch_speeches_eng.pdf document including the text of a speech] by d'Ancona evaluating 30 years of feminism in the Netherlands