Dagfinn Høybråten

Dagfinn Høybråten
Leader of the Christian Democratic Party
In office
23 January 2004  30 April 2011
Preceded by Valgerd Svarstad Haugland
Succeeded by Knut Arild Hareide
Minister of Health and Social Affairs
In office
17 October 1997  17 March 2000
Preceded by Gudmund Hernes
Succeeded by Tore Tønne
Minister of Health
In office
19 October 2001  18 June 2004
Preceded by Tore Tønne
Succeeded by Ansgar Gabrielsen
Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
In office
18 June 2004  17 October 2005
Preceded by Ingjerd Schou
Succeeded by Bjarne Håkon Hanssen
Personal details
Born 2 December 1957
Oslo, Norway
Nationality Norwegian
Political party Christian Democratic Party
Children Four
Alma mater University of Oslo
Occupation Politician
Profession Political scientist
Religion Church of Norway

Dagfinn Høybråten (born 2 December 1957), is a Norwegian politician. He was the leader of the Christian Democratic Party 2004-2011. He was also Parliamentary leader from 2005 when he was elected as Member of Parliament representing Rogaland. He was Vice President of the Norwegian Parliament 2011-2013. Høybråten was granted leave from his duty as Member of Parliament from March 2013 to take up the position as Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers. He has been Board Member of the GAVI Alliance since 2006, and Chair of the Board since 2011.

He was Chairman of the The Young Christian Democrats(Norwegian KrFU) 1979-1982. Høybråten has been part of the political leadership of every Government the Christian Democratic Party has been part of since the early 1980's, first as a Political Adviser to Minister of Church and Education Kjell Magne Bondevik1983-1986, later as State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance 1989-1990, Minister of Health 1997-2000 and 2001-2004 as well as Minister of Labour and Social Affairs 2004-2005.

Høybråten has also served as the Director General of Norway Social Security Administration1997-2004, an Executive Director of the Norwegian Association of Local Government1990-1993 and a Chief Executive of the municipality of Oppegård 1994-1996. Mr Høybråten holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Oslo.

Early and personal life

Høybråten was born to churchwarden and politician Per Høybråten (1932–1990) and laboratory worker Åse Margrethe Hallen (born 1929). While he was born and grew up in Oslo, he lived for three years in Sandnes due to his father working there as a control veterinary. His father was politically active in the Christian Democratic Party, and was a State Secretary and deputy member of the Parliament of Norway from Oslo 1973-1977. Høybråten is married to his wife Jorun, and has four children.

Political career

Høybråten became active in politics at an early age, and became deputy chairman of the Young Christian Democrats 1978-1979 and chairman 1979-1982.[1] He got his first experience from Parliament as a personal assistant to Parliamentary leader of the Christian Democratic Party,Lars Korvald. When the Christian Democrats joined Kåre Willoch's government in 1983 Høybråten became a Political Adviser for Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik in the Ministry of Church and Education until 1986. I Jan P. Syse's government 1989-1990 he was State secretary in the Ministry of Finance

He led the Ministry of Health and Care Services from 1997 to 2000 and again from 2001 to 2004. Following a 2004 Government reshuffle, Høybråten was transferred to lead the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. In 2004, he also assumed the leadership of the Christian Democratic Party.

As Minister of Health, Høybråten was noted for his campaign against tobacco smoking in public indoor places. It resulted in the adoption by Parliament of a bill banning smoking in restaurants, bars, and cafés that came into force June 1, 2014. Several european countries followed the Norwegian experiences closely, and planned for similar legislation. Between 2004 and 2011 about 100 countries across the globe adopted a similar legislation[2] [ Høybråtens efforts have been credited for reducing the smoking rates and improving public health in Norway.[3] Initially, the bill sparked some controversy, however it became popular after it passed. Høybråten received LHL's honorary award in 2006 for his work in this field.[4] Høybråten was critical of employers advertising positions for non-smokers, since his he felt the issue ought to be fighting tobacco and its adverse health effects, rather than discriminating against people who smoke.[5]

When former leader Valgerd Svarstad Haugland and the rest of the Party leadership withdrew in 2004 after a poor result in the local elections in 2003, Høybråten was elected new party leader at an extraordinary Party Congress. He became Member of Parliament of Norway from Rogaland in 2005, and he then also became parliamentary leader for the Christian Democratic Parliamentary group. After a year in the Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs Committee he was from 2006 Member of the Committee of Foreign Affairs until he left Parliament. He was also President of the Nordic Council 2007-2008.

On October 2, 2010 Høybråten announced that he would not run for reelection as party leader at the 2011 party conference.[6] He also announced that he would not run for a third term as member of Parliament in the 2013 general election.[7] Knut Arild Hareide succeeded him from April 30, 2011.[8] Høybråten was announced as the new secretary general of the Nordic Council of Ministers in September 2012 effective from 1 March 2013. He was granted a leave for the remainder of his term in parliament.[9]

Gavi - the Vaccine Alliance

Høybråten is a Board Member of Gavi – the Vaccine Alliance since 2006. In 2011 he was elected Chair of the Gavi Alliance Board. He succeeded Mary Robinson, Graca Machel and Nelson Mandela in this position, and he is the longest serving Chair of the organisation. Gavi was set up in 2000 as a global Vaccine Alliance, bringing together public and private sectors with the shared goal of saving children’s lives and protecting people’s health by increasing access to immunisation in the world’s poorest countries.[10]

In 2015 new figures documented that Gavi has helped vaccinate half a billion children and saved 7 million lives since the organisation was funded.[11] During Høybråten’s term as Chair, Gavi – the Vaccine Alliance had two replenishment conferences to finance the global vaccination work. Both in London 2011 and in Berlin 2015 the donors exceeded the ask, and managed to raise respectively 4,3 and 7,539 billion USD.

Awards and decorations

In 1999 Høybråten was appointed as honorary president of Yiang Central Hospital in the Hunan province of China. The hospital was founded in 1906 by Høybråtens great grandfather, Jørgen Edvin Nielsen. Høybråten was awarded the Grand Cross of St. Olav in 2004. In 2005 Høybråten was awarded a honorary degree from Luther College in Iowa.

References

  1. Olaussen, Lise Meret. "Dagfinn Høybråten". Norsk biografisk leksikon.
  2. WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2011
  3. Røykfri-politikk en suksess Nettavisen, July 1, 2008 (Norwegian)
  4. http://www.lhl.no/for-tillitsvalgte/artikler/hvem-bor-fa-lhls-arespris/
  5. EU: Ikke lov å diskriminere røykere dinside.no August 15, 2006 (Norwegian)
  6. "Avskjedsbrev fra Dagfinn Høybråten". Norge Idag. October 3, 2010. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
  7. "Dagfinn Høybråten trekker seg". NRK Nyheter. October 2, 2010. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  8. "Nå er Knut Arild sjefen i KrF" (in Norwegian). TV2. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  9. Risholm, Toril (21 September 2012). "Høybråten går til Nordisk ministerråd" (in Norwegian). Stavanger Aftenblad. Retrieved 8 September 2013.
  10. http://www.gavi.org/about/
  11. http://www.gavi.org/Library/News/Press-releases/2015/Half-a-billion-children-vaccinated-and-seven-million-lives-saved-thanks-to-Gavi-partners/
Political offices
Preceded by
Gudmund Hernes
Norwegian Minister of Health and Social Affairs
19972000
Succeeded by
Tore Tønne
Preceded by
Tore Tønne
Norwegian Minister of Health
20012004
Succeeded by
Ansgar Gabrielsen
Preceded by
position created
Norwegian Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
20042005
Succeeded by
Bjarne Håkon Hanssen
Party political offices
Preceded by
Idar Magne Holme
Chairman of the Youth of the Christian People's Party
19791982
Succeeded by
Reidar Andestad
Preceded by
Valgerd Svarstad Haugland
Leader of the Christian Democratic Party
20042011
Succeeded by
Knut Arild Hareide
Civic offices
Preceded by
Eva Birkeland
Director of the National Insurance Administration
19972004
(Arild Sundberg was acting from
19972000 and 20012004
)
Succeeded by
Arild Sundberg