Lubna Jaffery

Born in Norway to parents of Pakistani origin she grew up in Bergen.[http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/politikk/article2989720.ece#.UbeP_pz39oU Bergenser overtar Saera Khans sentralstyreplass] (in Norwegian) Aftenposten, (21 March 2009), retrieved 11 June 2013 She took her secondary education in Åsane in 1999, and at the University of Bergen she took the cand.mag. degree in 2004 and the master's degree in 2007. Jaffery married Lennart Fjell in 2003, they got divorced in 2010 and they have one daughter together.{{Cite web |date=2007-12-20 |title=Migrapolis ønsker god jul! |url=https://www.nrk.no/kultur/tilbakeblikk-1.3709678 |website=NRK}}

She was an adviser in the Workers' Youth League in 2000, before becoming a central board member from 2000 to 2004. She had previously chaired the county branch from 1998 to 2000.

Jaffery was a member of the Bergen city council from 1999 to 2003 and Fjell municipal council from 2003 to 2007.{{cite web|url=http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dokumentarkiv/stoltenberg-ii/kkd/personer-og-enheter/politisk-ledelse/2009/statssekretar-lubna-jaffery-fjell.html?id=582630|title=Statssekretær Lubna Jaffery|publisher=Government.no|language=no|accessdate=21 May 2012}}

In 2019, she was appointed Bergen City Commissioner for Labour, Social Affairs and Housing in the Roger Valhammer city government.{{cite web | url = https://www.nrk.no/vestland/her-er-bergens-nye-byrad-1.14760296 | title = Her er Bergens nye byråd | publisher = NRK Vestland | date = 29 October 2019 | access-date = 24 June 2023 | language = no}} She resigned from this position when she was promoted to permanent representative in the Storting to cover the duties of Marte Mjøs Persen. She was succeeded by Ruth Grung as city commissioner.{{cite web | url = https://www.bt.no/nyheter/lokalt/i/v5nL64/grung-ny-sosialbyraad-her-er-dei-vanskelegaste-sakene-ho-maa-takle | title = Grung ny sosialbyråd: Her er dei vanskelegaste sakene ho må takle | publisher = Bergens Tidende | date = 22 October 2021 | access-date = 24 June 2023 | language = no}}

In 2008, Jaffery was appointed a political advisor in the Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion. From March to October 2009 she was a political advisor for the Minister of Health and Care Services. From 2009 to 2012 she was a State Secretary in the Ministry of Culture as a part of Stoltenberg's Second Cabinet.{{cite web|url=http://www.regjeringen.no/en/The-Government/previous-governments/the-structure-of-the-registry/governments/modern-times/governments-since-1945/jens-stoltenbergs-second-government.html?id=449424|title=Jens Stoltenberg's Second Government|publisher=Government.no|accessdate=21 May 2012}}

Jaffery has been a deputy representative in the Storting since 2009, having been re-elected since. In 2021, she was promoted to full member, covering for Marte Mjøs Persen after she was appointed to the Støre Cabinet. In the Storting, she sat as a member of the Standing Committee on Health and Care Services in 2021, before being moved to the Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs, where she also served as first vice chair between 2021 and 2023.{{stortingetbio|LBF}}

Jaffery was appointed minister of culture and equality on 28 June 2023 following Anette Trettebergstuen's resignation due to impartiality issues.{{cite web | url = https://www.nrk.no/norge/lubna-jaffery-er-ny-kultur--og-likestillingsminister-1.16463733 | title = Lubna Jaffery er ny kultur- og likestillingsminister | publisher = NRK | date = 28 June 2023 | access-date = 28 June 2023 | language = no}}

In July, she attended the Moldejazz music festival,{{cite web | url = https://www.nrk.no/mr/kulturminister-lubna-jaffery_-snarky-puppy-og-hedvig-mollestad-blant-dei-som-opna-moldejazz-2023-1.16485250 | title = Årets Moldejazz er i gang! | publisher = NRK Møre og Romsdal | date = 17 July 2023 | access-date= 26 July 2023 | language= no}} and in commemoration of the 12th anniversary of the 2011 Norway attacks, called for action against outsiderness and extremism, and to secure local communities.{{cite web | url = https://www.tv2.no/nyheter/innenriks/uten-22-juli-hadde-nok-ikke-jeg-vaert-statsrad/15910767/ | title = – Uten 22. juli, hadde nok ikke jeg vært statsråd | publisher = TV2 | date = 23 July 2023 | access-date = 26 July 2023 | language = no}}

A day before the 2024 state budget was presented, Jaffery confirmed that the government would be allocating 10 million NOK to combat sports poverty for children youths in what the government designated as an "ambitious" action plan.{{cite web | url = https://www.tv2.no/sport/varsler-kraftig-oppgjor-mot-idrettsfattigdom-folk-sliter/16100558/ | title = Varsler kraftig oppgjør mot idrettsfattigdom: – Folk sliter | publisher = TV2 | date = 5 October 2023 | access-date = 5 October 2023 | language = no}}

On 30 November, Jaffery and TV2 signed a new commercial public broadcasting agreement for the channel for the new term from 2024 to 2028.{{cite web | url = https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/staten-og-tv-2-inngar-avtale-om-kommersiell-allmennkringkasting-for-en-ny-periode/id3016346/ | title = Staten og TV 2 inngår avtale om kommersiell allmennkringkasting for en ny periode | publisher = government.no | date = 30 November 2023 | access-date = 30 November 2023 | language = no}}

In December, Jaffery announced the government's strategy for gaming, which was originally meant to be put forward the year before. With the announcement, she stated that politics should be more offensive in that regard and that with the strategy, the field would lifted up more.{{cite web | url = https://www.nrk.no/vestland/regjeringa-vil-at-fleire-unge-skal-game-1.16589737 | title = Regjeringa vil at fleire skal gjere som Edvard | publisher = NRK Vestland | date = 19 December 2023 | access-date = 4 February 2024 | language = no}}

Following the release of a UN report into racism in Norway, Jaffery pledged that the government would take the report into consideration and continue the fight against racism and discrimination. She went on to highlight the importance of inclusion and that the discrimination level is low in the country.{{cite web | url = https://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/2BRj5x/kulturministeren-vi-tar-dette-paa-alvor | title = Kulturministeren: – Vi tar dette på alvor | publisher = Verdens Gang | date = 18 March 2025 | access-date = 19 March 2024 | language = no}}

Jaffery received the report into male equality from the commission specialising in said issues in April. The report concluded that some measures against more male equality would be to have a two parted paternity leave, more flexible school starts and increased recruitment of men to more female dominated jobs. Jaffery highlighted that there are still inequality gaps between genders and that the declining birth rates were worrying.{{cite web | url = https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/JbW0lR/mannsutvalget-foreslaar-todelt-foreldrepermisjon | title = Mannsutvalget: Vil gi menn lik rett til foreldrepermisjon | publisher = Verdens Gang | date = 24 April 2024 | access-date = 25 April 2024 | language = nb}}

In late June, she announced that the government would be postponing the implementation of a third gender in identification papers until 2032, on the recommendation of the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs. Furthermore she stated that national supervision would be implemented for public and private actors for gender diversity.{{cite web | url = https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/regjeringen-setter-i-gang-arbeid-med-veileder-for-kjonnsmangfold/id3046586/ | title = Regjeringen setter i gang arbeid med veileder for kjønnsmangfold

| publisher = government.no | date = 24 June 2024 | access-date = 8 July 2024 | language = nb }}

On 25 June, Jaffery gained widespread attention, both in national and international press, after flashing her breasts in a show of support for LGBT people.{{Cite web | url = https://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/KMz5Pe/kulturminister-lubna-jaffery-kaaret-til-aarets-fag-hag-flashet-puppene-paa-scenen | title = Kulturministeren flashet puppene som årets «fag hag» |publisher = Verdens Gang | date = 26 June 2024 | access-date = 9 August 2024 | language = nb}}{{Cite web |date=27 June 2024 | access-date = 9 August 2024 |title=Minister drops the covers on stage |url=https://www.krone.at/3435569 |publisher = Kronen Zeitung }}

On the issue of AI illustrations, Jaffery expressed in late September that companies ought to be free to chose between AI and human illustrations. She did however emphasise that AI should be utilised as a tool and expressed hopes for a continued active demand and appreciation of human illustrators in the future.{{cite web | url = https://www.nrk.no/norge/frykter-ki-kan-ta-jobbene-fra-illustratorer-1.17017377 | title = Frykter KI kan ta jobbene fra illustratører | publisher = NRK | date = 27 September 2024 | access-date = 28 September 2024 | language = nb | first = Alexander | last = Slotten }}

She expressed disagreement with finance minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum in November after he expressed support for the Chrsitian Democrats' leader Dag Inge Ulstein's views on the gender debate and that there was only two genders. Jaffery reasserted the Labour Party's position on inclusion of queer and non-binary people and their recognition of a third gender. She also criticised the Christian Democrats for importing the debate from the United States and making the issue larger than necessary.{{cite web | url = https://www.aftenposten.no/norge/politikk/i/kwBoGk/likestillingsministeren-ut-mot-vedum-i-spoersmaalet-om-kjoennsidentitet | title = Regjeringen uenige med seg selv om kjønnsidentitet | publisher = Aftenposten | date = 28 November 2024 | access-date = 28 November 2024 | language = nb | first = Trond Magnus | last = Dyrkorn}}

Criticism was pointed towards the government and the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision in December for failing to incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and failing to appropriate accommodation for disabled individuals, by the Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud. Jaffery argued that the municipalities were responsible to uphold the convention and that the government was listening to proposals for incorporating the convention into Norwegian law after the report from the expert committee has been consulted by parliament.{{cite web | url = https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/jQg3QA/statsraad-om-flyttinger-en-fryktelig-vond-situasjon | title = Statsråd om flyttinger: –⁠ En fryktelig vond situasjon | publisher = Verdens Gang | date = 9 December 2024 | access-date = 9 December 2024 | language = nb | first = Erlend Ofte | last = Arnsten | first2 = Ronny | last2 = Berg }}

In January, she spoke out against the Progress Party's proposal to privatise the NRK and cutting 300 million NOK economic support to other media outlets. She claimed that their policy would weaken the democratic readiness, investigative journalism against politicians and other power structures.{{cite web | url = https://www.aftenposten.no/meninger/debatt/i/LMdoep/frps-politikk-vil-svekke-den-demokratiske-beredskapen-i-norge | title = Ja til NRK, og nei takk til Frps mediepolitikk | publisher = Aftenposten | date = 2025-01-20 | access-date = 2025-04-24 | language = nb | first = Lubna | last = Jaffery }}

{{reflist}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-off}}

{{s-bef|before=Anette Trettebergstuen}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Culture and Equality|years=2023–present}}

{{s-inc}}

{{s-bef|before=Sverre Myrli}}

{{s-ttl|title=First Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on Scrutiny and Constitutional Affairs|years=2021–2023}}

{{s-aft|after=Frode Jacobsen}}

{{s-bef|before=Erlend Horn}}

{{s-ttl|title=Bergen City Commissioner for Labour, Social Affairs and Housing|years=2019–2021}}

{{s-aft|after=Ruth Grung}}

{{s-end}}

{{Stortinget 2021–2025}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jaffery, Lubna}}

Category:1980 births

Category:Living people

Category:University of Bergen alumni

Category:Politicians from Bergen

Category:Labour Party (Norway) politicians

Category:Norwegian state secretaries

Category:Norwegian women state secretaries

Category:Norwegian people of Pakistani descent

Category:Women members of the Storting

Category:Members of the Storting 2021–2025