Ulla Gunilla Lindström,

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

''Wohlin'' (15 September 1909 in

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

– 10 July 1999), was a Swedish journalist and politician (

Social Democrat Social democracy is a Social philosophy, social, Economic ideology, economic, and political philosophy within socialism that supports Democracy, political and economic democracy and a gradualist, reformist, and democratic approach toward achi ...

). She was Minister of Family, Consumer, Aid and Refugee Affairs from 1954 to 1966. She was also the first woman in Sweden to be acting Prime Minister (1958).

Biography

Ulla Lindström was born in Stockholm to right-wing Nils Wohlin, the Minister of Trade in 1923–1924 and Minister of Finance in 1928–1929, and piano teacher Gunilla Wohlin. Her parents divorced when she was ten, and she grew up with her mother. She graduated as a teacher in 1933, and worked as the editor of the newspapers from 1934 to 1946, and '' Vår bostad'' from 1937 to 1946. She became a social democrat as a student, and was the chairperson of the social democratic women's club Allmänna kvinnoklubben in Stockholm from 1935 to 1945 and an elected member of the Stockholm city council from 1942 to 1945. She was a member of parliament from 1946 to 1970 and a consultant in the Trade department from 1947 to 1954. Lindström was a delegate of the

United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; , AGNU or AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as its main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ. Currently in its Seventy-ninth session of th ...

1947–1966, and chairperson of Rädda Barnen 1971–1989. Lindström served as Minister of Family, Consumption, Aid and

Refugee A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. They are unable to return to their own country because of feared persecution as ...

Affairs from 1954 to 1966. Her appointment was encouraged by the Social Democratic Women, who demanded female representation on all levels, a demand which Tage Erlander wished to fulfill. During her tenure, she was the only woman in the government, and unusual as a female minister not only in Sweden but also internationally. Her appointment was very popular among women, and she continued being popular among women during her tenure. Personally, she believed that she was not the only woman who deserved a place in the government, and she was disappointed that she continued to be the only one of her gender in the government during her tenure, despite the fact that she repeatedly suggested that Inga Thorsson deserved to receive a ministerial post. Lindström was controversial and caused great attention in the media when she refused to curtsey to Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

in 1956: this was reported in international press, and regarded as an insult by royalists, and as a demonstration of equality in the eyes of others. In 1958, she served as acting Prime minister of Sweden during the summer break of the Prime Minister, becoming the first person of her gender to serve in that function. She resigned under protest in 1966 when the government did not fulfil their promise of an increased aid. She was awarded the Illis quorum in 1978.

Biography

References

Notes

Sources

External links

Further reading