Norway's Top 100 Women

March is Women's History month, here in America. I'd like to recognize the women, not from America, but from Norway. Those women ancestors who made a remarkable difference in who we (descendants of these amazing women), are allowed to become. 

Image borrowed from
https://www.vg.no/spesial/2013/norske_kvinner/index.php?filter=0&sort=0&profile=0

The year 2013 marked the centennial anniversary of Women's Suffrage in Norway. The vote took place on June 11, 1913, and was a unanimous Storting.  Article 50 of the Norwegian Constitution was amended to read:

“Those entitled to vote are the Norwegian citizens, Men and Women, who have reached 25 years of age, and who have been settled in the Country for five years and resided there.”

History: "The Women's Suffrage Association was established in 1885, and the first women's suffrage proposal was put forward in the Storting the following year." 

Municipal franchise* granted to tax-paying women.............................1901

Fullfranchise granted to tax-paying women.........................................1907

Municipal franchise extended to all women.........................................1910

Full Parliamentary franchise extended to all women............................1913

*granted to women who, either in their own persons or with their husbands, paid taxes on an income amounting to about $100 a year or on approximately $100 worth of property. This totaled about 300,000 women.  Basically this was limited to upper and middle class women.

In 2013, a women's jury was selected, and these seven women (ages 33-79) chose the hundred women they believed are most important in connection with the voting anniversary. This was not a scientific piece of work, but instead a suggested ranking. 

"Our hundred most important women have largely completed their tasks. We have not included women who are in the middle of their lives. It is too early to judge their significance in the great history of Norway."

Norway’s Top 100 Women 

Fredrikke Marie Qvam

Below is a small selection of the women that were recognized by the women's jury, in 2013. This is just a sample of the 100 women on the list. You can access the full list on the newspaper's website: 

#2 Fredrikke Marie Qvam (1843-1938)  •  Pioneer in the fight for female suffrage

• The National Women's Suffrage Association (Landskvinoestemmeresforeningen) was led by Ms. Qvam and established in Kristiania (1624-1924), now referred to as Oslo.

#  3 Gina Krog (1847-1916)  •  Uncompromising Women’s Advocate

#11 Anna Rogstad (1854-1939)  •  First woman in the Storting

#13 Camilla Collett (1813-1895)  •  First great female writer

#16 Katti Anker Møller (1868-1945)  •  Mothers’ Champion

#22 Betzy Kjelsberg (1866-1950)  •  Women's Rights Activist

#36 Elsa Laula Renberg (1877-1931)  • Sami organizational pioneer

#66 Ragna Vilhelmine Nielsen (1854-1924)  •  Woman advocate and teacher

#93 Anna Bugge Wicksell (1862-1928)  • Lawyer and Peace Activist

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You might also, find this article interesting: “Norwegian history of equality 1814 - 2013” (Norsk Likestillingshistorie 1814 – 2013) are historian Eirinn Larsen, cultural historian Hilde Danielsen, and philosopher Ingeborg W. Owesen.

This is the first and the only coherent representation of Norwegian history of equality thus far. You can view it at libraries found on WorldCat.org.