Gerda Verburg
Encyclopedia
Gerritje Verburg (born August 19, 1957 in Zwammerdam
) is a Dutch
diplomat
and former politician
and trade union
leader. Since July 1, 2011 she is Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) in Rome
, succeeding former CDA politician Agnes van Ardenne. As a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal
(Christen-Democratisch Appèl) she was an MP from 1998 to 2007 and again from 2010 to 2011. She also served as Minister of Agriculture in the fourth Balkenende cabinet
from 2007 to 2010. As an MP she focused on matters of social affairs, the European Union
and energy
and innovation
policy.
and havo
at Protestant schools
in Bodegraven
and Alphen aan de Rijn. After completing her secondary education she studied personnel work and labour relations at IJsselpoort Protestant School of Social Work in Kampen
from 1976 to 1980. Verburg began to work for Christian Rural Youth as general-secretary. In 1982 she began to work for the National Federation of Christian Trade Unions in the Netherlands
. Between 1982 and 1986 as youth worker of the construction trade union and between 1986 and 1990 as chair of the CNV-youth labour union. Between 1990 and 1997 she was on the union's board and she represented the union in the Social Economic Council and the European Trade Union Confederation
. Between 1997 and 1998 she worked as a businesswoman in communication and projects. Verburg has also been a member of the Social and Economic Council and the Labour Foundation. She has served on the executive committee of the European Trade Union Confederation, and on the boards of the Interchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation, the Royal Dutch Equestrian Sports Federation (KNHS) and Stichting Geuzenverzet.
she was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives for the Christian Democratic Appeal
. She was one of the few Christian Democratic Appeal
members who voted in favour of the legalisation of gay marriages
.
In 2003 she was candidate for President for the House of Representatives, but she was defeated by People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
candidate Frans Weisglas
.
Verburg was from 2003 Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Party
in House of Representatives. She was the chair of the Christian Democratic Appeal
commission on social affairs.
From February 22, 2007 till October 14, 2010 she was Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
in the Cabinet Balkenende IV, and the first openly
lesbian
Minister
of Christian Democratic signature in a Dutch
Cabinet
. Since June 17, 2010 she is again a Member of Parliament.
lesbian
and lives with her partner Willy Westerlaken in Woerden
.
Zwammerdam
Zwammerdam is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Alphen aan den Rijn, and lies about 6 km southeast of Alphen aan de Rijn.In 2001, the town of Zwammerdam had 1709 inhabitants...
) is a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and former politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leader. Since July 1, 2011 she is Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the Food and Agriculture Organization
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
(FAO) in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, succeeding former CDA politician Agnes van Ardenne. As a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
(Christen-Democratisch Appèl) she was an MP from 1998 to 2007 and again from 2010 to 2011. She also served as Minister of Agriculture in the fourth Balkenende cabinet
Fourth Balkenende cabinet
The fourth Balkenende cabinet or Balkenende IV is the previous Dutch coalition cabinet formed by the political parties Christian Democratic Appeal , Labour Party , and ChristianUnion . The cabinet succeeded the third Balkenende cabinet following the 2006 election, and was installed by Queen Beatrix...
from 2007 to 2010. As an MP she focused on matters of social affairs, the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
and innovation
Innovation
Innovation is the creation of better or more effective products, processes, technologies, or ideas that are accepted by markets, governments, and society...
policy.
Early life
Born in a family of farmers, She attended mavoVoorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs
The vmbo education is a school track in the Netherlands. It lasts four years, from the age of twelve to sixteen. It combines vocational training with theoretical education in languages, mathematics, history, arts and sciences...
and havo
Hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs
The havo or hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs is a stream in the secondary educational system of the Netherlands. It has five grades and is generally attended from age twelve to seventeen...
at Protestant schools
Special school (Netherlands)
A special school , in the education system of the Netherlands, is a separate category from a public or private school. It is not to be confused with "speciaal onderwijs", which refers to schools specialized to deal with severe learning disabilities.It is administered by an independent board, as...
in Bodegraven
Bodegraven
Bodegraven is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covers an area of 38.50 km² of which 1.02 km² is water....
and Alphen aan de Rijn. After completing her secondary education she studied personnel work and labour relations at IJsselpoort Protestant School of Social Work in Kampen
Kampen (Overijssel)
Kampen is a municipality, a city and an old Hanseatic city at the lower reaches of the river IJssel in the Dutch province of Overijssel.The municipality of Kampen counts 50,073 inhabitants in an area of approximately 162 km² . Kampen is located in the North West of Overijssel and is the...
from 1976 to 1980. Verburg began to work for Christian Rural Youth as general-secretary. In 1982 she began to work for the National Federation of Christian Trade Unions in the Netherlands
Christelijk Nationaal Vakverbond
The Christelijk Nationaal Vakverbond is a federation of trade unions of the Netherlands.-History:...
. Between 1982 and 1986 as youth worker of the construction trade union and between 1986 and 1990 as chair of the CNV-youth labour union. Between 1990 and 1997 she was on the union's board and she represented the union in the Social Economic Council and the European Trade Union Confederation
European Trade Union Confederation
The European Trade Union Confederation is a trade union organization which was established in 1973 to represent workers and their national affiliates at the European level....
. Between 1997 and 1998 she worked as a businesswoman in communication and projects. Verburg has also been a member of the Social and Economic Council and the Labour Foundation. She has served on the executive committee of the European Trade Union Confederation, and on the boards of the Interchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation, the Royal Dutch Equestrian Sports Federation (KNHS) and Stichting Geuzenverzet.
Politics
In Dutch general election of 1998Dutch general election, 1998
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on 6 May 1998.-Result:...
she was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives for the Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
. She was one of the few Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
members who voted in favour of the legalisation of gay marriages
Same-sex marriage in the Netherlands
Same-sex marriage has been legal in the Netherlands since 1 April 2001...
.
In 2003 she was candidate for President for the House of Representatives, but she was defeated by People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
candidate Frans Weisglas
Frans Weisglas
Frans Willy Weisglas is a retired Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He served as President of the House of Representatives from May 16, 2002 until November 30, 2006. He was the first elected president...
.
Verburg was from 2003 Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Party
Parliamentary group leader
The leader or chairman of a parliamentary group holds an influential political post in a parliamentary system with strong party discipline...
in House of Representatives. She was the chair of the Christian Democratic Appeal
Christian Democratic Appeal
The Christian Democratic Appeal is a centre-right Dutch Christian democratic political party. It suffered severe losses in the 2010 elections and fell from the first to the fourth place...
commission on social affairs.
From February 22, 2007 till October 14, 2010 she was Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (Netherlands)
The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality was formerly the ministry of agriculture of the Netherlands...
in the Cabinet Balkenende IV, and the first openly
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
of Christian Democratic signature in a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Cabinet
Cabinet of the Netherlands
The cabinet of the Netherlands is the main executive body of the Dutch government. The current cabinet of the Netherlands is the Rutte cabinet.-Composition and role:...
. Since June 17, 2010 she is again a Member of Parliament.
Private life
Verburg is openlyComing out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
and lives with her partner Willy Westerlaken in Woerden
Woerden
Woerden is a municipality and a city in the central Netherlands. Due to its central location between Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, and the fact that it has excellent rail and road connections to those cities, it is a popular town for commuters who work in those cities.-Population...
.