View source for Elisabeth Rehn

{{Short description|Finnish politician and diplomat}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Elisabeth Rehn in 2015.jpg
| honorific_prefix = Minister <!-- Minister (Finnish: Ministeri; Swedish: Minister) is an honorary title bestowed by the President of Finland --> 
| name = Elisabeth Rehn
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|list=[[Order of the Cross of Liberty|VR 1]]}}
| caption = Rehn at [[The House of Culture (Stockholm)|The House of Culture]] in [[Stockholm]] in 2015
| birth_name = Märta Elisabeth Carlberg
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1935|04|06|df=yes}} 
| birth_place =[[Helsinki]], Finland
| residence =
| office = [[Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations|Special Representative and Coordinator]] of the [[United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina|Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina]]<ref name="ICC_qualifications">{{cite web |title=Rehn, Elisabeth (Finland) – Statement of qualifications |url=https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/NR/rdonlyres/8C3D0525-4A62-470C-9350-A570F815B5DE/0/ICCASPTFV2009FINSTENG.pdf |website=[[International Criminal Court]] |access-date=2022-06-21}}</ref>
| 2blankname = {{nowrap|[[Secretary-General of the United Nations|Secretary-General]]}}
| 2namedata = [[Kofi Annan]]
| term_start = 16 January 1998
| term_end = 15 July 1999
| predecessor = [[Kai Eide]]<ref name="NATO_1197">{{cite web |title=SFOR Transcript of Press Briefing, 27 Nov. 1997 (Coalition Press Information Centre, Tito Barracks) |url=https://www.nato.int/sfor/trans/1997/t971127b.htm |website=[[NATO]] |access-date=2022-06-21 |date=1997-11-27}}</ref>
| successor =
| office2 = [[United Nations special rapporteur|Special Rapporteur]] on the situation of human rights in the former [[Yugoslavia]]<ref name="ICC_qualifications"/>
| 2blankname2 = {{nowrap|Secretary-General}}
| 2namedata2 = Kofi Annan
| term_start2 = 27 September 1995
| term_end2 = 15 January 1998
| predecessor2 = [[Tadeusz Mazowiecki]]<ref name="UPI_0995">{{cite web |title=New Balkans rights investigator named |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1995/09/29/New-Balkans-rights-investigator-named/9048812347200/ |website=[[United Press International]] |access-date=2022-06-21 |language=en |date=1995-09-29}}</ref>
| successor2 = [[Jiří Dienstbier]]<ref name="OHCHR_0398">{{cite web |title=New Special Rapporteur on Situation of Human Rights in the Former Yugoslavia Appointed |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2009/10/new-special-rapporteur-situation-human-rights-former-yugoslavia-appointed |website=[[Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights]] |access-date=2022-06-21 |language=en |date=1998-03-13}}</ref>
| office3 = [[Member of the European Parliament|Member]] of the [[European Parliament]]<ref>{{cite web |title=4th parliamentary term MEPs: Elisabeth REHN. Finland |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/2118/ELISABETH_REHN/history/4 |website=[[European Parliament]] |date=6 April 1935 |access-date=2022-06-21 |language=en}}</ref>
| term_start3 = 1 January 1995
| term_end3 = 10 November 1996
| predecessor3 = ''Position established''
| office4 = [[Minister of Defence (Finland)|Minister of Defence of Finland]]<ref name="valtioneuvosto">{{Cite web |title=Rehn, Märta Elisabeth |url=https://valtioneuvosto.fi/tietoa/historiaa/hallitukset-ja-ministerit/raportti/-/r/m2/383 |access-date=23 March 2022 |website=Valtioneuvosto |language=fi}}</ref>
| primeminister4 = [[Harri Holkeri]]<br />[[Esko Aho]]
| term_start4 = 13 June 1990
| term_end4 = 1 January 1995
| predecessor4 = [[Ole Norrback]] 
| successor4 = [[Jan-Erik Enestam]]
| office5 = Member of the [[parliament of Finland]] for [[Uusimaa (constituency)|Uusimaa]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Kansanedustajat > Elisabeth Rehn |url=https://www.eduskunta.fi/FI/kansanedustajat/Sivut/233.aspx |website=[[Parliament of Finland]] |access-date=2022-06-21 |language=fi-FI}}</ref>
| term_start5 = 24 March 1979
| term_end5 = 23 March 1995
| subterm5 = 1987–1990
| suboffice5 = Parliamentary leader of the Swedish People's Party
| party = [[Swedish People's Party of Finland|Swedish People's Party]]
| religion = 
| occupation = {{flatlist|
* Politician
* diplomat }}
| majority = 
| relations =
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Ove Rehn]]|1955|2004|end=d}}
| children = 4, including [[Veronica Rehn-Kivi]]
| website = 
| footnotes = 
}}
'''Märta Elisabeth Rehn''' {{post-nominals|list=[[Order of the Cross of Liberty|VR 1]]}} ({{Nee|'''Carlberg'''}}; born 6 April 1935) is a Finnish former politician and diplomat. She served as the [[Minister of Defence (Finland)|Minister of Defence]] of Finland during 1990 to 1995 and as an [[Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations]] during 1998 to 1999.<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 April 1996 |title=Women in High Places Defense Minister: Finland's 44-Year-Old Anneli Taina Oversees Huge Modernization Drive |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1996-04-15-1996106069-story.html |access-date=23 March 2022}}</ref> She was also a member of the [[Finnish Parliament]] and parliamentary leader of the [[Swedish People's Party of Finland]], and a [[member of the European Parliament]].

==Early life and education==
Rehn was born on 6 April 1935 in [[Helsinki]], Finland. She spent her childhood in [[Mäntsälä]], where her father worked as a community medical doctor. Rehn went to a local school in Mäntsälä before entering a boarding school in [[Kauniainen]].

Rehn received a Master of Science degree in economics from [[Hanken School of Economics]] in 1957 and has [[Honorary degree|honorary doctorates]] in [[political science]] from both Hanken School of Economics and [[Åbo Akademi University]] and an honorary doctorate in military science from the [[National Defence University (Finland)|National Defence University]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Westerholm |first=Hanna |date=2021-09-21 |title=Gyllene studietider på Hanken {{!}} hanken |url=https://www.hanken.fi/sv/om-hanken/aktuellt/bloggar-poddar/gyllene-studietider-pa-hanken |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=[[Hanken School of Economics]] |language=sv}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Weckström |first=Leif |date=2017-12-04 |title=Elisabeth Rehn: Nu är det dags att sluta fira kriget |url=https://www.hbl.fi/artikel/38637d6f-100e-4826-9d19-0d9eac4ab235 |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=[[Hufvudstadsbladet]] |language=sv-FI}}</ref>

In the early 1960s, she was recognized as the first person in Finland to import and market plastic [[Tupperware]] containers.

==Career==
Rehn was first elected as a member of parliament for [[Uusimaa (constituency)|Uusimaa]] in 1979. She was the parliamentary leader of the Swedish People's Party of Finland from 1987 to 1990.<ref name="g2w">{{Cite web |title=Female Defense Ministers |url=http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/Defence_ministers.htm |access-date=7 July 2013 |website=Guide2WomenLeaders}}</ref>

She was appointed as Minister of Defence to the [[Holkeri Cabinet]], succeeding [[Ole Norrback]], in 1990. Upon her assumption of office on 13 June 1990, she became the first [[List of female defence ministers|female defence minister]] of a European nation and the sixth in the world.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Henley |first=Jon |date=19 May 2017 |title=Europe's Defence Minister Roles Become Female Stronghold |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/19/europes-defence-minister-roles-become-female-stronghold-sylvie-goulard |access-date=23 March 2022}}</ref> When [[Esko Aho]] succeeded [[Harri Holkeri]] as [[Prime Minister of Finland]] in 1991, Rehn was retained as defence minister and, in addition, was appointed Minister of Equality Affairs in the [[Ministry of Social Affairs and Health]].<ref name="valtioneuvosto"/> During her tenure in office, a law was passed permitting women to perform voluntary [[National service|national military service]].

Her popularity in office led to the Swedish People's Party candidacy in the [[1994 Finnish presidential election]]. She earned enough votes in early elections to make it to the final round, in which she faced diplomat [[Martti Ahtisaari]] of the [[Social Democratic Party of Finland]]. She received 46.1% of the final vote.<ref name="Boustany1">{{cite news |last1=Boustany |first1=Nora |author-link=Nora Boustany |date=1995-11-07 |title=The Woman In No Man's Land |language=en |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1995/11/07/the-woman-in-no-mans-land/363f6d37-8685-4a5b-b6e0-35f2c365d922/ |access-date=2022-06-27}}</ref>

Rehn was appointed a [[Member of the European Parliament|member]] of the [[European Parliament]] (MEP) for [[List of members of the European Parliament for Finland, 1995–1996|Finland during the 1995–1996]] period of the [[Fourth European Parliament]], a position established as part of the [[1995 enlargement of the European Union]]. Her term began on 1 January 1995 and she remained in office until 10 November 1996.<ref name=g2w/>

On 27 September 1995, the [[Secretary-General of the United Nations]], [[Kofi Annan]], appointed Rehn as [[United Nations special rapporteur|Special Rapporteur]] on the situation of human rights in the [[Republic of Croatia]], [[FRY]], [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]], and [[North Macedonia|Republic of Macedonia]] – collectively, the states comprising the former [[Yugoslavia]]. After several years as Special Rapporteur, she was appointed an [[Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations]], with the specific assignment of [[Special Representative of the Secretary-General]] and Coordinator of the [[United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina]], an office she held during 16 January 1998 to 15 July 1999. While on assignment, she was one of the earliest observers to visit the mass graves of the [[Srebrenica massacre]].

==Other activities==
Elisabeth Rehn and Lamija Tanović were the key founding members and patrons of the [[United World College in Mostar|United World College]] in [[Mostar]], Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Rehn was a member of the [[Global Leadership Foundation]] (GLF) until November 2017. GLF is an organization which works to support democratic leadership, prevent and resolve conflict through mediation and promote good governance in the form of democratic institutions, open markets, human rights and the rule of law. It does so by making available, discreetly and in confidence, the experience of former leaders to today's national leaders. It is a non-profit organization composed of former heads of government, senior governmental and international organization officials who work closely with heads of government on governance-related issues of concern to them.

=== Memberships and NGO positions ===

* [[European Leadership Network]]
* [[Femmes Africa Solidarité]], Advisory Board member, 2005–
* [[Finnish Red Cross]], Vice-chair, 1984–1988
* Global Leadership Foundation, {{0}}–2017
* [[Intellibridge]], Advisory Council member
* [[International Court of Justice]], Trust Fund for Victims, Board of Directors member
* [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]], Court of Conciliation and Arbitration of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe member, 1994–
* Regional Women's Lobby South Eastern Europe, Advisory Board member
* [[UNICEF]], Finnish Committee member, 1982–1994
** Chair of the Standing Group of the National Committees of UNICEF, 1988–1993
* [[United Nations Development Fund for Women|UNIFEM]]
** Independent expert on women's role in peace-building, 2001–2003
** Global study on the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325, High Level Advisory Group member, 2015
* UNIFEM Finland, Vice-chair of the Board, 2003–2005
* [[World Wide Fund for Nature|WWF]] Finland, Chair of Board of Trustees, 2000–2006
* [[Zonta International]], International Honorary Member

Sources:<ref name="ICC_qualifications"/><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Elisabeth Rehn, Network participant |url=https://www.europeanleadershipnetwork.org/person/elisabeth-rehn/ |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=[[European Leadership Network]] |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2002 |title=Women, War, Peace: The Independent Experts' Assessment on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Women and Women's Role in Peace-Building (Progress of the World's Women 2002, Vol. 1) – Experts' Biographical Sketches |url=https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Media/Publications/UNIFEM/269_experts_bios.pdf |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=[[United Nations Development Fund for Women]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015 |title=Global study on the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325 – High-level Advisory Group, About |url=https://wps.unwomen.org/advisory/ |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=[[United Nations Development Fund for Women]]}}</ref>

== Works ==

* {{Cite journal |last1=Rehn |first1=Elisabeth |last2=Johnson Sirleaf |first2=Ellen |author-link2=Ellen Johnson Sirleaf |date=2002 |title=Women, War and Peace: The Independent Experts' Assessment on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Women and Women's Role in Peace-building |url=https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/3F71081FF391653DC1256C69003170E9-unicef-WomenWarPeace.pdf |journal=Progress of the World's Women 2002 |publisher=[[United Nations Development Fund for Women]] |volume=1 |isbn=9780912917665}}
* {{Cite news |last1=Rehn |first1=Elisabeth |last2=Aimé |first2=Jean Claude |date=2005 |title=UNDP in the Occupied Palestinian Territory: Programme Review 2005 |publisher=[[United Nations Development Programme]]}}
* {{Cite news |last1=Kang |first1=Kyung-wha |author-link=Kyung-wha Kang |last2=Rehn |first2=Elisabeth |last3=Mukwege |first3=Denis |author-link3= Denis Mukwege |date=2011-03-03 |title=Report of the Panel on Remedies and Reparations for Victims of Sexual Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the High Commissioner for Human Rights |publisher=[[United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights]]}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-03-03 |title=UN report outlines stark situation of victims of sexual violence in DR Congo |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2011/03/un-report-outlines-stark-situation-victims-sexual-violence-dr-congo |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=[[Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights]] |language=en |type=Press release}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Rehn was married to [[Ove Rehn]] from 1955 until his death in 2004, and they have four children: Joakim, Charlotta, Johan, and [[Veronica Rehn-Kivi]], a member of parliament.

Rehn is a two-time [[cancer survivor]]. She recovered from [[colon cancer]] in the 1990s and was diagnosed with [[breast cancer]] in 2000.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jäntti |first=Elina |date=5 July 2007 |title=Rehn: "Syöpä ei ole maailmanloppu" |work=[[Iltalehti]] |url=https://www.iltalehti.fi/viihde/a/200707046317399 |access-date=23 March 2022}}</ref>

==Honours and awards==
===Honours===
====National honours====
* {{Flag|Finland}}: [[Order of the Cross of Liberty]], 1st class (2002)<ref name="HS_202206">{{cite news |title=Halosella säästölinja mitalijaossa |url=https://www.hs.fi/kotimaa/art-2000004104370.html |access-date=2022-06-22 |work=[[Helsingin Sanomat]] |date=2002-12-06 |language=fi}}</ref>

====Foreign honours====
* {{Flag|Estonia}}: [[Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana]], 1st class (2003)<ref name="Postimees_200302">{{cite news |title=Teenetemärgid |url=https://www.postimees.ee/1997201/teenetemargid |access-date=2022-06-22 |work=[[Postimees]] |date=2003-02-03 |language=et}}</ref>

===Awards===
* {{Flagicon|FIN}} {{ill|Axel Olof Freudenthal Medal|fi|Axel Olof Freudenthal -mitali}} – Gold (see [[Axel Olof Freudenthal]]), Swedish People's Party of Finland (1994)
* {{Flagicon|FIN}} Honorary Doctorate in Political Science, [[Hanken School of Economics]] (1994)
* {{Flagicon|FIN}} {{ill|Fredrika Runeberg Stipend|fi|Fredrika Runebergin stipendi|sv|Fredrika Runeberg-stipendiet}} (see [[Fredrika Runeberg]]), Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland (1996)
* {{Flagicon|FIN}} Sibelius Medal, Lions Club Jean Sibelius in [[Järvenpää]] (2 January 1996)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sibelius-mitali |url=https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/jeansibelius/projects.php#Lions_nuorisovaihto |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=Lions Club Jean Sibelius / Järvenpää |language=fi}}</ref>
* {{Flagicon|FIN}} Honorary Doctorate in Political Science, [[Åbo Akademi University]] (1998)
* {{Flagicon|FIN}} {{ill|St. Henry's Cross|fi|Pyhän Henrikin risti}}, [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland]] (2013)
* {{Flagicon|FIN}} Honorary Doctorate in Military Science, [[National Defence University (Finland)|National Defence University]] (2013)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://www.elisabethrehn.com}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rehn, Elisabeth}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Candidates for President of Finland]]
[[Category:Diplomats from Helsinki]]
[[Category:Female defence ministers]]
[[Category:Finnish women diplomats]]
[[Category:Hanken School of Economics alumni]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of Finland (1979–1983)]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of Finland (1983–1987)]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of Finland (1987–1991)]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of Finland (1991–1995)]]
[[Category:Ministers of defence of Finland]]
[[Category:Politicians from Helsinki]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Liberty, 1st Class]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, 1st Class]]
[[Category:Special Representatives of the Secretary-General of the United Nations]]
[[Category:Swedish People's Party of Finland MEPs]]
[[Category:Swedish People's Party of Finland politicians]]
[[Category:Swedish-speaking Finns]]
[[Category:Under-Secretaries-General of the United Nations]]
[[Category:United Nations experts]]
[[Category:United Nations special rapporteurs]]
[[Category:Women government ministers of Finland]]
[[Category:Women members of the Parliament of Finland]]
[[Category:20th-century women MEPs for Finland]]
[[Category:Zonta International people]]