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Petra Stienen | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Stienen in 2015 | |
| Senator of theNetherlands | |
| Assumed office 9 June 2015 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Catharina Petra Wilhelmina Johanna Stienen (1965-05-08)8 May 1965 (age 59) Roermond, Netherlands |
| Political party | Democrats 66(from 2015) |
| Residence(s) | The Hague, Netherlands |
| Alma mater | Leiden University;Cairo University;SOAS University of London |
| Occupation | Politician writer columnist diplomat |
| Website | www |
Petra Stienen (born 1965) is a Dutch human rights advocate with more than thirty years’ experience in diplomacy, international relations, civil society, social entrepreneurship and politics.
After a career as a diplomat for the Netherlands and her work as an independent advisor, she waselected in June 2015 as a member of theSenate representing theDemocrats 66 political party. Stienen is renowned for her insightful political commentary on theArab world, particularly during theArab revolutions, where she focused on amplifying diverse voices advocating for social justice, dignity, and equality.
Petra Stienen was born inRoermond in the southern part of the Netherlands. Raised in modest circumstances, with her father working as a house painter and her mother as a housewife, she was brought up in theRoman Catholic faith. Her background profoundly influenced her commitment to advancing human rights, especially for girls and women, while championing equal opportunities and social justice for all.[1]
She pursued her studies inArabic language atLeiden University andCairo University, eventually earning a master's degree inMiddle Eastern studies from theSchool of Oriental and African Studies in the United Kingdom.[1]
In 1992, Stienen embarked on her diplomatic career, joining theDutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She was stationed inCairo until 1999, where her work focused on human rights, development, and culture. From 1999 to 2004, she served inDamascus, Syria, addressing asylum and human rights issues. Upon returning to the Netherlands in 2004, she became a senior policy official at the Gender department of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2005 to 2009, she assumed the role of deputy head of the North America department, concentrating on bilateral relations with the United States.[2][3]
In September 2009, Petra Stienen left her diplomatic career behind to pursue a consultancy path. Her clients included government agencies, non-governmental organizations, governments, and international companies.[4] Her columns were regularly featured in the feminist magazineOpzij and the daily newspaper the Limburger, she also wrote forNRC Handelsblad andde Volkskrant. Stienen authored four books during this period. She became a well-known television and radio commentator on Middle Eastern politics, particularly during the Arab revolutions, and frequently engaged as a public speaker on topics such as the role of the Netherlands and Europe in the Middle East, integration, women's rights, and gender equality.
Additionally, she is recognized for her professional moderation of conferences and seminars related to international affairs, human rights, and gender equality. Stienen has also coached leaders across various domains on charismatic leadership.[5]
In the2015 Dutch Senate election, Stienen was elected as a representative of theDemocrats 66 party and was sworn in on 9 June 2015. She made significant legislative contributions, including the passage of the Environmental Act bill.[2] In 2019, she was elected for a second term, with a focus on asylum and migration legislation. Stienen was a member of the parliamentary inquiry committee on anti-discrimination legislation and played a key role in the adoption of a feminist foreign policy by the Dutch government.
As a member of the Dutch Senate, Stienen has served on the Netherlands delegation to theParliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) since 2017, and she led the delegation from 2019 to 2023. She has been a member of theAlliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE-PACE group) and served on committees related to equality, non-discrimination, migration, and human rights.[6][7]
Petra Stienen believes in giving part of her time to voluntary work and board memberships in the cultural and social sector. This is a selection of her activities:
In February 2012, Stienen was awarded the Women in the Media Award 2011 in recognition of her communication talent.[4] In 2013 the province ofLimburg awarded her with the Prince Bernhard Culture Fund Limburg Inspiration Prize for her writings on diversity and inclusion. In 2016, Stienen was awarded theAletta Jacobs Prize by theUniversity of Groningen for "using her work to represent and transmit the voices of women who would otherwise not be heard".[10]
Stienen resides inThe Hague.[1][2]
Senate 11 June 2019 – 13 June 2023 | ||
| People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD – 12) |  | |
| Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA – 9) | ||
| GroenLinks (GL – 8) | ||
| Democrats 66 (D66 – 7) | ||
| Labour Party (PvdA – 6) | ||
| Party for Freedom (PVV – 5) | ||
| Socialist Party (SP – 4) | ||
| Christian Union (CU – 3) | ||
| Party for the Animals (PvdD – 3) | ||
| 50PLUS (50+ – 2) | ||
| Reformed Political Party (SGP – 2) | ||
| Forum for Democracy (FVD – 3) | ||
| Independent Senate Group (OSF – 1) | ||
| Nanninga Group (Indep. – 7) | ||
| Otten Group (Indep. – 2) | ||
| Frentrop Group (Indep. – 2) | ||
Bold indicates theparliamentary leader (first mentioned) and thePresident; (Brackets) indicate a temporarily absent member; Italics indicate a temporary member; ‹Guillemets› indicate a member who has left the Senate See also:Members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, 2017–2021 ·2021–2023 | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
