{{Short description|Dutch politician (born 1973)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}} {{Infobox politician | name = Mirjam Krijnen | office = Member of the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]] | term_start = 27 September 2022 | term_end = 13 June 2023 | predecessor = [[Kees Vendrik]] | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|5|7|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Berkel-Enschot]], Netherlands | party = [[GroenLinks]] | children = 2 | alma_mater = [[Radboud University]] | occupation = {{hlist|Diplomat|charity executive|politician}} }}
'''Mirjam A.J. Krijnen'''<ref name="ek">{{Cite web |url = https://www.eerstekamer.nl/persoon/drs_m_a_j_krijnen_groenlinks |website = [[Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal]] |language = nl |access-date = 7 March 2023 |title = Drs. M.A.J. Krijnen (GroenLinks) }}</ref> (born 7 May 1973) is a Dutch diplomat and politician of the progressive party [[GroenLinks]]. She served as a member of the [[Senate (Netherlands)|Senate]] between September 2022 and June 2023, and she has worked for Aidsfonds (AIDS fund).
== Early life and career == Krijnen was born in 1973 in the [[North Brabant]] village of [[Berkel-Enschot]], where she also grew up. She studied history and the German language at [[Radboud University Nijmegen]], graduating in early 1998, and spent some time in Norway and Germany as a student.<ref name="ek"/><ref name="gl"/><ref>{{Cite web |url = https://robertcarrfund.org/about-rcf/management/the-fund-management-agent/mirjam-krijnen |website = Robert Carr Fund |title = Mirjam Krijnen |access-date = 24 October 2022 }}</ref>
Krijnen started her career in September 2000 at the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] as a Germany and Western Europe policy officer.<ref name="ek"/> Three years later, she became second secretary of development cooperation at the Dutch embassy in [[Belgrade]], and she later worked as first secretary at embassies in [[Islamabad]] (2006–08) and [[Washington, D.C.]] (2009–13).<ref name="ek"/><ref>{{Cite report |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=2zIDEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA110 |page = 110 |title = Assessment of Development Results - Serbia: Evaluation of UNDP's Contribution |date = September 2006 |publisher = [[United Nations Development Programme]] |access-date = 24 October 2022 |via = [[Google Books]] |place = New York City }}</ref> In April 2008, while she was stationed in Islamabad, embassy personnel was temporarily relocated to a luxury hotel due to security concerns as a result of the release of the short film ''[[Fitna (film)|Fitna]]'', which is critical of Islam, by Dutch politician [[Geert Wilders]]. It had sparked protests against the Netherlands in several Muslim countries.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.dawn.com/news/908566/dutch-embassy-relocated-for-security-reasons |website = [[Dawn (newspaper)|Dawn]] |access-date = 25 October 2022 |agency = [[Associated Press|AP]] |title = Dutch embassy relocated for security reasons |date = 18 April 2008 }}</ref> Following her diplomatic career, Krijnen worked for another five years at the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]], filling the positions of coordinator of the women's rights and gender equality task force and of management support director starting in May 2016.<ref name="ek"/><ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.worldbank.org/en/events/2014/09/05/the-hague-presentation-panel-voice-agency-empowering-women-girls-shared-prosperity |access-date = 25 October 2022 |title = The Hague Presentation and Panel: 'Voice and Agency: Empowering Women and Girls for Shared Prosperity' |website = [[The World Bank]] }}</ref>
She participated in the [[2019 Dutch Senate election|May 2019 Senate election]] as the ninth candidate of GroenLinks. Krijnen was not elected, as her party received eight seats.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.kiesraad.nl/adviezen-en-publicaties/proces-verbalen/2019/pvs-eerste-kamerverkiezing/zitting-bekendmaking-uitslag-ek-2019-door-csb/proces-verbaal-uitslag-eerste-kamerverkiezing-zitting-kiesraad-31-mei-2019 |format = PDF |title = Uitslag Eerste Kamerverkiezingen 2019 |trans-title = Results of the 2019 Senate election |access-date = 24 October 2022 |language = nl |website = Kiesraad |page = 24 |date = 12 June 2019 }}</ref> In September 2019, she joined the management team of Aidsfonds, an Amsterdam [[HIV/AIDS]] charity, as international programs director.<ref name="ek"/><ref name="reuters">{{Cite news |url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-world-lgbt-aids-trfn-idUSKBN2751LY |website = [[Reuters]] |access-date = 24 October 2022 |title = Global HIV response found to neglect gay and bisexual men, trans women |date = 20 October 2020 |last = Savage |first = Rachel }}</ref> After an investigation by Aidsfonds concluded that a relatively small amount of worldwide HIV/AIDS funding was spent on [[LGBT people]], Krijnen advocated for more targeted services and safe spaces, saying that LGBT people are less likely to use care for the general population due to discrimination.<ref name="reuters"/>
Krijnen was appointed to the Senate on 27 September 2022 because of her position on the [[party list]] in 2019 after Senator [[Kees Vendrik]] had stepped down to become chair of the Platform for Social Dialogue and Reflection on Climate Policy.<ref>{{Cite press release |url = https://www.eerstekamer.nl/nieuws/20220927/krijnen_groenlinks_geinstalleerd |website = Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal |date = 27 September 2022 |access-date = 24 October 2022 |language = nl |title = Krijnen (GroenLinks) geïnstalleerd als Eerste Kamerlid |trans-title = Krijnen (GroenLinks) installed as senator }}</ref> She kept working for Aidsfonds until January 2023.<ref>{{Cite press release |url = https://aidsfonds.org/news/director-of-international-programmes-mirjam-krijnen-stepping-down |website = Aidsfonds |access-date = 7 March 2023 |date = 24 November 2022 |title = Director of International Programmes Mirjam Krijnen stepping down }}</ref> Krijnen ran for [[2023 Dutch Senate elections|re-election in March 2023]], being placed 11th on the party list.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://groenlinks.nl/ek-kandidatenlijst-2022/mirjam-krijnen |title = Mirjam Krijnen |website = GroenLinks |language = nl |access-date = 7 March 2023 |archive-date = 4 June 2024 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240604112134/https://groenlinks.nl/ek-kandidatenlijst-2022/mirjam-krijnen |url-status = dead }}</ref> GroenLinks won seven seats, causing Krijnen's term to end on 13 June.<ref name="ek"/><ref>{{Cite news |website = [[de Volkskrant]] |language = nl |access-date = 29 July 2023 |url = https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/uitslag-eerste-kamer-coalitie-komt-veertien-zetels-tekort-meerderheid-kan-over-links-of-over-rechts~b7a8e862/ |date = 30 May 2023 |title = Uitslag Eerste Kamer: coalitie komt veertien zetels tekort, meerderheid kan over links of over rechts |trans-title = Election results Senate: Coalition is 14 seats short, majority possible with leftist or rightist parties }}</ref>
=== Committee memberships === * Committee on Education, Culture and Science * Committee on European Affairs * Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Development Cooperation * Committee on Health, Welfare and Sport * Committee on Justice and Security<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.eerstekamer.nl/commissies?lid=vkyyicefozy7 |website = Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal |language = nl |access-date = 24 October 2022 |title = Lidmaatschappen M.A.J. Krijnen |trans-title = Memberships M.A.J. Krijnen }}</ref>
== Personal life == Her husband is called Arend, and they have two sons.<ref name="gl">{{Cite web |url = https://www.groenlinks.nl/onze-mensen/mirjam-krijnen |title = Mirjam Krijnen |access-date = 24 October 2022 |language = nl |website = GroenLinks |archive-date = 4 June 2024 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240604113329/https://www.groenlinks.nl/onze-mensen/mirjam-krijnen |url-status = dead }}</ref> She resides in [[Voorburg]].<ref name="ek"/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Members of the Senate of the Netherlands, 2019–2023|state=collapsed}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Krijnen, Mirjam}} [[Category:21st-century Dutch diplomats]] [[Category:21st-century Dutch politicians]] [[Category:21st-century Dutch women politicians]] [[Category:Dutch nonprofit directors]] [[Category:Dutch women diplomats]] [[Category:GroenLinks politicians]] [[Category:Members of the Senate (Netherlands)]] [[Category:People from North Brabant]] [[Category:Radboud University Nijmegen alumni]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1973 births]]