Inga Sæland says poverty shaped her political mission

Inga Sæland, Iceland’s education and children’s minister, says her experience of raising a family in poverty shaped her decision to enter politics and drives her work against child poverty, mbl.is reports. Fourteen measures to tackle child poverty in Iceland were presented at a symposium at the Veröld – House of Vigdís venue.

“I was going to become the best lawyer in the world and help people who were struggling and unable to seek justice,” Sæland told mbl.is. “Things can change like this. I’m a bit impulsive, but now I’m in a position where I can genuinely help, and I intend to do so.”

Among the measures are a comprehensive review of the child benefit system, removing enrolment fees at upper secondary schools, setting up an incentive fund and making an agreement with ÍSÍ.

Sæland said she was speaking from her own experience as a parent in poverty. Her husband had a broken arm for six years following repeated medical errors, she said, leaving the family with few ways to support themselves.

The family struggled for years while raising four children. Her oldest son could not continue at upper secondary school because they could not afford his bus pass. Her daughter had to stop violin lessons because the family could not pay for them.

Her second-oldest son was a promising young footballer whom clubs in Iceland were competing to recruit, Sæland said. But the family could not afford football boots for him. He ended up at home with bleeding toes, gave up and chose to work instead, she said.

Sæland said the issue was close to her heart and led her to found the People’s Party. She said she decided to establish a political party and work to end poverty in Iceland after hearing in January 2016 that 9.1 per cent of children in the country lived in poverty.