About the minister

Ragna Árnadóttir - Minister of Justice and Human Rights

Ragna Árnadóttir dóms- og kirkjumálaráðherra

Ragna Árnadóttir, cand. jur., LL.M., was born on 30 August 1966 in Reykjavík.

2009 Prime Minister’s Office: Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary as from 15 January 2009
2002-present Ministry of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs. Director of Legal Affairs. Deputy Permanent Secretary (since 15 July 2006). Also: Acting Permanent Secretary 15 April-1 October 2008. Personell Manager since 1 October 2005.
2001-2002 Ministry of Health and Social Security, Head of Division, Legal Office.
1996-1999 The Nordic Council´s Secretariat in Copenhagen, Senior Adviser.
1995-1996 The Nordic Council´s Secretariat in Stockholm, Senior Adviser.
1991-1995 Parliament of Iceland (Althingi), Legal Expert. Secretary of the following Permanent Committees: The General Committee (1991-1995), Fisheries Committee (1991-1995), Constitution Committee (1994-1995), Social Committee (1994-1995), Economic and Trade Committee (1992-1993), Health and Social Security Committee (1991-1993), Industry Committee (1991-1992).

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2006 Reykjavík University, lecturer.
2007 University of Iceland. Lectures on the Preparation and Drafting of Legislation.

2004- Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Law Gazette (Lagasafn).
2004-2008 Vice-chairman of the Complaints Committee on Equal Status.
2007 Chairman of a working group to write a Manual on the preparation and drafting of legislation, published by the Prime Minister´s Office, Ministry of Justice and the Parliament of Iceland in November 2007, ISBN 978-9979-884-40-8.
2005-2007 Member of a Committee on Measures against Money Laundering.
2005-2006 Member of a Committee to examine the Provisions of the Aarhus Convention.
2004-2006 Member of a Committee to discuss issues related to Economic Crime Offences.
2004-2006 Chairman of a Committee to examine and discuss legislation against Prostitution and Human Trafficking. The Committee´s report was published by the Ministry of Justice in February 2006, ISBN 9979-884-35-5.
2003-2004 Chairman of a Committee to draft legislation implementing Directive 2002/47/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 June 2002 on financial collateral arrangements.
2002-2003 Chairman of a Committe to review legislation on Execution of Sentences.

International Legal Cooperation, i.a.

2002- Head of delegation to GRECO (The Council of Europe´s Group of States against corruption).
2002- Member of Iceland´s delegations to meetings of the following United Nation´s Human Rights Treaty Bodies (consideration of periodic reports): Human Rights Committee (CCPR), Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
2002- Member of the Nordic Council of Ministers´ Committee of Senior Officials for Legislative Issues.

2008 Hvernig má vanda betur til lagasetningar? Lecture published in: Rannsóknir í Félagsvísindum IX. Editor: Trausti Fannar Valsson.
2004 Status of Protocol No. 12 in the Five Nordic Countries: Iceland. Speech published in: Phohibition of Discrimination in the Nordic Countries: The Complicated Fate of Protocol No. 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights. Proceedings from the Nordic Round Table on ECHR Protocol No. 12 in the Nordic Countries, held in Copenhagen on the 13th and 14th of December 2004. ISBN 87-90744-89-6. The Danish Institute for Human Rights 2005.
2004 The Nordic Countries as a participant in international co-operation. Speech given on the Conference on Women, Power and the Law, University of Iceland - August 27, 2004.
2003 Lovgivningspolitik i Island. Lecture published in: Lagstiftningspolitik. Nordisk Seminarium om lagstiftningspolitik, TemaNord 2005:516, ISBN 92-893-1130-4. Nordic Council of Ministers 2005.
1992-1995 Revision of legal references in the book Umhverfisréttur, ISBN 9979-54-117-2, by Dr. Gunnar G. Schram.