Rika De Backer

Rika De Backer, also known as Rika De Backer-Van Ocken, (1923 – 2002) was a Belgian conservative politician. Being a member of the Christian People's Party she was the minister of culture from 1974 to 1981. She also served at the European Parliament between 1984 and 1989.

Rika De Backer
Minister of Culture
In office
24 April 1974 – 1981
Succeeded byKarel Poma
Personal details
Born1 February 1923
Antwerp
Died6 May 2002(2002-05-06) (aged 79)
Weert, Netherlands
Political partyChristian People's Party
SpouseHerman De Backer
Children7

Early life and education

De Becker was born in Antwerp on 1 February 1923.[1][2] She obtained a degree in history in 1944.[3]

Career and activities

Following World War II De Backer joined the Catholic Workers Women's Guilds where she involved in activities to promote women's suffrage.[3] She was a member of the Christian People's Party.[2] Her political career began in 1968 when she became vice chair of the party's Antwerp branch.[3]

De Backer was appointed minister of culture and Flemish affairs on 24 April 1974 to the first cabinet of Leo Tindemans,[2] being the first Belgian woman to hold a ministerial post.[4] In this capacity she founded the Flemish Cultural Center in Amsterdam.[4] She remained in office until late 1981 and was replaced by Karel Poma in the post.[5][6] She named as the state secretary for the Flemish community in 1979.[3] De Backer continued to serve in the post in the cabinet led by Prime Minister Gaston Eyskens between April and December 1981.[5]

De Backer also served as a senator between 1971 and 1984.[3][7] She was elected to the European Parliament in 1984 being part of the European People's Party and served there until 1989.[1] She also headed the Agence de Coopération Technique or the Flemish development agency.[8]

Personal life, death and legacy

De Backer married Herman De Backer with whom she had seven children.[3] She died of liver cancer in Weert on 6 May 2002.[2]

One of the streets in Antwerp is named after Rika De Backer.[9]

References
  1. "Rika M.R. De Backer-Van Ocken" (in French). European Parliament. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  2. "Brève. Rika De Backer, ex-ministre". La Libre (in French). 5 May 2002. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  3. "Gewezen CVP-minister Rika De Backer overleden". De Standaard (in Dutch). 5 May 2002. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  4. Hans Vanacker. "Septentrion". dbnl.org (in French). p. 93. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  5. "Proposition de déclaration de révision des articles 99 et 104 de la Constitution en vue d'insérer des dispositions nouvelles relatives à l'égalité de représentation des femmes et des hommes" (in French). Sénat de Belgique. 5 June 1997. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  6. Gertjan Willems (2014). "Conscience's De Leeuw van Vlaanderen (The Lion of Flanders) and Its Adaptation to Film by Claus". Comparative Literature and Culture. 16 (3). doi:10.7771/1481-4374.2318.
  7. "Du dialogue communautaire de l'hiver 1976-1977 au pacte communautaire de mai 1977 (iii)". Courrier Hebdomadaire du CRISP (in French). 37–38 (783–784): 1. 1977. doi:10.3917/cris.783.0001.
  8. Philippe Denis (2021). "The Missionaries of Africa and the Rwandan Genocide". Journal of Religion in Africa. 50 (1–2): 126. doi:10.1163/15700666-12340180. S2CID 238700091.
  9. "Anvers travaille à la féminisation de ses noms de rues". RTBF (in French). 6 December 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
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