Cecilie Thoresen Krog

Ida Cecilie Thoresen Krog (née Thoresen; 7 March 1858 – 13 November 1911) was a Norwegian women's rights pioneer and Liberal Party politician, and the first female university student in Norway. She was the first president of the women's rights association Skuld and a co-founder and vice president of its successor, the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights. She was also a co-founder and board member of the Norwegian Women's Public Health Association. She was active in the Liberal Party and her liberal views also colored her involvement in the women's rights movement. She was elected a deputy representative in Christiania City Council for the Liberal Party in 1901, as one of the first women elected to a political office in Norway.

Personal life She was born in Eidsvoll as a daughter of physician Nils Windfeldt Thoresen (1822–1907) and Marie Johanne Benneche (1827–99). She grew up together with her sister and three brothers. As a young girl she enjoyed skiing, including ski jumping. She married lawyer Fredrik Arentz Krog in 1887, and was the mother of journalist and playwright Helge Krog. She was the sister-in-law of teacher, politician and fellow women's rights activist Gina Krog. She died in Kristiania in 1911, after having suffered from infective endocarditis for several years.

Education Thoresen attended private schools before enrolling at Nissen Girls' School in Kristiania (now Oslo), one of Norway's leading schools for girls. She completed her studies there in 1879 at about age 21.

At the time, women in Norway were not permitted to take the examen artium, the examination required for admission to university. Determined to continue her studies, Thoresen sought permission to sit the examination. Her father wrote to the Ministry of Church and Education Affairs requesting that she be allowed to take it, but the request was refused.

In 1884, Thoresen helped found the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights and became a member of its first board. The organization became a central body advocating reforms to improve women's legal and social status in Norway. Thoresen remained active in the association for many years and later served as its deputy chair from 1903 until her death in 1911.

In addition to her work in voluntary organizations, Thoresen participated in political life through the Liberal Party. In 1901, she was elected a deputy representative to the Christiania City Council, becoming one of the first women elected to political office in Norway.

Thoresen was a board member of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights from its foundation in 1884 and a board member of the humanitarian organization Norwegian Women's Public Health Association from its foundation in 1896. She was a co-founder of the Norwegian National Women's Council in 1904.