A record number are standing for the Folketing - Najannguaq Hegelund is one of them

Najannguaq Hegelund (37) is among the 24 candidates who have chosen to run for Parliament.

She represents the Naleraq party, which is also running with Karina Zeeb, Oliver Bech and Juno Berthelsen.

One of Najannguaq Hegelund's key issues is legal certainty for Greenlandic parents in Denmark, which she has been working on in depth for the past many years.

Legal certainty in Denmark

During her studies in Denmark, Najannguaq Hegelund became interested in why so many Greenlanders had their children placed in foster care.

– At first I thought it must be due to violence, sexual abuse or alcohol, but when I investigated the area more closely, I realized that it was far from black and white. Often it was about a gray area of ​​lack of parenting skills. I started to get in touch with Greenlandic parents via Facebook, many of whom had no network in Denmark and who received no help.

– That started my journey within the placement area, where I gradually found out that legal certainty for Greenlandic parents was severely lacking. They were not offered interpretation for important conversations, and they experienced bias and prejudice during testing. Many parents subsequently did not understand at all why their children had been placed, says Najannguaq Hegelund, who ended up writing a thesis about Greenlandic parents and their children's experiences with the placement system.

In addition, she joined the association Mentor Immanuel, and later helped found the association Sila 360 together with lawyer Tina Naamansen. The association was recently awarded funds from the North Atlantic Fund, which enables Najannguaq Hegelund to work full-time for the association.

Formative years in Greenland

In private life, Najannguaq Hegelund is married to Miki Hegelund with whom she has three children aged 16, 11 and 9. She was born in Maniitsoq, but lived in Denmark until she was 9. She then moved back to Greenland, where she has lived in Maniitsoq, Aasiaat, Sisimiut and Nuuk.

– I have been around a lot in both Denmark and Greenland. But in my formative years I lived in Greenland. It has shaped me as a person.

About the possibility of getting one of the two coveted seats in the Folketinget, says Najannguaq Hegelund. – Everything is open. I believe that my chances are as good as others who are running. There are many strong profiles among the candidates, but what sets me apart is my experience of working closely with people and creating concrete changes, which is clearly reflected in my volunteer work. At the same time, I have not deviated from my principles or opinions at any time.