Hanja Maij-Weggen

Johanna Rika Hermanna "Hanja" Maij-Weggen (born 29 December 1943) is a retired Dutch politician of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA).

Political career
From 1989 until 1994 she was Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management in the third cabinet of prime minister Ruud Lubbers, and from 2003 until 2009 the Queen's Commissioner of the province of North Brabant. After a nursing education from 1962 until 1965 she studied Pedagogy and History of Art at the University of Amsterdam until 1971. In 1967, she started working as a healthcare teacher in Amstelveen and Apeldoorn. In 1979, her political career started when she became a member of the European Parliament. In 1989, she temporarily left the European Parliament to become the Dutch Minister of Transport, Public Works and Water Management. Four years later, she returned to the European Parliament where she remained until 1 October 2003 when she became the Queen's Commissioner for the province of North Brabant. She retired on 1 October 2009.

Personal life
She is the mother of CDA politician Hester Maij and PvdA MP Marit Maij. she was the president of World Animal Protection from 2000 until 2012.