Torild Skard

Torild Skard
Torild Skard speaking in the Parliament of Norway in 2011
Member of the Norwegian Parliament for Akershus
In office 1973–1977
President of the Lagting
In office 1973–1977
Preceded by	Egil Aarvik
Succeeded by	Margit Tøsdal
Director for Questions relating to the Status of Women of UNESCO
In office 1984–1986
Regional Director for West and Central Africa at UNICEF
In office 1994–1998
Preceded by	Stanislas Adotevi
Succeeded by	Rima Salah
Chairman of the UNICEF Executive Board
In office 1988–1989
Preceded by	Makoto Taniguchi
Succeeded by	Margarita Dieguez
29th President of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights
In office 2006–2013
Preceded by	Berit Kvæven
Succeeded by	Margunn Bjørnholt
Personal details
Nationality	Norway
Political party	Socialist Left Party
Profession	psychologist
Committees	Standing Committee on Justice (deputy chair)

Torild Skard (born 29 November 1936) is a Norwegian psychologist, politician for the Socialist Left Party, a former Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a former Chairman of UNICEF.

She served as a Member of Parliament for Akershus, President of its Upper Chamber and Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Justice from 1973 to 1977. She served as Director for Questions relating to the Status of Women of UNESCO 1984–1986 and Regional Director for West and Central Africa at UNICEF 1994–1998. She was Chairman of the international UNICEF Executive Board 1988–1989. She has also served as Director-General for Development Cooperation, Deputy Permanent Secretary responsible for development cooperation and Special Adviser in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and has been a Senior Researcher at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs.

She was President of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights from 2006 to 2013, and also served as vice chair of the Forum for Women and Development during this period. She has written several books, including Continent of Mothers, Continent of Hope (2003) on African development and Women of Power (2014) on female heads of state or government worldwide.