Torild Skard

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Overview

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Torild Skard born Oslo, Norway November 29, 1936. Psychologist and second-generation peacemaker, daughter of Åse Skard. Chair of UNICEF, 1988-89; as UNICEF Director for West and Central Africa, rescued children of war, 1994-98. Deputy to Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs, 1986-94. First woman president of the Lagting, the upper house of parliament.

Quotations

On female conscription: “Forcing women to do military service to legitimize it is completely untenable. . . The result is that women are militarized, and the military is essentially not changed. . . [I]n today’s world it is more important to increase the focus of both women and men on disarmament, non-violent conflict resolution, peacekeeping, peace negotiations and the reconstruction of communities than to broaden the basis for military activities.” (International Alliance of Women, March 24, 2015; photo psychologitidscrif)