Målfrid Grude Flekkøy died in Bærum after prolonged illness, said her family to norwegian news agency NTB on Sunday afternoon.
– This is a sad day for all who work for children’s rights, says communications manager Merete Agerbak-Jensen at UNICEF.
As the world’s first ombudsman, Flekkøy was a promoter of children’s rights internationally, says Agerbak-Jensen.
In 1981, Norway was the first country having created such an institution, which led to many inquiries and considerable international interest. In years, a number of countries founded similar institutions by taking Norway as an example.
About Flekkøy
She was trained as kindergarten teacher in 1959, finished studying psychology in 1973. In 1991 she took her doctorate at the University of Ghent in Belgium.
Throughout her career as a psychologist, she was affiliated with several institutions.
Most notable post for Målfrid Grude Flekkøy was being Norway’s and the world’s first ombudsman. In 1981 she was appointed to the position. Her efforts also led to the start of the ombudsmanship in other countries.
Målfrid Grude Flekkøy was also local politician for the Labour Party in Bærum in several periods.