Turid Heiberg
Turid Heiberg is a Norwegian human rights advocate, researcher, and consultant, known for co-founding the Norwegian Centre Against Racism in 1983 and the MiRA Centre for Black, Immigrant and Refugee Women in 1989.
Early activism and education
During the 1970s, Heiberg was selected as a representative to the student parliament at the University of Oslo. She participated in anti-apartheid activities on campus and took part in student discussions on immigration and asylum policy.
In 1978, she co-founded the Immigrant Collective group to provide information and support for immigrants. The group established a multilingual community station, Tellus Radio, and the magazine Samora (now the Samora Forum), of which Heiberg serves on the editorial board.
Heiberg holds a master's degree in political science, a bachelor's degree in journalism, and a master of science in psychotherapy.
Career
From 1976 to 1981 she worked as a researcher at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and authored or co-authored works on migration and tourism. She later taught political science and sociology at Telemark University College and Lillehammer University College, and international politics at the University of Oslo. In 1996 she was a guest researcher at the Institute of Human Rights.
From 1993 Heiberg served with Save the Children Norway, and in 2007 was appointed regional director for South and Central Asia with Save the Children Sweden, based in South Asia.
Relocating to Sweden in 2013, she led a section of the Council of the Baltic Sea States Secretariat, promoting regional exchange of best practices among member states. She also held an advisory role with the World Childhood Foundation.
Since 2019 Heiberg has worked as an independent consultant with institutions, organisations, and ministries, as well as collaborating with the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Council of Europe, the European Commission, the United Nations Special Representative on Violence against Children, and other regional bodies.