Martha Kyrle was born in Vienna on April 14, 1917. She is the daughter of Dr. Adolf Schärf, a former Federal President of Austria. From 1957 until 1965, she took on the responsibilities of a First Lady after the death of her mother.
She has been the president of the Austrian Committee for the United Nations Childrens Fund since its founding in 1962. The organization was created to help combat the poverty and hunger that faced many children in post-war Europe. Kyrle is a doctor who personally accompanied Austrian children to Switzerland on behalf of the Red Cross. Throughout their work Martha Kyrle has been actively involved in the Austrian branch. Her expertise in Africa and Asia has enabled her to conduct exemplary projects on behalf of UNICEF. Her engagement for the rights of children was a significant factor in the creation of a convention on the rights of the child at the United Nations