Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Mary Robinson, the first woman President of Ireland (1990-1997) and more recently United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002), has spent most of her life as a human rights advocate. As an academic (Trinity College Law Faculty), legislator (Senator) and barrister (Senior Counsel, English Bar) she has always sought to use law as an instrument for social change, arguing landmark cases before the European Court of Human Rights as well as in the Irish courts and the European Court in Luxemburg. A committed European, she also served on expert European Community and Irish parliamentary committees. Now based in New York, Mary Robinson is currently the President of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative (EGI). Its mission is to make human rights the compass which charts a course for globalization that is fair, just and benefits all.

In 1988 Mary Robinson and her husband founded the Irish Centre for European Law at the Trinity College. Ten years later she was elected Chancellor of the University.

The recipient of numerous honours and awards throughout the world, Mary Robinson is Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders and Vice President of the Club of Madrid. She chairs the International Board of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the Fund for Global Human Rights and is Honorary President of Oxfam International, and Patron of the International Community of Women Living with AIDS (ICW). She serves on several boards including the Vaccine Fund, is a member of the Royal Irish Academy and the American Philosophical Society and chairs the Irish Chamber Orchestra.