Mary Robinson
(Irish: Máire Mhic Róibín)
(1944-)

Ireland's 1st Female President
1993 Prize For Freedom
1997 Human Rights First Award
2000 Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize
2002 Sydney Peace Prize
2004 Ambassador of Conscience Award
2005 Defender of Democracy Award | The Elders

birthdate: May 21
birthplace:
Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland

Mary Robinson became the first female President of Ireland in 1990. She was very popular and worked hard to address the needs of all groups in her nation. She also used her position to help bring global crises to the attention of the international community. In 1992, she was the first leader to visit famine-stricken Somalia, and she was the first to witness the devastation in Rwanda after the genocide that had taken place there. In 1997 she resigned her position as President of Ireland to accept the role of High Commissioner for Human Rights with the UN, where she championed human rights around the world and rallied international support against numerous human rights abuses.

After leaving the UN in 2002, Mary Robinson has been involved with many different efforts. She has been Honorary President of Oxfam International since 2002; she is Chair of the International Institute for Environment and Development; Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders; and founder of Realizing Rights: the Ethical Globalization Initiative, which promotes equitable trade and development, more humane migration policies, women's leadership and corporate social responsibility. In 2007, she was one of the founding members of The Elders, a global group of social change leaders. For her dedication to promoting human rights, Mary Robinson received the Sydney Peace Prize in 2002, and in 2004 was awarded Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award.

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