Experts
Mary Robinson
Fmr. President of Ireland
Environmentalists prognosticate devastating changes in the future, but climate change is already impacting the lives of millions of poor people. There needs to be a developmental approach to climate change, not just an environmental one. Read More
Though it is a sensitive issue, the former President of Ireland says leaders of churches, mosques, and temples have a responsibility to counter religious practices that subjugate women. Read More
How can there be real progress in a nation like Niger, where 1 in 7 women die from childbirth, unless the country's human rights crisis is addressed? Read More
Creating a sustainable global economy in the 21st century will require partnerships between governments, businesses, and NGOs. The good news is that there’s increasing willingness to cooperate. Read More
Women are more inclined towards a modern style of leadership that encourages collaboration, though there are some women who feel they need to mimic traditional male leadership styles. Read More
The United States is still a very dominant global player, but the Security Council should better reflect the power and economic balance of the new world. Read More
A conversation with the former President of Ireland. Read More
Fostering a middle class in developing countries is in everyone’s interest. Failed states like Somalia promote terrorism and instability, affecting every part of our interconnected world. Read More
The former President of Ireland cautions that it will take time to recover from Ireland’s dramatic boom and bust, but there are many signs of hope, including a greater sense of togetherness. “During the Celtic Tiger, people got very selfish, and now we have more sense of community,” she says Read More
They're already on the road. Read More
Linking human rights values to the current global economic system is crucial to Robinson. Read More
African countries are finding their own solutions. Read More
Where do human rights come from? Read More
Does the developed world have a responsibility to the developing world? Read More
Once hungry, today's Ireland thrives. Read More
Mary Robinson on progress and modernity. Read More
Robinson, on the opening and flowering of Irishness. Read More
We got our values for the world at a time when the world was extraordinarily anxious. Read More
What can you do to make the glass more full?
Robinson's father knew how to listen to his patients. Read More
About Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson, the first woman President of Ireland (1990-1997) and more former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002), has spent most of her life as a human rights advocate. Born Mary Bourke in Ballina, County Mayo (1944), the daughter of two physicians, she was educated at the University of Dublin (Trinity College), King's Inns Dublin and Harvard Law School to which she won a fellowship in 1967.
A committed European, she also served on the International Commission of Jurists, the Advisory Committee of Interights, and on expert European Community and Irish parliamentary committees. The recipient of numerous honours and awards throughout the world, Mary Robinson is a member of the Royal Irish Academy and the American Philosophical Society and, since 2002, has been Honorary President of Oxfam International. A founding member and Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders, she serves on many boards including the Vaccine Fund, and chairs the Irish Chamber Orchestra.
Currently based in New York, Mary Robinson is now leading Realizing Rights: the Ethical Globalization Initiative. Its mission is to put human rights standards at the heart of global governance and policy-making and to ensure that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable are addressed on the global stage.