Mary Therese Winifred Robinson (née Bourke; Irish: Máire Bean Mhic Róibín; born 21 May 1944) served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate (1969–1989). She defeated Fianna Fáil's Brian Lenihan and Fine Gael's Austin Currie in the 1990 presidential election becoming, as an Independent candidate nominated by the Labour Party, the Workers' Party and independent senators, the first elected president in the office's history not to have had the support of Fianna Fáil.She is widely regarded as a transformative figure for Ireland, and for the Irish presidency, revitalising and liberalising a previously conservative, low-profile political office. She resigned the presidency two months ahead of the end of her term of office to take up her post in the United Nations. During her UN tenure, she visited Tibet (1998), the first High Commissioner to do so; she criticised Ireland's immigrant policy; and criticised the use of capital punishment in the United States. She extended her intended single four-year term by a year to preside over the World Conference against Racism 2001 in Durban, South Africa; the conference proved controversial, and under continuing pressure from the US, Robinson resigned her post in September 2002.After leaving the UN in 2002, Robinson formed Realizing Rights: the Ethical Globalization Initiative, which came to a planned end at the end of 2010. Its core activities were 1) fostering equitable trade and decent work, 2) promoting the right to health and more humane migration policies, and 3) working to strengthen women's leadership and encourage corporate responsibility. The organisation also supported capacity building and good governance in developing countries. Robinson returned to live in Ireland at the end of 2010, and has set up The Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice, which aims to be 'a centre for thought leadership, education and advocacy on the struggle to secure global justice for those many victims of climate change who are usually forgotten - the poor, the disempowered and the marginalised across the world.'Robinson is Chair of the Institute for Human Rights and Business and Chancellor of the University of Dublin. Since 2004, she has also been Professor of Practice in International Affairs at Columbia University, where she teaches international human rights. Robinson also visits other colleges and universities where she lectures on human rights. Robinson sits on the Board of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, an organisation which supports good governance and great leadership in Africa, and is a member of the Foundation’s Ibrahim Prize Committee. Robinson is an Extraordinary Professor in the Centre for Human Rights and the Centre for the Study of AIDS at the University of Pretoria. Robinson served as Oxfam's ho
On sexual politics: In a society where the rights and potential of women are constrained, no man can be truly free. He may have power, but he will not have freedom.
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Fact
1
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights [September 2004]
2
Gaelic name: Máire Mhic Róibín
3
Brian Lenehan (1930-1995), who was a defeated Presidential candidate, once claimed before his death that Robinson was a better President than he could have ever been.
4
Was an Irish Senator between 1969 and 1990. While in the Seanád Éireann, she sometime discussed the decriminalizing of homosexuality (achieved in 1993), and subsequently also setting about an equal age of consent for gays and heterosexuals when President, something then unknown in most countries.
5
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights since 1997. Was interviewed by Kirsty Wark in 2004.
6
Radio Telefís Éireann famously replaced the Angelus before the Evening News with her victory speech when she was elected President.
7
President of the Republic of Ireland from 1990 until 1997. She would have served exactly seven years, but resigned about twelve weeks early.
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Democracy Now!
2009-2015
TV Series
Herself
Stop the Burning
2015
Short
Herself
In Confidence
2014
TV Series documentary
Herself - Guest
Miracle Rising: South Africa
2013
Documentary
Zig and Zag: Best Bitz from Back Den
2008
TV Movie
Herself
Saturday Night with Miriam
2007
TV Series
Herself
Canada A.M.
2006
TV Series
Herself - Former President of Ireland
Real Time with Bill Maher
2005
TV Series
Herself
Jonathan Dimbleby
2003
TV Series
Herself
With God on Our Side: The Rise of the Religious Right in America