Mary Robinson

Mary Robinson became High Commissioner for Human Rights on 12 September 1997, following her nomination to the post by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the endorsement of the General Assembly.

Mrs. Robinson assumed responsibility for the UN human rights programme at a time of great change. As she took up her post in Geneva, the Office of the High Commissioner and the Centre for Human Rights were consolidated into a single Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Under her leadership, the Office has been gearing up to better face existing and emerging human rights challenges, harnessing the energies of new actors in the global quest for a universal culture of respect for fundamental rights and freedoms.

As High Commissioner, Mrs. Robinson has given priority to implementing the reform proposal of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to integrate human rights concerns in all the activities of the United Nations. She is also overseeing a reorientation of the priorities of her Office, which is increasingly focusing its work where it matters most: at the country and regional levels. As part of this focus, she traveled during her first year as High Commissioner to Rwanda, South Africa, Colombia and Cambodia, among other countries. In September 1998, she was the first High Commissioner to visit China, signing an agreement that should lead to a wide-ranging programme of cooperation for the improvement of human rights in that country. Under a similar process, the High Commissioner has sent human rights workers to Indonesia and to countries in Europe and Africa. Mrs. Robinson has also strengthened human rights monitoring in such conflict areas as Kosovo, in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Her Office now has staff monitoring human rights or providing technical assistance in over 20 countries.

Mrs. Robinson came to the United Nations after a distinguished seven-year tenure as President of Ireland. As President, Mrs. Robinson developed a new sense of Ireland's economic, political and cultural links with other countries and cultures. She placed special emphasis during her Presidency on the needs of developing countries, linking the history of the Great Irish Famine to today's nutrition, poverty and policy issues, thus creating a bridge of partnership between developed and developing countries.

Mrs. Robinson was the first Head of State to visit Rwanda in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide there. She was also the first Head of State to visit Somalia following the crisis there in 1992, receiving the CARE Humanitarian Award in recognition of her efforts for that country.

Before her election as President in 1990, Mrs. Robinson served as Senator, holding that office for 20 years. In 1969 she became the youngest Reid Professor of Constitutional Law at Trinity College, Dublin. She was called to the bar in 1967, becoming a Senior Counsel in 1980, and a member of the English Bar (Middle Temple) in 1973. She also served as a member of the International Commission of Jurists (1987-1990) and of the Advisory Commission of Inter-Rights (1984-1990).

Educated at Trinity College, Mrs. Robinson also holds law degrees from the King's Inns in Dublin and from Harvard University.

Born on 21 May 1944 in Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland, Mrs. Robinson is married and has three children.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

MARY ROBINSON

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Third Level Education

Dublin University: M.A., LL.B 1967
(Trinity College)

King's Inns, Dublin: Barrister at Law 1967

Harvard University: Fellowship 1967
LL.M. 1968

Occupation and Appointments

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 1997-2002
Secretary-General, Durban World Conference against Racism 2001
President of Ireland 1990-1997
Senator 1969-1989
Chancellor of Dublin University 1998-
Member, Royal Irish Academy 1992-
Member, American Philosophical Society 1998-
Member of the Irish Bar 1967-
Senior Counsel 1980-
Member of the English Bar (Middle Temple)1973-
Member of Chambers, 2 Hare Court London, 1989-1990
Lecturer in European Community Law, Trinity College, Dublin 1975-1990
Founder and Director, Irish Centre for European Law 1988- 1990
Reid Professor of Constitutional and Criminal Law, Trinity College 1969-1975
Member, Advisory Board of Common Market Law Review 1976-1990
Member, Editorial Board of Irish Current Law Statutes Annotated 1984-1990
Member, Scientific Council of European Review of Public Law 1989-1990
Member, International Commission of Jurists, Geneva 1987-1990
Member, Advisory Committee of Interrights, London 1984-1990
General Rapporteur, Council of Europe Preparatory Conference for Vienna
World Conference on Human Rights 1993
Member, Irish Parliamentary Joint Committee on European Community Secondary Legislation 1973-1989
Chairman of its Legal Affairs Committee 1987-1989
Chairman of its Social Affairs Sub-Committee 1977-1987
Member, European Community "Saint-Geours" Committee, on Energy Efficiency 1978-1979
Member, European Community "Vedel" Committee, on Enlargement of the European Parliament 1971-1972
Participant, New Ireland Forum 1983-1984
Member, Dublin City Council 1979-1983

Honours and Awards include:

Doctor of Civil Law: Oxford University
(by diploma)

Doctor of Laws:
(honoris causa )

Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan; University of Basle;
Brown; Cambridge; Columbia; Coventry; Dublin; Fordham; Harvard; Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven; Kyung-Hee University, Seoul; Liverpool; London; Melbourne; Montpellier; National University of Ireland; National University of Mongolia; National University of Wales; Queen's Belfast;
St. Andrew's; Toronto; UN University for Peace, Costa Rica; Uppsala University, Sweden; Yale.

Doctor in the Humanities:
(honoris causa)

Albert Schweitzer International University, Bern

Doctor of the University: University of Essex
(honoris causa)

Doctor of Public Services: Northeastern University
(honoris causa)

Doctor of Philosophy: Dublin City University
(honoris causa)

Doctor en Sciences Humaines: University of Rennes
(honoris causa)

Honorary Bencher: King's Inns, Dublin
Middle Temple, London

Honorary Fellow:

Trinity College, Dublin
Hertford College, Oxford
London School of Economics
Institution of Engineers of Ireland
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London
Royal College of Physicians in Ireland
Royal College of Psychiatrists, London
Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland.

Honorary Member: New York Bar Association;
Bar of Tanzania

Honorary Professor of Law: University of Manchester

Herman Phleger Visiting Professor of Law, Stanford University 1995
Harvard Law School Association Award 1995
Berkeley Medal, University of California
Medal of Honour, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Gold Medal of Honour, University of Salamanca, Spain
Andrés Bello Medal, University of Chile
Gold Medal of Honour, International Research Center, Pio Manzú, Italy
Medal of Honour, Ordem dos Advogados, Portugal
Winston Churchill Medal, London
New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal
Marisa Bellisario Prize, Italy
CARE Humanitarian Award for Emergency Relief, 1993
International Human Rights Award, International League of Human Rights, New York
Liberal International Prize for Freedom
Freedom Prize, Max Schmidheiny Foundation, Switzerland
International Women's Forum Hall of Fame Award
Global Leadership Award, United Nations Association of New York
Collar of Hussein Bin Ali, Hashmite Kingdom of Jordan 1997
Council of Europe North-South Prize, Lisbon 1997
Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Medal 1998
Dag Hammarskjöld Medal, Sweden 1998
J.William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding, USA 1999
Erasmus Prize, Netherlands 1999
Garrigues Walker Prize, Madrid 2000
William Butler Medal, USA 2000
International Geographical Union Medal " Planet and Humanity" 2000
Indira Gandhi Peace Prize, India 2000

February 2001