Mary Robinson: Champion of the Most Disadvantaged Honored with the 2024 Tang Prize in Rule of Law

TAIPEI, June 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2024 Tang Prize in Rule of Law is awarded to the lawyer and law professor, the former senator, president, United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the incumbent Chair of the Elders - Professor Mary Robinson. The prize recognizes her "powerful advocacy for the most disadvantaged in different spheres, including gender equality, poverty alleviation, human rights, and climate justice." In particular, the Selection Committee noted that her "passionate endeavors demonstrated an effective combination of legal acumen and practical solutions." The Committee also noted that "from the national to the global stage, legal and political, she has innovatively transformed and expanded the various positions in which she has served to strengthen the rule of law."

Professor Robinson was born into a Catholic family in County Mayo, Ireland. She began her career in 1967 as a legal professional, working on human rights litigations. From 1969 to 1975, she held the Reid Professorship of Constitutional and Criminal Law at Trinity College Dublin. Additionally, from 1969 to 1989, she served as a Senator, and in that position, she introduced significant human rights bills and pushed for changes in the face of conservative Catholic doctrine. In 1990, Professor Robinson became the first female President of Ireland. After her presidency concluded in 1997, Professor Robinson continued her work in human rights on the global stage. She held several key positions at the UN, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa, Special Envoy on Climate Change, and Special Envoy on El Niño and Climate. In these roles, she led the international community to focus on the human rights protection for the most vulnerable groups as well as climate justice. Professor Robinson has also actively engaged in various intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and initiatives. Currently, she serves as a founding member and Chair of the Elders, an organization founded by the former South African President, Nelson Mandela.

All the positions served by Professor Robinson have demonstrated how her career paths over decades have ranged from legal to political realms and covered domestic and international levels. Over the years, she has been active in promoting the rule of law in different spheres. Through various positions she has served, Professor Robinson has consistently advocated for the rights of the most disadvantaged in different areas. Her endeavors have been fearless and tireless. As a litigator, she adapted novel arguments in landmark cases of domestic and regional courts to promote the human rights protection in Ireland. As a legislator, she introduced significant bills on gender equality and personal autonomy. As a president, she redefined the largely ceremonial role to become a symbol of unity and a voice for civil society, and this framework remains in place today. As a UN official, Professor Robinson urged the UN system to actively address the issue of lack of sufficient protections for the most vulnerable groups under international human rights law and international humanitarian law. As a global leader, she has brought the gender and justice dimensions into the global agenda on climate change, stressed the human rights responsibilities of private actors including multinational corporations, and placed particular attention to children's rights, poverty alleviation, and regional peace. Lastly, as a legal scholar, she has continued to write and publish throughout her decades of service. She has traveled the world to teach courses and deliver lectures, aiming to impart the values she promotes through education.

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