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 NiƱo 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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