Former President Mary Robinson is to receive the 2018 Tipperary International Peace Award.

The announcement was made on Thursday by the secretary of the Tipperary Peace Convention, Martin Quinn.

The group says the award "recognises the efforts of Mrs Robinson in putting human rights standards at the heart of global governance", by ensuring that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable are addressed on the global stage.

"Mrs Robinson is a passionate, forceful advocate for gender equality, women's participation in peace-building and human dignity in all regions of the world.

"Her advocacy on sustainable and people-centred development in the world's poorest communities is recognised through her work on many international bodies.

"A tireless champion of women's equality, Mrs Robinson has travelled to many conflict zones to promote peace efforts and to encourage reconciliation and democratic transition.

"She makes it a priority to bring the concerns of ordinary people to the global stage and is outspoken and dedicated to investigating and exposing human rights abuses across the world".

Mary Robinson addresses a ministerial meeting on a Security Council resolution at the United Nations, New York in 2010 | Image: UN Photo/Ky Chung

Mrs Robinson is also an outspoken advocate on the effects of climate change - having previously served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Responding to the news of her selection, Mrs Robinson said: "I am very honoured to receive the Tipperary International Peace Award, which is a wonderful example of a local community organising a prize for peace which has achieved wide international standing and recognition."

The award will be presented to Mrs Robinson at a special ceremony on November 7th in the Tipperary Excel Centre.

Elected as the first woman president of Ireland in 1990, Mrs Robinson served a seven-year term.

She was also a UN Special Envoy on Climate Change.

Mrs Robinson is the current chair of The Elders - an international non-governmental organisation.

She succeeded the late Kofi Annan in the role last year.

Previous recipients of the Tipperary Peace Award include Nelson Mandela, Bob Geldof, Bill Clinton, Rafic Hariri, Benazir Bhutto, Jean Kennedy Smith and her brother Ted Kennedy, and Malala Yousafzai.