Earlier this month, a Newstalk survey asked listeners who they think is the most influential woman in Irish history and in second place, former President Mary Robinson secured 37% of the votes: a mere handful of votes behind Countess Markievicz in first place, and with over five times the votes of Katie Taylor in third. Robinson has subsequently bypassed Markievicz in the poll which has remained open after the initial publication of results. With her new role as UN Special Envoy adding to an already busy list of responsibilities, Mary Robinson shows no sign of decreasing her influence as she approaches her seventieth birthday in 2014.

Early career

Born in Ballina, Co. Mayo in 1944, Robinson made an early name for herself when she was appointed to the prestigious position of Reid Professor of Law at only twenty-five years of age. She was subsequently elected to the Seanad as a Trinity representative and independent candidate, beginning a long career in Irish politics which also included a stint in Dublin City Council. Although she began her career independent of party politics, she joined Labour in the mid-1970s, only to resign in protest at the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985. She joined the party again to serve as the successful Labour candidate for the 1990 Presidential election.

Robinson’s early career was defined by her liberal policies and campaigns for social equality. Robinson advocated for issues such as the removal of the marriage ban on female civil servants, the legislation of contraceptives and the appointment of women onto juries. She also served as the legal advisor for the Campaign for Homosexual Law Reform – a role she inherited from her future Presidential successor Mary McAleese. Many of the legislative and constitutional changes Robinson sought were successfully implemented during her time in the Senate and Presidency.

Presidency

Robinson began her tenure at Áras an Uachtaráin in December 1990, serving as the seventh President of Ireland. Over the course of her seven years in office, she set about modernising the Presidency by changing what was often considered a token position into a more relevant and active role. At the peak of her popularity, she enjoyed 93% approval.

As well as her successes at home, Robinson’s presidency was further defined by a series of high-profile international visits and meetings. She became the first Irish President to meet Queen Elizabeth II, and also hosted several other Royals in Dublin. She continued to campaign for human rights both at home and abroad, including visits to post civil war Somalia and a post genocide Rwanda. She also met with the Dalai Lama, much to the displeasure of Chinese authorities.

Post Presidency

Robinson resigned from her Presidency several months before the end of her term in order to take up a position as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Over five outspoken years – one year longer than the standard term as a result of a request from Kofi Annan – she visited 60 countries and vocally challenged the human rights policies and actions of many governments, including China and the US.

The last decade has seen Robinson take on a wide variety of roles. She is a member of the Elders (currently chaired by Desmond Tutu) – the group of world leaders and human rights activists committed to solving the world’s most challenging problems. She founded the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice, an organisation attempting to provoke meaningful ‘action on climate justice to empower the poorest people and countries in their efforts to achieve sustainable and people-centred development’.  She has chaired or participated in many other groups and organisations.

Robinson has received numerous awards in recognition of her work, including the US Presidential Medal of Freedom. She published her memoirs Everybody Matters in September 2012.

New role

Robinson’s new role as the UN Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region of Central Africa will see her campaigning for peace in a troubled conflict zone that includes the Democratic Republic of Congo. The role will see her working towards implementing a peace agreement signed by UN and African leaders in Ethiopia in February 2012.

Mary Robinson quotes

"It's important to say loudly and clearly that those who come out of combat are treated in accordance with international humanitarian laws."

“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.”

“The aim of human rights, if I may borrow a term from engineering, is to move beyond the design and drawing-board phase, to move beyond thinking and talking about the foundations stones - to laying the foundation stones, inch by inch, together.”

"I was elected by the women of Ireland, who instead of rocking the cradle, rocked the system.”