Ireland Elects Its First Woman President Mary Robinson

Mary Therese Winifred Robinson (Irish: Máire Mhic Róibín; née Bourke; born 21 May 1944) former president of Ireland (1990-97) and former United Nations high commissioner for human rights (1997-2002).

Mary Robinson (born 21 May 1944) was the first female President of Ireland, serving from 1990 to 1997. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish senate (1969-1989).

She defeated Fianna Fáils Brian Lenihan in the 1990 presidential election becoming, as a candidate of the Labour Party, the first elected president in the offices history not to have the support of Fianna Fáil.

She is credited by many as having revitalised and liberalised a previously conservative political office. She resigned the presidency four months ahead of the end of her term of office to take up her post in the United Nations. Robinson has been Honorary President of Oxfam International since 2002, and she is also a founding member and Chair of the Council of Women World Leaders.

She serves on many boards including the Vaccine Fund. Robinson?s newest project is the Ethical Globalization Initiative (EGI), which seeks to incorporate human rights into the globalization process and support capacity building and good governance in developing countries. Since 2004, she has also been Professor of Practice in International Affairs at Columbia University, where she teaches international human rights.