The Tang Prize Foundation announced Professor Mary Robinson as the recipient of the 2024 Tang Prize in Rule of Law on Friday. Robinson has many accolades: lawyer, law professor, former senator, first female president of Ireland, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), and incumbent Chair of the Elders. However, she is most impressive for continuing her tireless fight for the human rights of the most disadvantaged.
NTU’s College of Law professor Chang Wen-chen (張文貞) elaborated that as a human rights lawyer, law professor, and senator, Robinson has worked in the fields of constitutional justice. She adds that Robinson has also advanced gender equality advocacy against the conservative catholic teachings for freer access to birth control and, as the first woman to be appointed UNHCHR, brought the plight of those ravaged by war and famine into the spotlight of the global agenda. As the incumbent Chair of the Elders, she continued to hold governments and private corporations accountable with attention to children's rights, poverty alleviation, and regional peace. Chang concluded that Robinson stands as a champion of the Rule of Law and the value of human rights and her contributions transformed the roles she played into guardians of the common man.