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SOM Leadership Conference: Mary Robinson - the Importance of Critical Mass
By Roberta Martone Pavia, Contributing Writer(May 5, 2009) -- When it comes to making a difference in world issues, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, said it's less important to be first and more important to reach a critical mass. Downplaying her breakthrough role as the first woman president of her country, during remarks at the 30th annual SOM Leadership Conference Robinson explained that only when they reach sufficient numbers will women be able to affect change. Recounting her rise in politics, Robinson says as the only daughter sandwiched between four brothers, from an early age her parents instilled in her a sense of confidence by encouraging her to do anything her brothers could do.
As a young adult, Robinson received a fellowship and headed to Harvard Law. The former president said she was profoundly grateful to have been a member of the class of 1968 at a time when so many key issues - Vietnam War, civil rights, and women's rights - were being discussed and questioned.
After graduation, Robinson returned to Ireland to begin her career in politics. Robinson said her family - more medically than politically inclined - was a bit surprised when she expressed an interest in running for Parliament, but with the support of family and friends, she was elected. During her political career, Robinson worked on key issues including more ready access to contraceptives; decriminalization of homosexuality; and an end to the requirement that married women resign from civil service. However, because of the controversy surrounding these issues, Robinson went from enjoying a reputation of relative success to becoming a hated figure. The former president says she learned a valuable lesson: that she needed to stand by her platform, but, just as importantly, she needed to work from within to initiate change.
When she was elected president, Robinson said she learned another kind of leadership, which she referred to as moral leadership. During her tenure as president, Robinson says she tried to bring the best out in people and encourage those at the grass roots level who were trying to make a difference. To that end, Robinson spent six months on the campaign trial, learning a tremendous amount from inner cities, rural areas, and the islands.
As Chair of The Council of Women World Leaders - an international group comprised of 39 former country presidents and prime ministers - Robinson says she was finally able to realize the power of critical mass.
Her work with the 2007 Women Leaders Global Security Summit was just as powerful, but in a different way, because the group who made up the Summit came from a variety of levels. The Summit dealt with four areas of security: climate change, responsibility to protect; economics of insecurity and the need to address gendering of poverty; and preventing terrorism.
In the panel discussion facilitated by Charlayne Hunter-Gault - journalist, author, and former PBS correspondent and CNN South African Bureau Chief - Robinson spoke about issues ranging from world discrimination, to the role of female mentors, to the atrocities of Darfur. When speaking about women supporting other women, Robinson said, "Perhaps it's a generational thing. Younger women don't seem to be as aware of the kinds of discrimination we faced. Most don't realize how bad it was and don't fully appreciate the struggle."
When asked if there are common threads of discrimination in different countries, Robinson said that most leaders have a Western agenda. She added that we need to use education as a change agent for discrimination so that change can come from within.
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