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IFESH Congratulates Mary Robinson on Presidential Medal of Freedom
IFESH congratulates former President of Ireland Mary Robinson on receiving America's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award. The award was presented to her by President Obama at ceremony on August 12 and it recognizes Robinson's outstanding contribution to human rights and her advocacy for the world's poor and disadvantaged people.
Robinson's involvement with IFESH began when she was United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. She collaborated with the late Reverend Leon H. Sullivan, IFESH's founder, in advancing humanitarian efforts in Africa. Notably, Robinson was the first western leader to enter Rwanda after the 1994 genocide, encouraging other world leaders to get involved. In 2006, she became an Honorary Member of the IFESH Board of Directors.
"President Robinson is an incredible humanitarian and we are overjoyed that she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom," said Dr. Julie H. Sullivan, IFESH President and CEO. "Robinson is an advocate for the poor globally, but particularly for issues affecting women and children in Africa," she added.
In 2005, Dr. Sullivan held an event in Phoenix, Arizona honoring Mary Robinson's contributions to humanity. "Freedom from want is an empty promise today for more than two billion people who survive on less than two dollars a day, for more than 800 million people who suffer from under nourishment, for the 30,000 children around the world who die each day of preventable causes, for the 1,600 women who die each day in pregnancy or childbirth, for the thousand million people still without access to clean water supplies, or the 2.6 billion who lack access to basic sanitation," said Robinson, urging those present to get involved through supporting IFESH.
Robinson went on to describe the life and death struggles being faced by millions of proud Africans each and every day, making it clear that many of the continent's 800 million people suffer greatly, especially from poverty, lack of educational and medical access and the growing scourge of HIV/AIDS.
Robinson is the Executive Director of Realizing Rights: Ethical Globalization Initiatives, a New York-based group that works diligently to create effective alliances for human rights, gender sensitivity and other global challenges. She is also Honorary President of Oxfam International and she chairs the Board of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI).
