The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs Mary Robinson, has repeated her criticisms of the UN, saying the organisation lacks cohesion and commitment to the cause of human rights.
Mrs Robinson told The Irish Times the defence of human rights was the main reason the UN was set up almost 50 years ago following the horrors of two world wars. But many people had "lost the plot" since then. Many were now operating "without a sense of real commitment to what they were doing", she said. Although they were working long hours, there was a lack of cohesion in the organisation.
Next year, the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, was a great opportunity for the world to renew its commitment, she said.
But the High Commissioner warned against excessive expectations of what could be done. "I have a broad mandate and limited resources. I will have to prioritise."
Asked about the reaction within the UN to her criticisms, she conceded there had been "a certain surprise, until people reflected". But the greatest resource the UN had was its staff and it was important to build upon this across the organisation.
Mrs Robinson wants everyone in the UN to be given basic training in human rights. She also expressed the hope that education in human rights would become "the fourth R" in primary schools.
She denied having made mistakes in her interventions on Algeria, saying it was an issue that had to be faced up to. But at no time had she targeted the Algerian government specifically.
Asked how her current job compared with being President, she said the post of High Commissioner was "very difficult" and "very challenging intellectually".
Mrs Robinson, who was in Dublin on Tuesday for the inauguration of President McAleese, said she missed Ireland a lot.
