Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative

Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative addresses five urgent issues required for greater human development and security:

• fostering more equitable international trade and development;
• strengthening efforts to realize the human right to health;
• shaping more humane migration policies;
• encouraging women's leadership;
• and influencing corporate social responsibility.

Our mission is to put human rights standards at the heart of global governance and policy-making and to ensure that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable are addressed on the global stage. Realizing Rights was founded in October 2002 by Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland (1990 - 1997) and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997 - 2002). Our supporters include Jimmy Carter, Desmond Tutu and Musimbi Kanyoro. In collaboration with, The Aspen Institute, Columbia University and the International Council on Human Rights Policy, we are committed to convening key stakeholders in new alliances to integrate concepts of human rights, gender equality and enhanced accountability into efforts to address global challenges and governance shortcomings.

Realizing Rights has a special role to play as Catalyst, Convener and Communicator. We harness civil society, government, business, and economic forums to build awareness for our select issues of concern. We facilitate dialogues and relationships between decision makers and key stakeholders, particularly those most marginalized, to arrive at more transparent, ethical and responsible policies and joint actions to achieve change. We develop specific policy recommendations and seek to communicate our findings to key decision makers and the wider public.

Directed by Mary Robinson, the Ethical Globalization Initiative is supported in partnership with the Aspen Institute, International Council on Human Rights Policy, and Columbia University.