Dubliner Mary Lawlor is a veteran human rights champion with a fascinating backstory, including a stint in her youth selling encyclopaedias in Canada. After a meeting with Amnesty International co-founder Sean MacBride, Mary got involved in the early days of Amnesty International Ireland, becoming one of their first volunteers while she was running a Montessori school. 

She served as a board member for several years, including as Chairperson, before serving as the Director of the organization for 12 years. 

In 2001 Mary founded Frontline Defenders, an internationally respected organisation that supports the security and protection needs of human rights defenders at risk worldwide. In 2015, Mary was appointed Adjunct Professor in the School of Business Trinity College Dublin, and in 2020 she was named the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the French government’s National Order of the Legion of Honour and an honorary doctorate of Laws from Trinity College Dublin. 

Subscribe, share, rate, review and donate to support this podcast. Thanks to patrons who chip in at www.loveandcourage.org Host Ruairí McKiernan is a well-known social innovator, charity founder, campaigner, counsellor, consultant, and author. Find out more via: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn and check out his book Hitching for Hope. He also has another podcast called Creative Souls of Clare.