Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson's work toward the infusion of ethics and human rights into the globalization movement did not end in September with her term as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
On the contrary, she's recently become involved in the Ethical Globalization Initiative, which is striving to increase government accountability for human rights standards, especially in African nations, through, among other things, support for universal primary education and increased research for HIV/AIDS.
Robinson strongly believes that human rights are integral to a positive globalization movement.
"The human rights framework adds value to how we view globalization," she said, remarking that globalization is inevitable in our modern world, and that it is "beating the waves" to take a Luddite stance against the movement.
Robinson acknowledged that trade is essential to the development of nations, but that the way in which it is often practiced is not optimal for an ethical globalization, saying that other values should be incorporated.
"It's important to recognize that the dominant influence on globalization is twofold," she said, citing market forces that create wealth for those already in power, and the privatization of what were previously government-based programs in many countries, such as education, health and prison systems.
"At a certain point that is going to create difficulties in maintaining standards," Robinson said, referring to the factor of profitability reducing services in privately-operated institutions. She is working toward a global system where governments and private groups are accountable for value standards that have already been accepted.
Philanthropy divisions in large corporations have become prominent in the past few years, a development that Robinson admires, although she sees the need for the increased involvement of business in ethical globalization.
"I see this as positive, but at the moment it's more ad hoc," she said.
With regard to governments that are in blatant violation of human rights, as determined by the United Nations, Robinson said that it is difficult to determine precisely how to handle them.
She found it "very heartening" that the United States has approached the United Nations with its concerns about human rights violations by the Iraqi government.
However, when outside forces enter a country to suppress human rights violations, they often end up gravely harming civilians themselves. Robinson witnessed the use of cluster bombs in a poor residential district of Nis, a city in Serbia, during the Kosovo conflict, and similar civilian casualties have occurred during the recent bombing of Afghanistan.
"I don't think we cared enough about those Afghan community members when a bomb went astray," she said.
While believing that an ethical approach to globalization will respect "tolerate" is too weak a term " other cultures, Robinson thinks that women in nations that are governed under strictly interpreted Islamic law should be educated as the best means of alleviating their oppression.
She particularly noted that respect for the religion of Islam is essential to a successful globalization movement, as long as human rights -- toward people of both genders and all ages -- are supported.
"It's important to distinguish between cultural diversity and those things that block women from aspects of life that they have a right to participate in," she said.
