SBS Dateline | Interview with Louise Arbour

Canada's Louise Arbour is saying farewell to one of the world's toughest jobs: United Nations high commissioner for human rights.

After serving only one term, the former Canadian Supreme Court Justice and UN prosecutor who secured the indictment of Slobodan Milosevic, will leave the position in June.

During her tenure, the "forceful and formidable" Ms Arbour has been a mighty thorn in the side of the Bush administration which she has repeatedly criticised over its counterterrorism struggle which she says has put the human rights cause back "decades".

As well as regularly locking horns with the US, Arbour - described by her supporters as a "human shock absorber" has borne the brunt of some pretty ferocious criticism - from a flank of countries including Zimbabwe, China, Israel to name a few.

No, hers is certainly not a job for the faint hearted.

On air: 19th March 2008