STATEMENT BY SECRETARY-GENERAL ON PASSING OF LUCILLE MAIR, WOMEN’S RIGHTS CHAMPION

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Lucille Mathurin Mair.  A lifelong champion of the rights of women, she served as Secretary-General of the World Conference on the United Nations Decade for Women, held in 1980 in Copenhagen, Denmark, and also served as Special Adviser to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on women’s development.  As the first ever woman to be appointed, in 1982, as an Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr. Mair had the distinction of serving the United Nations diligently for many years.

A Jamaican, Dr. Mair served her country with distinction for many years, including as Ambassador to the United Nations, as Minister and Senator.  She also had strong connections to the non-governmental organization and academic communities in her country, in her region -- the Caribbean -- and globally.  She has left a legacy of which her family and many friends, and men and women around the world can be justly proud.

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