Ban Ki-moon mourns death of former UN adviser on gender issues
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon today voiced sadness at the death of Angela E.V. King, the Jamaican who served as the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women, and paid tribute to her legacy in fervently championing the equality of women and men.
“Angela King led the United Nations’ efforts for the empowerment of women with knowledge, passion and courage,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement released in New York.
Ms. King, whose UN career spanned 40 years, was appointed to the post by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and she served as Special Adviser from March 1997 until her retirement in early 2004. Mr. Ban credited her with work in translating into practice the Beijing Platform for Action, an extensive blueprint for promoting and protecting the rights of women and girls which was adopted in 1995, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
The Secretary-General also acknowledged Ms. King’s commitment to ensuring that women engage in the realm of peace and security, where her advocacy and partnership with civil society paved the way for the first-ever Security Council resolution recognizing the essential role of women in peacebuilding, peacemaking and peace negotiations.
Besides dealing with gender issues, Ms. King served as the Chief of Mission of the UN Observer Mission in South Africa (UNOMSA) at the time of the country’s first democratic, non-racial elections. She was also a Director in the Office of Human Resources Management.
Ms. King joined the UN Secretariat in 1966 from the Permanent Mission of Jamaica, where she was one of the first two women foreign service officers posted after the country joined the world body, working on matters relating to human rights and social development.
“She will be mourned with profound affection and respect by many friends and allies around the world,” Mr. Ban said, extending his condolences to Ms. King’s family.