UNICEF mourns the death of humanitarian Eve Curie Labouisse

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) today mourned the death of Eve Curie Labouisse, a widow of the agency's former Executive Director and staunch humanitarian who supported the agency throughout her long life.

Mrs. Labouisse was 102 at the time of her death on 22 October. Her late husband, former UNICEF chief Henry Labouisse, passed away in 1987. During his leadership, which spanned 17 years from 1965 when UNICEF received the Nobel Peace Prize to 1979, Eve Labouisse was known as the 'First Lady of UNICEF' and travelled to many developing countries that were receiving the agency's assistance at that time.

“While her husband headed UNICEF, she played a very active role in the organization, traveling with him to advocate for children and to provide support and encouragement to UNICEF staff in remote and difficult locations,” said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman said. “Her energy and her commitment to the betterment of the world should serve as an inspiration to us all.”

Mrs. Labouisse was a journalist and a humanitarian, and was also well-known for her biography of her mother, the Nobel Prize-winning scientist Marie Curie. Born in Paris in 1904, she was hailed as an accomplished pianist at a young age and performed across Europe. During the Second World War she reported from various fronts as a war correspondent.