Ban pays tribute to late women’s rights advocate and senior UN official, Lucille Mair

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today paid tribute to the late Lucille Mathurin Mair, a distinguished Jamaican diplomat and leading women’s rights advocate, who was also the first woman to be appointed as an Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.

A statement issued by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson described Ms. Mair, who passed away on 27 January at her home in Kingston, as “a lifelong champion of the rights of women.”

She served as Secretary-General of the World Conference on the UN Decade for Women, held in 1980 in Copenhagen, Denmark, and also served as Special Advisor to the UN 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 UN, she had the distinction of serving the world body for many years.

Ms. Mair also served her country for many years, including as Ambassador to the UN, as Minister and Senator.

“She also had strong connections to the NGO and academic communities in her country, in her region – the Caribbean – and globally,” the statement added. “She has left a legacy of which her family and many friends, and men and women around the world can be justly proud.”