The passing of Ambassador Lucille Mathurin Mair is a great loss to Jamaica and the global movement for the study of gender and development, women"s rights and gender equality. The Mona Campus Unit of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies regards Dr. Mair as a transformational leader whose vision, diplomatic and organizational skills, and fixity of purpose, empowered countless women and men around the world. She rendered distinguished and indelible service to the United Nations, in promoting peace as well as the rights of women and children. She exuded calm dignity and tranquility belying her strength, as well as her achievements in various domains: as academic scholar, diplomat, women"s rights activist and a decent human being.

          Younger women can draw lessons from her life, given the remarkable contribution she has made to global development while facing the challenges of being a young widow with three small children. Her service to the United Nations, the Government of Jamaica and to the Caribbean and global women"s movement has been recognized through the many awards she received including the prestigious CARICOM Triennial Award in 1996, the OAS Women of Distinction Award in 1987, the national honours of Commander of the Order of Distinction and the Order of Jamaica as well as being conferred with Honorary Doctorates from three universities, the University of the West Indies, the University of Florida and the University of Ulster in Ireland.

          Her legacy also lives on in her children, including Ambassador Gail Mathurin, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in the Government of Jamaica and formerly Trade Ambassador in Brussels.

          The UWI Mona Unit of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies thanks God for Lucille"s inspirational life and will explore ways to publish more of her work. May her soul rest in peace.

Leith L Dunn Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer/Head
Mona Unit of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies,
Chair, Board for Gender and Development Studies, Mona, UWI.


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