World-renowed women's rights advocate Angela King died on February 5, 2007, ending her  struggle with breast cancer. King was noted for her prolific role in advancing women's rights and promoting gender equality during her 40-year career at the United Nations.

February 5, 2007—Angela E.V. King, 68, died of complications from breast cancer at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. King, a Jamaican diplomat, was a leading advocate for women's equality in the United Nations (UN) and was the first special adviser to the Secretary-General on women's advancement.  She was appointed to the post by former Secretary-General Kofi Annan and served as Special Adviser from March 1997 until her retirement in early 2004. In her 40-year career at the UN, King led efforts to end discrimination against women and promote gender equality within the organisation and around the globe.

On King's death, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon extended his condolences to her family and issued the following statement:

“Angela King led the United Nations’ efforts for the empowerment of women with knowledge, passion, and courage as the United Nations worked to translate into practice the Beijing Platform for Action and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women...Ms. King’s advocacy and partnership with civil society paved the way for the Security Council’s landmark resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace, and security—the Council’s first recognition of women’s essential role in peace-building, peacemaking, and peace negotiations. She was equally committed to championing the cause of women staff members in the United Nations, and their equal opportunities in the workplace.”

King also 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 joined the UN Secretariat in 1966 from the Permanent Mission in Jamaica, where she was one of the first two women foreign service officers, posted after the country joined the UN, working on matters relating to human rights and social development.

Sources:
“Angela E.V. King, 68; Jamaican diplomat sought women's equality” from Los Angeles Times, posted on February 9, 2007, <http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-passings9.3feb09,1,4099203.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california&ctrack=1&cset=true>.
“Angela King, 68, Jamaican Rights Leader” from The New York Sun, posted on February 8, 2007, <http://www.nysun.com/article/48300>.
“Secretary-General saddened by death of of Angela King, Former Special Adviser on Advancement of Women” from United Nations, posted on February 6, 2007, <http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2007/sgsm10870.doc.htm>.