NY sets up commission to oversee creation of Ginsburg statue

New York

The New York state government has set up a 23-member commission to oversee the creation of a statue honouring late US Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the women's rights champion who died of pancreatic cancer on September 18.

The commission includes members of Justice Ginsburg's family, close friends, esteemed colleagues and other leaders, Xinhua news agency quoted the state government as saying in a statement on Wednesday.

The commission will provide recommendations to the state governor regarding the artist, design, location and installation of the memorial statue, it added.

"Justice Ginsburg will forever stand as a singular figure in history, unmatched in her pursuit of justice and equality under the law for all Americans," said Governor Andrew Cuomo.

"Only the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg was a tireless champion for women's rights and throughout her lifetime brilliantly navigated a complex landscape of gender-based discrimination to ultimately ascend to the highest court in the land.

"She leveraged that position to fiercely advocate for equal rights and ensure those who followed in her footsteps would face fewer obstacles along the way," he added.

Ginsburg was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 1993 until her death.

The second female justice on the country's highest court, Ginsburg, 87, was widely acclaimed as a legal pioneer advocating gender equality.