Mame Madior Boye facts for kids

Mame Madior Boye (born December 7, 1940) is a Senegalese politician. She made history as the first woman to serve as Prime Minister of Senegal. She held this important role from 2001 to 2002.

Early Life and Education

Mame Madior Boye was born in Saint-Louis, Senegal. Her family had many lawyers, and she followed in their footsteps. She studied law in Dakar, Senegal, and later in Paris, France. She finished high school in her hometown. In 1963, she started studying law at the University of Dakar. She continued her training in Paris until 1969.

Career in Law and Leadership

Boye spent most of her working life in Senegal's justice system. She held various positions, including a prosecutor and a judge. She also became a high-ranking judge in Dakar's court system.

She was a pioneer for women in law. From 1975 to 1990, she was the first woman president of the Association of Senegalese Lawyers. She also served as vice president of the International Federation of Women Lawyers for many years. Later, she worked in banking, becoming a director at the West African Banking Company. Mame Madior Boye was a feminist and a Muslim, and she had two children.

Becoming Prime Minister

In April 2000, Mame Madior Boye became the Minister of Justice. This happened after Abdoulaye Wade won the presidential election.

In March 2001, President Wade appointed Boye as Prime Minister. She was chosen just two months before new elections for the country's parliament. At that time, President Wade's party did not have a majority in parliament. Many women's groups wanted more women to be elected. Boye was a good choice because she was a woman and not tied to any specific political party.

After the elections in April 2001, President Wade's party won many seats. The number of women in parliament also increased. Boye was reappointed as Prime Minister in May 2001.

Challenges and Achievements as Prime Minister

As Prime Minister, Mame Madior Boye's government included more women than before. Five out of 25 ministers were women. Her government worked on important issues like improving education and healthcare. They also tried to increase salaries, reduce youth unemployment, and support farming.

However, her government faced challenges. The President, Abdoulaye Wade, was known for being very involved in decisions. In November 2002, President Wade dismissed Boye and her government. This decision was linked to how her government handled a terrible ferry accident. The MV Joola, a state-owned ferry, sank in September 2002, and many lives were lost. Investigations into the disaster led to changes in leadership within the navy and government.

Later Work

After leaving her role as Prime Minister, Mame Madior Boye continued to work on important international issues. In September 2004, she was appointed by Alpha Oumar Konaré to represent the African Union. Her role was to help protect civilians during armed conflicts.

In 2008, there was a legal issue in France related to the Joola disaster. However, the Senegalese government did not agree with the legal actions taken in France. In June 2009, the legal action against Boye in France was canceled.

See also

In Spanish: Mame Madior Boye para niños