Rama Yade facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rama Yade
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Rama Yade in 2010
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| Member of the Regional Council of Île-de-France | |
| In office 21 March 2010 – 18 December 2015 |
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| President | Jean-Paul Huchon |
| Ambassador of France to UNESCO | |
| In office 22 December 2010 – 30 June 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Catherine Colonna |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Rondeau |
| Secretary of State for Sports | |
| In office 23 June 2009 – 13 November 2010 |
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| President | Nicolas Sarkozy |
| Prime Minister | François Fillon |
| Preceded by | Bernard Laporte |
| Succeeded by | Chantal Jouanno |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Human Rights | |
| In office 19 June 2007 – 23 June 2009 |
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| President | Nicolas Sarkozy |
| Prime Minister | François Fillon II |
| Preceded by | Lucette Michaux-Chevry (indirectly) |
| Succeeded by | None (Position abolished) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 December 1976 Ouakam, Dakar, Senegal |
| Nationality | Senegalese French (since 1997) |
| Political party | UMP |
| Spouse | Joseph Zimet |
| Alma mater | Sciences Po |
Rama Yade (born Mame Ramatoulaye Yade on December 13, 1976) is a French politician and writer. She was born in Senegal. Since 2021, she has been the director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center.
Rama Yade served as the French Secretary of Human Rights from 2007 to 2009. She was also the Secretary of Sports from 2009 to 2010. From December 2010 to June 2011, she was France's Ambassador to UNESCO. She was a vice-president of the Radical Party until September 2015. She tried to run for president in the 2017 French presidential election. However, she could not get enough signatures to be a candidate. Her campaign focused on helping "the forgotten people" of France.
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Early Life and Education
Yade was born in Ouakam, Dakar, Senegal. Her family was well-educated and from the Lebou group. Her mother, Aminata Kandji, was a professor. Her father, Djibril Yade, was also a professor and worked for the Senegalese President Léopold Sédar Senghor.
When she was eight, Rama moved to France with her family. Her father left the country when she was fourteen. After that, she moved to a public housing apartment in Colombes with her mother and three sisters.
Yade went to Catholic schools. She later studied at the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris, also known as Sciences Po. She graduated from there in 2000.
Starting Her Career
Before becoming a politician, Yade worked in different places. She worked at the Paris city hall and for the National Assembly. She also worked for a political party called The Greens. In 2002, she became an administrator in the Senate.
Political Journey
Yade joined the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) political party in 2005. In 2006, she became a National Secretary for the party, focusing on the Francophonie (French-speaking countries). She said that Nicolas Sarkozy's strong personality made her want to join the UMP.
Working in Government
In May 2007, Yade was chosen to be the Secretary of State for Human Rights. She worked under the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Bernard Kouchner. In this role, she spoke out against President Sarkozy's invitation to Muammar Gaddafi to visit France in 2008. She pointed out Libya's poor record on human rights.
In November 2008, there were rumors that Sarkozy wanted Yade to take on a new role. She was also asked to lead one of the UMP lists for the 2009 European Parliament elections. However, she decided not to run for a seat in the European Parliament. She said she was "more interested in national mandate."
Yade was then moved to the position of Secretary of State for Sports on June 24, 2009. Some people thought this was a step down because Sarkozy was unhappy with her decision about the European elections. In 2010, she criticized the France national football team for staying in very expensive hotels. This happened during a time when many people were struggling financially.
Ambassador to UNESCO
In December 2010, Yade became the French Ambassador to UNESCO. UNESCO is an organization that promotes education, science, and culture around the world. She left this job in June 2011.
Joining the Radical Party
In 2012, Yade left the UMP party. She joined the Radical Party. She supported Jean-Louis Borloo for president until he decided not to run. Later, she supported Nicolas Sarkozy. She also joined another party called the New Centre. She is the President of a group called Allons Enfants!, which is a think tank (a group that does research and suggests ideas).
Running for Parliament
Yade ran for a seat in the National Assembly of France in the 2012 parliamentary elections. She ran in the Hauts-de-Seine's 2nd constituency but did not win. She now works for a company in Paris that helps with human resources.
Her Political Views
Rama Yade is considered a moderate-conservative politician. She is also a feminist, meaning she supports equal rights for women.
Supporting Equal Opportunity
She believes in affirmative action. This means she supports policies that help groups of people who have faced unfair treatment in the past.
Views on Face Coverings
In 2009, she said she was not against a ban on full face veils in France. She believed such a ban could protect the idea of a non-religious government and the dignity of women. She encouraged Muslims to adapt to modern times. In 2010, she suggested having a referendum (a public vote) on banning full face veils.
Supporting Equal Rights for All
As Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Human Rights, Yade met with several groups that support LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) rights in 2008. She announced that the government would officially recognize the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. She also said she would ask the United Nations to make sure that being gay is not a crime anywhere in the world. She asked, "How can we accept that people are harmed or killed just because of their sexual orientation?"
When she became Secretary of State for Sports, she worked to fight against unfair treatment of gay people in sports. She took part in a conference in Paris in 2011 that focused on this issue.
In a June 2011 interview, she said she would have voted for same-sex marriage if she had been in the National Assembly. In 2013, she said her support for same-sex marriage was part of her fight for equal rights. She was even called the most gay-friendly member of the government. In February 2013, Rama Yade, along with other politicians, signed an article in Le Monde newspaper supporting gay marriage for the sake of equality.
Views on Foreign Voting
When asked about the right for foreigners to vote, Yade said it should be decided by a public vote. She personally was against it. She believed that foreigners mostly want their children, who are French citizens, to be well-represented in politics and other areas.
Syrian Civil War
Regarding the civil war in Syria, she believed France should take action, including military action, because the Syrian people asked for help.
Views on Taxes
On the topic of taxes, Yade said that France was losing wealthy people, like actor Gérard Depardieu. She also felt that poor people felt let down. She believed this weakened France and its future.
Personal Life
Yade is married to Joseph Zimet. He is the son of Yiddish singer Ben Zimet. Joseph Zimet was an adviser to former Secretary of State Jean-Marie Bockel. Her husband is Jewish. Rama Yade sees herself as a feminist.
Images for kids
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Rama Yade in 2010
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Rama Yade in May 2007
See also
In Spanish: Rama Yade para niños
