Valerie Amos, Baroness Amos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Baroness Amos
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Official portrait, 2013
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| United Nations Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator | |
| In office 1 September 2010 – 29 May 2015 |
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| Secretary-General | Ban Ki-moon |
| Preceded by | John Holmes |
| Succeeded by | Stephen O'Brien |
| British High Commissioner to Australia | |
| In office 1 October 2009 – 1 September 2010 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Helen Liddell |
| Succeeded by | Paul Madden |
| Leader of the House of Lords Lord President of the Council |
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| In office 6 October 2003 – 27 June 2007 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | The Lord Williams of Mostyn |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Ashton of Upholland |
| Secretary of State for International Development | |
| In office 12 May 2003 – 6 October 2003 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Clare Short |
| Succeeded by | Hilary Benn |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs | |
| In office 12 June 2001 – 12 May 2003 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | The Baroness Scotland of Asthal |
| Succeeded by | Chris Mullin |
| Baroness-in-Waiting Government Whip |
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| In office 28 July 1998 – 11 June 2001 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | The Baroness Gould of Potternewton |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Bassam of Brighton |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 24 September 1997 Life peerage |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Valerie Ann Amos
13 March 1954 Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana) |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | University of Birmingham University of Warwick University of East Anglia |
Valerie Ann Amos, Baroness Amos (born 13 March 1954) is a British politician and diplomat. She has held many important roles throughout her career. She was the eighth UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. This means she helped lead global efforts to assist people in crises.
Before her UN role, she served as the top British diplomat in Australia, known as the British High Commissioner. In 1997, she became a life peer, which gave her a seat in the House of Lords. From 2003 to 2007, she was the Leader of the House of Lords, a very important position in the UK Parliament.
In May 2003, Baroness Amos made history. She became the first Black woman to serve as a Cabinet minister in the UK government. This happened when she was appointed Secretary of State for International Development. She left the Cabinet when Gordon Brown became Prime Minister.
After her time in government, she continued her work on the global stage. In 2010, she was appointed to the UN role, which she held until 2015. Later, in September 2015, she became the Director of SOAS, University of London. This made her the first Black woman to lead a university in the United Kingdom. Since September 2020, Baroness Amos has been the Master of University College, Oxford. She is the first Black person and the first woman to lead an Oxford college.
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Early Life and Education
Valerie Amos was born in 1954 in British Guiana, which is now Guyana in South America. In 1963, her family moved to Great Britain. She attended Bexley Technical High School for Girls in Bexleyheath. There, she was the first Black deputy head girl.
She went on to study at several universities. She earned a degree in Sociology from the University of Warwick between 1973 and 1976. She also completed a master's degree in cultural studies at the University of Birmingham. Later, she studied education at the University of East Anglia.
Working for Equality and Helping Others
After finishing her studies, Valerie Amos worked in local government. She focused on areas like equal opportunities, training, and management services. She worked in the London areas of Lambeth, Camden, and Hackney.
In 1989, she became the Chief Executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission. This organization worked to promote fairness and prevent discrimination. She held this important role until 1994.
In 1995, Baroness Amos helped start a company called Amos Fraser Bernard. This company advised the government of South Africa on how to improve public services and ensure fair employment.
Baroness Amos has also been involved with many other organizations. She was a deputy chair of the Runnymede Trust, which works on race equality. She also served as a trustee for groups like Voluntary Service Overseas, which sends volunteers to help people in other countries. She has always been dedicated to helping others and promoting fairness.
Her Role in the House of Lords
In August 1997, Valerie Amos was given the title of Baroness Amos. This meant she became a life peer and could sit in the House of Lords. The House of Lords is part of the UK Parliament.
In the House of Lords, she was part of a special committee that looked at European Community issues. From 1998 to 2001, she worked as a Government Whip. This role involves making sure members of her political party vote in line with the government's plans. She also spoke for the government on topics like social security, international development, and women's issues.
In June 2001, Baroness Amos became a Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs. In this role, she focused on issues related to Africa, the Commonwealth, the Caribbean, and other overseas territories.
Leading the House of Lords
In May 2003, Baroness Amos was appointed Secretary of State for International Development. This made her the first Black woman to be a Cabinet minister in the UK. This was a very significant moment in British politics.
Just a few months later, in October 2003, she was appointed Leader of the House of Lords. This is a very senior position. It meant she was responsible for managing government business in the House of Lords. She held this role until June 2007.
Working for the United Nations
In 2010, Ban Ki-moon, who was the Secretary-General of the United Nations, chose Baroness Amos for a very important job. She became the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
In this role, she led the UN's efforts to help people affected by disasters and conflicts around the world. For example, in March 2012, she visited Syria to ask the Syrian government to allow aid workers to reach people who needed help during the conflict there. She worked in this role until May 2015.
Leadership in Universities
After her time at the UN, Baroness Amos continued to take on leadership roles. In September 2015, she became the ninth director of SOAS University of London. This was a historic appointment, as she was the first woman of African descent to lead a higher education institution in Great Britain.
In 2019, she helped lead a report that looked into why Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) students were less likely to achieve top degrees compared to white students. This work aimed to make education fairer for everyone.
In January 2021, Baroness Amos took on another groundbreaking role. She became the Master of University College, Oxford. She is both the first woman and the first Black person to lead any college at the famous University of Oxford.
Awards and Recognition
Baroness Amos has received many awards and honours for her important work. In 1995, she was given an honorary professorship from Thames Valley University. This was to recognize her work on equality and social justice.
She has also received honorary degrees from many universities, including the University of Warwick, the University of Leicester, the University of Stirling, the University of Nottingham, and Durham University. These degrees recognize her outstanding contributions to society.
In 2016, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. This is a very special award given for services to the United Nations and emergency relief.
In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II appointed Baroness Amos a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter. This is the highest order of chivalry in the UK. She is the first Black "knight or lady companion" member of this ancient order. In May 2023, she took part in the Coronation of Charles III, representing the Order of the Garter.
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Personal Interests
Baroness Amos is a big fan of cricket. She has even talked about her love for the game on a radio show called Test Match Special.
In March 2013, she was listed as one of "the 50 best-dressed over-50s" by The Guardian newspaper.
See also
In Spanish: Valerie Amos para niños
