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 Labour Party politician and diplomat. She is known for her important roles in government and at the United Nations (UN). She was the eighth UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. This means she helped lead efforts to provide aid and support to people in need around the world.
Before her work at the UN, Baroness Amos was the British High Commissioner to Australia. She became a life peer in 1997, which gave her a seat in the House of Lords. From 2003 to 2007, she was the Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council.
In 2003, Valerie Amos made history. She became the first Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) woman to serve as a Cabinet minister. This happened when she was appointed Secretary of State for International Development. She left the Cabinet when Gordon Brown became Prime Minister. In 2010, she started her role at the UN, staying until 2015.
After her UN role, Baroness Amos continued to break barriers. In 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 2020, she 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 went to Bexley Technical High School for Girls in Bexleyheath. She was the first black deputy head girl there.
She studied Sociology at the University of Warwick from 1973 to 1976. Later, she earned an MA in cultural studies from the University of Birmingham. She also studied education at the University of East Anglia.
Working for Equality and Charities
After finishing her studies, Valerie Amos worked in local government. She focused on equal opportunities, training, and management services in London. In 1989, she became the Chief Executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission. She left this role in 1994.
In 1995, she helped start a company called Amos Fraser Bernard. This company advised the government of South Africa on important topics. These included public service reform, human rights, and fair employment.
Baroness Amos has also been involved with many charities and organizations.
- She was deputy chair of the Runnymede Trust from 1990 to 1998.
- She was a trustee for the Institute for Public Policy Research.
- She served as a director for the University College London Hospitals Trust.
- She was a trustee for Voluntary Service Overseas.
- She chaired the Afiya Trust.
- She was a director of Hampstead Theatre.
- She chaired the Board of Governors of the Royal College of Nursing Institute.
- She is now a patron of the Serious Trust.
Her Time in the House of Lords
Valerie Amos became a peer in August 1997. This meant she became Baroness Amos and gained a seat in the House of Lords. In the House of Lords, she was part of a committee that looked at European Union matters.
From 1998 to 2001, she was a Government Whip. This role involves making sure members of her 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. She was also a spokesperson on Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
In 2001, Baroness Amos became the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs. She was responsible for Africa, the Commonwealth, the Caribbean, and other areas.
Leading in Government
In May 2003, Baroness Amos was appointed Secretary of State for International Development. This was a very important role, as she was in charge of the UK's efforts to help other countries. Her appointment was historic because she became the UK's first black woman to be a Cabinet minister. It was also unusual because a member of the House of Lords rarely leads a government department.
Soon after, in October 2003, she was appointed Leader of the House of Lords. This meant she was the government's main representative in the House of Lords. Her time as Secretary of State for International Development was short, lasting less than six months.
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. She worked to get the Syrian government to allow aid workers to reach people who needed help during the conflict.
After leaving her UN role in 2015, she continued to advise on global health and humanitarian issues. She joined a group advising the World Health Organization (WHO) on how to respond to outbreaks and emergencies. Since 2019, she has also been part of a task force focused on humanitarian access.
Leading Universities
In September 2015, Baroness Amos became the ninth director of SOAS University of London. This was a significant moment, 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 there was a difference in academic success between white students and black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) students in UK universities.
In January 2021, Baroness Amos took on another leading role. She became the Master of University College, Oxford. She is the first woman and the first black person to hold this position at any Oxford college.
Awards and Recognition
Valerie Amos has received many awards and honors for her work.
- In 1995, she was given an honorary professorship from Thames Valley University.
- She has received several honorary degrees from universities, including the University of Stirling, University of Warwick, University of Leicester, University of Nottingham, Durham University, Middlesex University, University of Bristol, University of the Witwatersrand, University of London, University of Sussex, and the University of Guyana. These degrees recognize her great contributions to society.
- The University of Birmingham Guild of Students named a room "The Amos Room" after her.
In 2016, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH). This is a special award for outstanding service to the United Nations and emergency relief.
In 2019, she was elected as an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
On 1 January 2022, Queen Elizabeth II appointed Baroness Amos a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter (LG). This is a very high honor. 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.
Personal Life
Baroness Amos is a big fan of cricket. She has spoken about her love for the game on Test Match Special.
Images for kids
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Amos at the World Economic Forum in 2013
See also
In Spanish: Valerie Amos para niños
