Yolanda Ortiz (chemist) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yolanda Ortiz
Ortiz at home
Born	1923 or 1924 Tucumán, Argentina
Died	22 June 2019 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Nationality	Argentine
Occupation	Chemist, environmentalist

Yolanda Ortiz was an important Argentine chemist and environmentalist. She was born in 1923 or 1924 in Tucumán, Argentina, and passed away on June 22, 2019, in Buenos Aires. She made history as the first person to lead Argentina's environmental efforts.

In 1973, then-President Juan Perón chose her to be the first Secretary of Natural Resources and Human Environment. This made her the first woman in all of Latin America to hold such a high position. Later in her life, she also advised the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. In 2020, Argentina created "Law Yolanda" in her honor. This law makes sure that government workers learn about environmental issues and climate change.

Early Life and Career

Yolanda Ortiz grew up in Tucumán, a city in northern Argentina. After finishing high school, she moved with her family to Buenos Aires. There, she studied and earned a degree in chemistry.

Yolanda found her passion in chemistry when she realized she could use it to help people. She wanted to improve unhealthy workplaces for workers. This led her to care deeply about pollution and how certain ways of producing things were harming nature and communities.

Her first job was at a company called Shell. Later, she worked for the government, checking products that entered and left the country. In the 1960s, she studied toxicology (the study of poisons) at the University of Buenos Aires. Soon after, she received a scholarship to study in France at the Sorbonne University. She stayed there until the end of the decade.

Leading Environmental Change

In 1973, President Juan Perón asked Yolanda Ortiz to return to Argentina. He wanted her to lead the new Secretariat of the Environment for Latin America. This was a very important role. She was the only woman in his group of advisors, and the first woman in all of Latin America to hold such a position.

After President Perón passed away, and his successor was removed from power, Yolanda Ortiz had to leave Argentina. She went to Venezuela, where she worked at the Simón Bolívar University for six years.

When she returned to Argentina, at 87 years old, she started an environmental group. It was called the Argentine Environmental Center - CAMBIAR. She became its president, continuing her work to protect the environment. Yolanda Ortiz died in Buenos Aires on June 22, 2019, at the age of 94.

Awards and Recognition

Yolanda Ortiz received many honors for her dedication to the environment:

• In February 2009, the Federal Council for the Environment (COFEMA) honored her for her long career.
• In May 2015, the R21 Foundation – Sustainable Latin America, made her an Honorary Member. This was for her great work in supporting the environment.
• On April 27, 2017, she received a special mention from the Chamber of Deputies of the Nation. This was the highest award from Argentina's national parliament for her work in environmental care.
• In 2018, the Senate of Argentina gave her the Juana Azurduy award. This award recognized her amazing career.

See also

In Spanish: Yolanda Ortiz para niños