Euphrasie Kouassi Yao
{{short description|Ivorian Minister of Women's Rights, Family, and Infants}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Euphrasie Kouassi Yao
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| order =
| office = Special advisor to the president in charge of gender
| status = Incumbent
| term_start = March 2017
| term_end =
| president = Alassane Ouattara
| primeminister = Amadou Gon Coulibaly
| succeeding =
| office2 = Minister for the Promotion of Women, Family and Child Protection
| term_start2 = January 2016
| term_end2 = January 2017
| president2 = Alassane Ouattara
| primeminister2 = Daniel Kablan Duncan
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1964|4|18}}
| birth_place =
| nationality = Ivory Coast
}}
Euphrasie Kouassi Yao (also Yao Kouassi, born 18 April 1964) is an Ivorian politician, who is the current special advisor to president Alassane Ouattara in charge of gender. She has also served as the Minister for the Promotion of Women, Family and Child Protection, and as a UNESCO chair on their committee on Water, Women and Decision-making.
Personal life
Kouassi Yao has a master's degree in Gender and Development from the Université de l'Atlantique d'Abidjan in Cote D'Ivoire.{{cite web| url= http://abidjan.net/QUI/profil.asp?id=1065| title= Euphrasie Kouassi Yao| publisher= Abidjan.net| accessdate= 24 March 2019| archive-date= 27 August 2017| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170827003312/http://abidjan.net/QUI/profil.asp?id=1065| url-status= dead}} Her brother Jean Claude Kouassi has also been a minister in the Ivorian government.{{cite news| url= http://www.afrikipresse.fr/politique/presidence-ivoirienne-l-ex-ministre-euphrasie-yao-pas-encore-informee-de-sa-nouvelle-nomination| title= Présidence ivoirienne : l'ex ministre Euphrasie Yao pas encore informée de sa nouvelle nomination| language=fr| work=Afrikipresse.fr| date=22 February 2017| accessdate=24 March 2019}}
Career
In January 2016, Kouassi Yao was appointed the minister for the Promotion de la Femme, de la Famille et de la Protection de l’Enfant (Promotion of Women, Family and Child Protection) by then Prime Minister Daniel Kablan Duncan.{{cite news| url= http://abidjantv.net/actualites/cote-divoire-apres-son-depart-du-gouvernement-euphrasie-kouassi-yao-ex-ministre-a-ete-nommee-a-la-presidence/| title= Côte d'Ivoire: Après son départ du Gouvernement, Euphrasie Kouassi Yao ex ministre a été nommée à la présidence| publisher=Abidjan TV|year=2017| accessdate=24 March 2019}} Whilst in the role, she encouraged women to register to vote in the 2016 Ivorian parliamentary election.{{cite news| url= https://rti.ci/infos_societe_16442_cote-deivoire-euphrasie-yao-invite-les-femmes-aveugles-a-ne-pas-mendier.html| title= Côte d'Ivoire : Euphrasie Yao invite les femmes aveugles à ne pas mendier|language=fr| last=N'Doli| first=Didier| work=Radiodiffusion Television Ivoirienne| date=July 2016| accessdate=24 March 2019}} She was removed from the role in January 2017. In March 2017, she became a special advisor to president Alassane Ouattara, in charge of gender.{{cite news| url=https://pmepmimagazine.info/cote-divoire-euphrasie-yao-explique-limportance-de-la-formation-en-ingenierie-du-genre/| title=Côte d'Ivoire : Euphrasie Yao explique l'importance de la formation en ingénierie du genre| language=fr| work=Afrique de l'Ouest| via=Africa Business Agency| date=5 February 2019| accessdate=24 March 2019| archive-date=9 June 2019| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190609034306/https://pmepmimagazine.info/cote-divoire-euphrasie-yao-explique-limportance-de-la-formation-en-ingenierie-du-genre/| url-status=dead}}{{cite news| url= http://lepointsur.com/compendium-competences-feminines-euphrasie-yao-kouassi-invite-femmes-de-bouake-a-se-faire-identifier-compendiumdescompetencesfeminines/| title= Compendium des compétences féminines :Euphrasie Yao Kouassi, invite les femmes de Bouaké à se faire identifier# compendiumdescompétencesfeminines| language=fr| work=Le Point Sur| date=29 October 2018| accessdate=24 March 2019}} She has focused on promoting peace after the Second Ivorian Civil War, in particular commemorating women who provided food for their families during the conflict.{{cite news| url=https://www.fratmat.info/index.php/focus/interview/euphrasie-yao-conseillere-du-president-de-la-republique-chargee-du-genre-nous-devons-concevoir-des-programmes-qui-contribuent-a-la-paix| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324123206/https://www.fratmat.info/index.php/focus/interview/euphrasie-yao-conseillere-du-president-de-la-republique-chargee-du-genre-nous-devons-concevoir-des-programmes-qui-contribuent-a-la-paix| url-status=dead| archive-date=24 March 2019| title=Euphrasie Yao (Conseillère du Président de la République chargée du genre): Nous devons concevoir des programmes qui contribuent à la paix| language=fr| last=Hala| first=Alakagni| work=Fraternité Matin| date=14 November 2018| accessdate=24 March 2019}} She promotes the organisation Amour, Solidarité et Audace (Love, Solidarity and Boldness) which has brought together 15,000 Ivorian women of different ethnic backgrounds and religions. In 2018, she spoke on French television channel TV5Monde about women's development in Africa.{{cite news| url= http://www.rfi.fr/emission/20180527-euphrasie-kouassi-yao-haweya-mohamed-ammin-youssouf| title= LES TÊTES D'AFFICHES DE DENISE EPOTÉ| language=fr| publisher=Radio France Internationale| date=27 May 2018| accessdate=24 March 2019}} She has supported the government in its attempts to prosecute those who participate in female genital mutilation.{{cite web| url= https://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2016/af/265246.htm| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170307084033/https://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2016/af/265246.htm| url-status= dead| archive-date= 7 March 2017| title= 2016 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices| publisher=Government of the Ivory Coast| date=3 March 2017| accessdate=24 March 2019}}
In the Ivory Coast, Kouassi Yao has also worked as the National Director of Equality and Promotion of Gender, Technical Advisor to the Minister of Women, Member of the board of directors of the National Office of Drinking Water, National Coordinator of the Compendium of Female Skills, and as co-ordinator of the Compendium of Women's Competences of Côte d'Ivoire. She has also worked for UNESCO as a chair on their committee on Water, Women and Decision-making.{{cite book| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=tj_bCwAAQBAJ&q=Euphrasie+Yao| title= Water, people and cooperation: 50 years of water programmes for sustainable development at UNESCO| publisher=UNESCO| page=192| date=December 2015| isbn= 9789231001284| access-date=24 March 2019}}
For 2019 International Women's Day, Kouassi Yao was one of 20 Ivorian women honoured by the Global Platform for Enterprising Women. She was described as an "influential and inspiring woman".{{cite news| url= http://www.linfodrome.com/societe-culture/43539-journee-internationale-de-la-femme-2019-euphrasie-yao-et-des-leaders-ivoiriennes-bientot-honorees-en-tunisie| title= Journée Internationale de la Femme 2019 : Euphrasie Yao et des leaders ivoiriennes bientôt honorées en Tunisie| language=fr| work=Linfodrome.com| date=23 November 2018| accessdate=24 March 2019}} In December 2021, she released a book {{lang|fr|Le secret d'une aventure}} (The secret of an adventure) .{{cite web| url=https://news.abidjan.net/articles/702534/cote-divoirelitterature-euphrasie-yao-partage-ses-lecons-et-experiences-de-vie-dans-un-fascinant-ouvrage| title=Côte d'Ivoire.Littérature : Euphrasie Yao partage ses leçons et expériences de vie dans un fascinant ouvrage| language=fr| publisher=Abidjan.net| date=1 January 2022| accessdate=28 April 2022}} The book detailed her roles in the government between 2004 and 2011.{{cite web| url=https://news.abidjan.net/articles/704606/euphrasie-yao-decele-le-grand-secret-de-son-aventure-de-vie-sur-amazon| title=Euphrasie Yao décèle le grand secret de son aventure de vie sur Amazon| language=fr| publisher=Abidjan.net| date=21 February 2022| accessdate=28 April 2022}}
References
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