Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim (Mauritian Creole pronunciation: [bibi amina fiːədos ɡəʁib fakim]) GCSK (born 17 October 1959) is a Mauritian politician and biodiversity scientist who served as the sixth president of Mauritius from 2015 to 2018. In December 2014, she was selected to be the presidential candidate of the Alliance Lepep. After Kailash Purryag resigned on 29 May 2015, both Prime Minister Sir Anerood Jugnauth and Leader of the Opposition Paul Berenger positively welcomed her nomination, which was unanimously approved in a vote in the National Assembly.

Quotes

• “We need more mentors and role models where access to education matters.”
• "I think we need to break that vicious cycle where negative stereotypes abound and deter girls’ engagement in science." Dr. Ameenah F. In Q&A: Break vicious cycle that deters girls in science
• “Eliminating gender inequality and empowering women could raise the productive potential of one billion Africans, delivering a huge boost to the continent’s development potential”.
• "Africa make a sizeable contribution to the continent’s economy. They are more economically active as farmers and entrepreneurs than women in any other region of the world. It is the women who grow most of Africa’s food, and who own one-third of all businesses”
• “increasing the gender parity and addressing the attainment of the SDGs in a holistic and comprehensive manner has the potential of positively shaping synchronous outcomes such as improving instant and child mortality rates, increase labour force participation rates and earnings or fostering further educational investment in children” Dr.Gurib-Fakim in her first address to the International Labour Conference.
• " If you're a scientist, you tend to really look at the perfection of the human body, the way it functions. If you look at nature as a whole. I'm still amazed at the perfection with which the entire ecosystem functions together."

"If women are left out of full participation in 21st-century aspirations, we will not achieve gender equality, nor realize our broader goals for growth, prosperity, and well-being, including scientific advancement."

• "When science is rejected as a career choice, it is often due to limited information and the dearth of positive role models to encourage young girls to participate."
• "Women must be empowered with knowledge, technology, financial resources, and land. Increasing access to financial mechanisms and removing legal barriers are among the many ways that women can stay in the workforce and achieve their fullest potential." Innovating Women's Leadership Across Sectors: A Conversation with H.E. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of Mauritius
• Transfer of knowledge and expansion of ideas is a great contribution,[1]
• I've gone through the glass ceiling, and that's an important message to send to young women and girls. … 'Yes, it's possible if you are a woman.' [2]