Niger
Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state Geography of Niger#Political geography, bordered by Libya to the Libya–Niger border, north-east, Chad to the Chad–Niger border, east ...
ian politician and
women's rights
Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...
activist.
Early life and education
Bayard was born in 1958 in Maradi, Niger. She completed her education in 1976 at the Lycée Kassaï in
Niamey
Niamey () is the capital and largest city of Niger. As the Niamey Urban Community (, CUN), it is a Regions of Niger, first-level division of Niger, surrounded by the Tillabéri Region, in the western part of the country. Niamey lies on the Nige ...
. She studied
economics
Economics () is a behavioral science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interac ...
and
sociology
Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...
at the
University of Montpellier
The University of Montpellier () is a public university, public research university located in Montpellier, in south-east of France. Established in 1220, the University of Montpellier is one of the List of oldest universities in continuous opera ...
in
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. In 1985, she received a doctorate in international relations at the International Institute of International Relations of
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...
.
Career
Bayard worked as a consultant on development and gender issues and founded the women's organization Rassemblement Démocratique des Femmes Nigériennes (RDFN) in 1992. She attended the National Conference of 1991, which organized the democratic transition of Niger after the military regime that had been in force since 1974, and led the Commission on Rural Development.
On 13 June 1997, Bayard was appointed as Minister of Communication and Culture and as a government spokeswoman in the government of Prime Minister
Amadou Cissé
Amadou Boubacar Cissé (born 29 June 1948 , ''Afrique Express'', December 21, 1996 .) is a under President
Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara
General Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara (9 May 1949 – 9 April 1999) was a Nigerien military officer and diplomat who ruled Niger from 1996 until his assassination. He seized and lost power in military coups.
Baré Maïnassara, a Maouri, a subgro ...
. She held this office until 1 December 1997. During her time in office, she organized a national festival of traditional Nigerien dance and music in
Zinder
Zinder (locally, ''Damagaram''), formerly also spelled Sinder, is the third largest city in Niger, with a population of 235,605 as by the 2012 census. It is situated east of the capital Niamey and north of the Nigerian city of Kano.
History ...
, which earned her the nickname "Marraine des Arts du Niger" (Godmother of the Arts in Niger). She also oversaw the introduction of
mobile phones
A mobile phone or cell phone is a portable telephone that allows users to make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while moving within a designated telephone service area, unlike fixed-location phones ( landline phones). This radio ...
into the country.
After 2000, Bayard worked for the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
including as deputy representative of the UN Secretary-General in
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau, officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, is a country in West Africa that covers with an estimated population of 2,026,778. It borders Senegal to Guinea-Bissau–Senegal border, its north and Guinea to Guinea–Guinea-Bissau b ...
(2004–2005), as director of the political department of the UN activities in the
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest List of ci ...
(2005–2007), for the Integrated United Nations office in
Burundi
Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is located in the Great Rift Valley at the junction between the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa, with a population of over 14 million peop ...
(2007–2008) and for the UNDP Centre in
Dakar
Dakar ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The Departments of Senegal, department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 mill ...
(2008–2009).
Bayard returned to Niger in 2009. In October 2009, she was beaten and hospitalised at a demonstration against President
Mamadou Tandja
Mamadou Tandja (1938 – 24 November 2020) was a Nigerien politician who was List of heads of state of Niger, President of Niger from 1999 to 2010. He was President of the National Movement for the Development of Society (MNSD) from 1991 to 1999 ...
. She ran as a candidate in the presidential elections in Niger in 2011 after the overthrow of Tandja for the Alliance of Independent candidates for a new Niger (Racinn-Hadin'Kay). She was the first woman to run for the office of president in Niger. She received 0.38% of the vote and placed last. As of 2015, she is president of Racinn Hadin'Kay. She decided not to run in the 2016 election after criticising the government for impeding all opposition, saying "I do not want to be there, so that one can say, yes, there is also a woman."