Mariama Keïta, born in 1946, was a Nigerien journalist and the country's first female journalist and feminist activist. She died on October 29, 2018.

Biography

Keïta was born in 1946 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 began her career at the age of 18 as an intern at Radio Niger known as the Niger frist radio station. She was later worked as an editor and presenter of a newspaper and on the public radio station ''La Voix du Sahel''. In 1993, Keïta was a tireless advocate for democracy, human rights and women's rights in Niger and participated in the popularization of the

Constitution of Niger The Republic of Niger has had seven constitutions, two substantial constitutional revisions, and two periods of rule by decree since its independence from French colonial rule in 1960. The "''Seventh Republic''" operated under the Constitution o ...

, which allowed the holding of the first democratic elections of the country. Keïta also co-founded the Coordination of Niger Women's NGOs and Associations, a coalition that worked closely with various stakeholders, including religious and community leaders, to advance women's rights in areas such as marriage and divorce. She worked as a teacher, mediator and communications consultant, sharing her knowledge and skills with the next generation. She authored articles and papers, spoke at conferences, and received numerous national and international awards for her impactful work. A feminist activist and figure, she was a pioneer in the defense of women's rights in

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 ...

. She served as the coordinator of about fifty non-governmental organizations and women's associations in Niger. She is also the head of one of the country's first NGOs, the Association for Democracy, Freedom and Development. Keïta died in Turkey on 29 October 2018, at the age of 72, following a prolonged illness.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keïta, Mariama 1946 births 2018 deaths People from Niamey Nigerien journalists Nigerien women journalists