Jeanne Gervais

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Jeanne Gervais, née Jeanne Ahou Siefer-N’Dri (June 6, 1922 – December 9, 2012) was an Ivorian politician and the first woman minister in Côte d'Ivoire.^[1]

Born in Grand-Bassam, Gervais was the daughter of a French father and a Baoulé mother.^[2] A longtime member of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire – African Democratic Rally,^[3] she participated in the women's march in her hometown in 1949.^[1] Trained as a teacher at the École normal de Rufisque,^[4] she became one of three women, alongside Hortense Aka-Anghui and Gladys Anoma, elected to the National Assembly immediately after independence.^[5] She served in that body from 1965 until 1980.^[2] In 1976, she was named head of the Ministry of Women's Affairs, remaining in that role until 1984 and becoming the first woman to serve in the Ivorian cabinet.^[1] She was also active for many years as president of the Association des Femmes Ivoiriennes.^[5]