Amina Priscille Longoh

Amina Priscille Longoh (born 1991) is a Chadian humanitarian organizer and politician. She has served as in the government of Chad as minister of women and the protection of early childhood since July 2020.

Amina Priscille Longoh
Minister of State, Minister of Women, Protection of Early Childhood and National Solidarity
Assumed office
July 14, 2020
PresidentIdriss Déby
Mahamat Déby
Personal details
Born1991
Sarh, Chad
Political partyPatriotic Salvation Movement

Biography

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Longoh was born in 1991 in Sarh, the capital of Chad's Moyen-Chari region.[1]

She holds a bachelor's degree from Wintech Professional Institute in Ghana, as well as a master's in business administration from Sup'Management.[2] After working in the oil sector for Glencore from 2013 to 2018, she left the firm to focus on humanitarian work.[3]

In 2016, Longoh founded Tchad Helping Hands, a charitable organization with a particular focus on supporting Chadian women and girls.[1][3] The foundation's genesis was a fundraiser she had organized for a 2-year-old girl who had eye cancer. The funds did not come through in time, and the girl died. Wanting to be able to respond to crises more quickly in the future, she launched Tchad Helping Hands later that year.[4]

Longoh was appointed by President Idriss Déby as director of the Maison Nationale de la Femme (National Women's House) in 2019. She also served as education commissioner for the Panafrican Youth Union.[3][5][6]

In July 2020, she was appointed by Déby as minister of women and the protection of early childhood.[1][6] At age 29, she was the youngest minister in the newly reshuffled cabinet alongside the new youth and sports minister, Routouang Mohamed Ndonga Christian. She was one of nine women in the 35-member cabinet.[3][7][8] She was retained in the cabinet reshuffles under transitional president Mahamat Déby, who took over after his father's death.[9][10] In September 2023, she was elevated to the rank of minister of state while retaining her gender portfolio, the first woman in Chad to reach that status.[11]

Longoh has advocated against the social and economic marginalization of women, and in favor of women's role in pan-African unity and identity.[4][12]

The minister was the subject of a controversy in November 2020 when a photo circulated online of her holding a Quran, which was a gift from students at a Quranic school. Some Muslims believe that non-Muslims should not directly touch the holy book. She apologized, removing the photo from her social media profile and asking for forgiveness from the Muslim community.[13][14]

Longoh is married and has two children.[3][15]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Meet Amina Priscille Longoh, Chad's Minister of Women and Protection of Children". Her Network. 2020-07-21. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  2. ^ "Female Minister at 29, Amina Priscille Longoh's Journey". Justica Anima. 2020-10-24. Archived from the original on 2020-11-01. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  3. ^ a b c d e Beramgoto Jr, Alex (2020-07-20). "Nouveaux visages du gouvernement : Amina Priscille Longoh, du social à la politique". Tchadinfos.com (in French). Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  4. ^ a b "Société: " Être proche des vulnérables est pour moi plus qu'une vocation ", Amina P. Longoh". Tchadinfos.com (in French). 2019-01-09. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  5. ^ "Tchad : la samaritaine Amina Priscille Longoh nommée directrice générale de la Maison de la Femme". Tchadinfos.com (in French). 2019-07-31. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  6. ^ a b "Tchad : Idriss Deby remanie son gouvernement à dix mois de la présidentielle". LSi Africa (in French). 2020-07-14. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  7. ^ "Amina Priscille Longoh, nouvelle ministre du gouvernement tchadien". 50 - 50 Magazine (in French). 2020-08-03. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  8. ^ Ndungidi, Patrick (2020-07-15). "Tchad : Amina Priscille Longoh,29 ans, nommée ministre au sein du nouveau gouvernement". African Shapers (in French). Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  9. ^ Ahmed, Abdulateef (2022-07-11). "Chadian President Mahamat Itno Reshuffles Cabinet". News Central TV. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  10. ^ "Tchad : liste du nouveau gouvernement du 9 juillet 2022". Alwihda Info (in French). 2022-07-09. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
  11. ^ "Amina Priscille Longoh, première femme Ministre d'Etat au Tchad". Tchadinfos.com (in French). 2023-09-02. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  12. ^ Orédje, Narcissus (2020-07-31). "Journée de la femme africaine : la ministre Longoh plaide pour la vulgarisation des textes au Tchad". Tchadinfos.com (in French). Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  13. ^ "Tchad : don controversé du Coran, Amina Priscille Longoh demande les excuses aux musulmans". Agence Alwiam (in French). 2020-11-17. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
  14. ^ "Tchad : des filles d'une école coranique offrent un Coran à la ministre de la Femme, retour sur la polémique". Alwihda Info (in French). 2020-11-16.
  15. ^ "Divers: Un étudiant déclare son amour à Amina Priscille LONGOH". Toumaï Web Médias (in French). 2020-09-27. Retrieved 2020-12-14.