Rashida Yousuf (sometimes Yoosuf or Yusuf; her first name is sometimes transliterated Raashida) is a Maldivian politician and diplomat.

Rashida Yousuf
Minister of Women's Affairs and Social Welfare
In office
1997–2002
Personal details
NationalityMaldivian
Political partyProgressive Party of Maldives

Yousuf first served in the cabinet of the Maldives as the Minister of Youth and Sports.[1] Appointed Minister of Women's Affairs and Social Welfare in 1997, she remained in the position until 2002.[2] In that year she attempted to open up discussion in the Maldives on the subject of domestic violence, but was unsuccessful.[3] In the same year she was appointed High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,[4] becoming the first woman to reach such a high rank in the Maldivian diplomatic corps.[5] Yousuf was reappointed to the cabinet in 2008 by Maumoon Abdul Gayoom,[6] a move that was not without controversy and which was described in some circles as nepotism.[7] In 2011 she became Dhivehi Dhaulathuge Minister, holding that position until 2013.[2] She is a member of the Progressive Party of Maldives.[8] In 2008 she received an award from the Maldivian government for her work in the field of women's issues over the previous quarter-century.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "OnlineWomen: Maldives". Online Women in Politics. Archived from the original on 2018-03-31. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Maldives Ministers". www.guide2womenleaders.com. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  3. ^ Emma Fulu (15 August 2013). Domestic Violence in Asia: Globalization, Gender and Islam in the Maldives. Routledge. pp. 28–. ISBN 978-1-136-01416-1.
  4. ^ "Online edition of Daily News - News". archives.dailynews.lk. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  5. ^ "Raajje: Maldives appoints first female diplomat". raajje.blogspot.com. 13 February 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  6. ^ ". Maldives official website - Maldives News Bulletin". www.maldivesinfo.gov.mv. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  7. ^ "Maldives Dictator appoints the old guard to senior minister posts". doreview.blogspot.com. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  8. ^ "PPM does not belong to anyone in particular: Maumoon". Sun.Mv Online. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  9. ^ s.c., BCS. "High Commission of the Republic of MALDIVES - "Women have an equally important role to men in ensuring that the democratic reform agenda is completed successfully", says the President". www.maldiveshighcommission.org. Retrieved 6 November 2017.