Michaëlle Jean has been chosen as the new head of the union of French-speaking nations known as "la Francophonie" at the organization’s 15th summit in Dakar on Sunday. She is the first woman to head the organization, reports RFI.
Appointed after intense debate by the members of the International Organization of Francophonie (OIF), Jean beat four male contenders to secede former Senegalese president Abdou Diouf who was the organization's leader for 12 years.
Jean, 57, was born in Haiti and fled the country with her parents when she was 11 years-old to escape the dictatorship of François Duvalier. The Canadian city of Québec became her new home.
She received a number of degrees in languages and literature from the University of Montreal notably and speaks five languages: French, English, Italian, Spanish and Haitian Creole.
During her studies, she was also deeply involved with helping women and children who were the victims of domestic violence.
She coordinated a groundbreaking study - published in 1987 - that looked at abusive relationships in which women were the victims of sexual violence at the hands of their spouses.