Samira Merai

Samira Merai Friaa (born 10 January 1963) is a Tunisian doctor and politician who served as Minister of Public Health from 2016 to 2017.

Samira Merai
Minister of Public Health
In office
27 August 2016 – 12 September 2017
Prime MinisterYoussef Chahed
Preceded bySaid Aidi
Succeeded bySlim Chaker
Minister of Women, Family and Children
In office
2 February 2015 – 27 August 2016
Prime MinisterHabib Essid
Preceded bySaber Bouatay
Succeeded byNéziha Labidi
Personal details
Born (1963-01-10) 10 January 1963
Zarzis, Tunisia
Political partyAfek Tounes (2011–2012)
Republican Party (2012–2013)
Afek Tounes (since 2013)

Early life and education

Merai was born on 10 January 1963 in Zarzis. She attended the technical high school in Medenine and obtained a degree in mathematics and science in 1981. She graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in Tunis in 1986, specialising in pulmonology.[1][2]

Career

Merai began working at the Abderrahmen-Mami Hospital in Aryanah in 1993. In 2003, she was appointed Associate Professor of Respirology at the Faculty of Medicine in Tunis. She is a member of the European Respiratory Society and the American Thoracic Society.[1]

Merai is a member of the Afek Tounes party and joined its central committee in May 2011.[1] She was elected to the Constituent Assembly for the constituency of Medenine on 23 October 2011.[2] On 1 February 2012, she was elected Deputy Speaker of the NCA.[3] After the dissolution of Afek Tounes, she became a member of the Republican Party, but resigned on 10 July 2013.[4] She was not re-elected at the 2014 legislative elections.

Merai served as the Chair of the Committee on Women's Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean in 2014.[5]

On 2 February 2015, Merai was appointed Minister of Women, Family and Children in the government of Prime Minister Habib Essid.[2][3][6] On 20 August 2016, she was appointed Minister of Public Health in the cabinet of Youssef Chahed.[7][8][9]

Personal life

Merai is married and has three children.[2]

References
  1. "DOSSIERSBiographie de Samira Merai Friâa, ministre de la Santé publique". Business News (in French). 20 August 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  2. "Gouvernement Youssef Chahed: Qui est Samira Merai, ministre de la Santé?". Direct Info. 21 August 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  3. "Tunisian minister says more pro-women reform needed". The Arab Weekly. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  4. "Tunisie-Politique : La députée Samira Merai Friaa quitte le parti Al-Joumhouri". Kapitalis. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  5. Merai=Friaa, Samira (18 August 2014). "Dear Members of the Committee on Women's Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (PA-UfM)" (PDF). PAUfM. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  6. Achouri, Marouen (4 February 2015). "Ennahda joins new government lineup". Al Monitor. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  7. "Samira Merai says "optimistic" about future of Chinese-Tunisian health co-operation". Agence Tunis Afrique Presse. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  8. "Tunisia PM-designate presents unity govt line-up". The Daily Star Lebanon. 20 August 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  9. Briki, Raouia (31 August 2016). "Notes on Tunisia's New National Unity Government". Project on Middle East Democracy. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
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