Yvette Yende-Ashiri
Women of Inspiration
Yvette Yende-Ashiri is a seasoned entrepreneur and activist who is passionate about human rights, equality, social justice, and positive change. She helps us discover the richness of all the cultures that surround us by painting a portrait of young women who, like her, come from ethno cultural backgrounds and contribute brilliantly to the richness of Canada’s heritage.
Ms. Yende-Ashiri, Congolese by origin but who grew up in France, is very involved in the multi-ethnic community of Ottawa. For the past ten years, she has been an ardent advocate for the rights of women and girls. She has appeared in the media on several occasions to talk about the effects of the armed conflict on the lives of women and to raise awareness of the continuing violations of the rights of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in particular with respect to violence as a weapon of war.
In addition, Ms. Yende-Ashiri is the producer and host of the television program, Identité Cultur’Elles; National Vice-President of la Jeune Chambre Internationale (JCI) Canada; Founder of JCI Ottawa; Vice-president of the Congolese Community Association of Ottawa-Gatineau; and, Co-founder and President of the Fédération Femmes Enfants Avenir Monde (FFEAM). FFEAM is a non-profit organization created by and for women from ethno cultural backgrounds with a mission to fight against gender-based violence in Canada and around the world, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Also, Yvette Yende-Ashiri is spokesperson for the I Am Africa movement, member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Africans of Canada, Collège La Cité and the Governance Committee of Montfort Hospital.
For her initiatives that advocate against violence against women, Yvette Yende-Ashiri has been awarded the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women – Women Leaders, and a Diamond Award from Regroupement Affaires Femmes. She is also one of the Ottawa Welcome Week (OAS) Ambassadors and Laurier Club Richelieu-Vanier’s Newcomer of the Year (2016) Bernard GrandMaître.
Yvette Yende-Ashiri works at the office of the Independent Assessor for the Merlo Davidson class action for female members or former members of the RCMP who are victims of harassment, intimidation or discrimination in the course of their work.
