Mariama Gamatié Bayard (born 1958 in Maradi) is a Nigerian politician and women's rights activist.
[1][2] Bayard worked as a consultant on development and gender issues and founded the women's organization Rassemblement Démocratique des Femmes Nigériennes (RDFN) in 1992.
[3] She attended the National Conference of 1991, which organized the democratic transition of Niger after the military regime that had been in force since 1974, and led the Commission on Rural Development.
[1] During her time in office, she organized a national festival of traditional Nigerien dance and music in Zinder, which earned her the nickname "Marraine des Arts du Niger" (Godmother of the Arts in Niger).
[4] After 2000, Bayard worked for the United Nations including as deputy representative of the UN Secretary-General in Guinea-Bissau (2004–2005), as director of the political department of the UN activities in the Ivory Coast (2005–2007), for the Integrated United Nations office in Burundi (2007–2008) and for the UNDP Centre in Dakar (2008–2009).