Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS OAFLA MEMBERS DIRECTORY 2013-2014 Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS OAFLA MEMBERS DIRECTORY 2013-2014 This directory is sponsored by the UNFPA Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS OAFLA Contents Foreword - OAFLA President 6 UNFPA Message 8 OAFLA Secretariat 10 UNAIDS Message 12 Members Profile 14 Republic of Burundi 14 Republic of Chad 16 Union of the Comoros 18 Republic of the Congo 20 Republic of Equatorial Guinea 22 Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 24 Republic of Gabon 26 Republic of The Gambia 28 Republic of Ghana 30 Republic of Guinea 32 Republic of Mali 34 Republic of Mozambique 36 Republic of Namibia 42 Republic of Niger 46 Federal Republic of Nigeria 50 Republic of Rwanda 52 Republic of Senegal 54 Republic of Sierra Leone 56 Republic of South Sudan 60 United Republic of Tanzania 62 Republic of Uganda 64 Republic of Zambia 68 5 Organisation of Organisation of African First Ladies African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS Against HIV/AIDS OAFLA OAFLA Foreword by the OAFLA President t gives me great pleasure to present you the would like to take this opportunity to request all new In order to support its activities, OAFLA had OAFLA to accommodate other challenges facing second OAFLA Directory which features profiles OAFLA members to take advantage of this tool to launched a fund raising campaign at an event held our individual member countries. African First of African First Ladies and their activities in their create awareness for your countries programs. at the Secretariat’s office in October 2012, in the Ladies as women and mothers ourselves, we have Irespective countries. presence of the Diplomatic corps, UN Agencies and expressed that we are committed to contributing Another priority as president was the revitalization other partners. The fund raising event was further to accelerated reduction of maternal and child As we embark on a new year with a new theme of OAFLA membership, which has improved strengthened at the 10th anniversary celebration of mortality in the Region by joining the Campaign on “Celebrating Ten Years of African First Ladies tremendously. In addition to the founding members, OAFLA which took place in January 2013 alongside Accelerated Reduction of Maternal, Newborn and Initiative in the campaign for ZERO HIV new new First Ladies have joined OAFLA meetings with the OAFLA General Assembly. During these Child Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) launched by infection, ZERO discrimination, and ZERO HIV/ much enthusiasm. Due to the improved attendance initiatives, OAFLA not only managed to raise funds the Africa Union Commission in partnership with AIDS related Deaths”, we must have more aggressive of OAFLA meetings, issues are being thoroughly to support OAFLA Secretariat’s activities but also UNFPA. Let us adhere to our commitment. interventions that will save millions of lives on the deliberated upon. Moreover, on the occasion of the created a solid foundation for new partnerships African continent. OAFLA 10 years anniversary, African First Ladies I wish you happy reading as you go through the and renewed commitment for future collaboration have for the first time, come together in a round table OAFLA Directory 2013/ 2014, which documents the We have come a long way in establishing the with existing OAFLA partners. In my efforts to discussion to renew their oath and decide on the contributions of African First Ladies in alleviating OAFLA Secretariat which among other things create awareness for OAFLA I travelled extensively strategic direction of OAFLA. the suffering of their people. facilitates internal as well as external information introducing OAFLA to potential partners including flow. As OAFLA’s President establishing a functional Our aim goes beyond satisfying members’ the All China Women’s Federation in Beijing as well Secretariat has been one of my three priorities. information needs but also those of our current groups active in HIV and AIDS in Japan. The second priority is the promotion of effective partners as well as our potential partners with whom OAFLA is looking forward to embarking upon a communication, advocacy, resource mobilization we have successful discussions in formalizing our new era, guided by the Strategic Plan 2014-2018, and partnerships. This annual members’ directory relationship. So far formal agreements are being which in addition to Prevention of Mother to Child primarily serves as a communication tool for OAFLA drawn with International Planned Parenthood Transmission (PMTCT) initiatives will also put Penehupifo Pohamba member countries. It serves as an experience sharing Federation Africa Region (IPPF), GAVI Alliance, emphasis on maternal and child health activities. forum among members which features not only their RAND Cooperation, African Union Commission The Strategic Plan will also expand the scope of successes and best practices but also their challenges and some UN agencies. in implementing OAFLA activities. I therefore 6 7 Organisation of Organisation of African First Ladies African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS Against HIV/AIDS OAFLA OAFLA Message from the Executive Director of UNFPA he United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) First Ladies in the launching of CARMMA and its Many women are still dying needlessly in Africa girls. Let us intensify our efforts and work together has had a long-standing strategic alliance follow up implementation is instrumental to the and despite the above progress, Africa still has the to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, with the Organisation of African First Ladies progress. highest maternal mortality ratio in the world. Efforts every childbirth is safe and every young person’s Tagainst HIV/AIDS (OAFLA), since its creation to change this have to go hand in hand with better potential is fulfilled. To date, 38 member states have launched CARMMA in 2002. Both our organisations have a common access to education, decent work and health services, and the campaign has given high visibility to endeavor to address health challenges of African including reproductive health services for women the cause of maternal health in Africa by raising girls and women, especially in the field of HIV/ and young people, particularly adolescent girls, so Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, UNFPA awareness, high level political commitment and AIDS. Following the July 2010 African Union they can achieve their full potential and contribute to country ownership. Since then, African First Ladies Executive Director Heads of States and Government Summit convened inclusive social and economic development. have been playing a very critical role during national in Kampala under the theme “Maternal, Infant launches of the campaign and contributed towards The publication of the members’ directory for and Child Health and Development in Africa”, improving maternal and women’s health in Africa 2013-2014 is timely as we commemorate the OAU’s/ OAFLA has made a significant move by including by supporting efforts to ensure that “no woman AU’s 50th anniversary. It is time to re-energize maternal and women’s health as an integral program should die giving life”. To encourage member our commitment to improving the lives of African component along with the on-going HIV/AIDS states to accelerate efforts to meet Millennium women and girls. First Ladies can influence policy prevention and mitigation program. Development Goal 5 on maternal health, UNFPA makers and mobilize key players in pushing the Africa has achieved a 41% decline in maternal and the African Union Commission (AUC) recently agenda of safe motherhood, promotion of gender mortality over the last two decades. Much of this co-organized a high level event on CARMMA, which equality and elimination of gender-based violence, progress can be attributed to the Campaign on brought together more than 32 Heads of State and in the context of sexual and reproductive health and Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Government to recommit themselves to maternal reproductive rights. Africa (CARMMA), which was launched by the health, including efforts to scale up measures to The right to health is a basic human right. Together, African Union in close partnership with UNFPA in eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV. we can improve the health of African women and 2009. The leadership and involvement of African 8 9 Organisation of Organisation of African First Ladies African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS Against HIV/AIDS OAFLA OAFLA About OAFLA OAFLA Secretariat OAFLA’s Beginnings OAFLA’S 2009-2013 Strategic Plan In 2002, thirty-seven African first ladies met in OAFLA ‘s strategic plan has a broader framework Geneva at a meeting facilitated by UNAIDS and the than the first plan to include not only HIV/AIDS but international AIDS Trust (IAT). As a result of this those factors that have an impact on the quality of historic meeting the organisation of African First the lives of women and children. Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA) was established • Prevention of Mother to child Transmission as a collective voice for Africa’s most vulnerable (PMTCT) people, women and children infected and affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. • Caring for orphans and vulnerable children Since then, OAFLA has transformed itself from a • Reproductive health forum of ideas to an institution capable of providing • Harmful Traditional Practices (HTP) the continent-wide leadership needed to bring about change in peoples’ lives. With its permanent • Safe motherhood secretariat in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, OAFLA has • Preventing gender-based violence moved from addressing the symptoms of the HIV/ • Preventing early marriage AIDS crisis to the root causes of poverty and the overall inequality of women in the region. • Educational opportunities for girls OAFLA’s Mission • Economic empowerment Cultivate a spirit of solidarity and the exchange of OAFLA’s Priorities experiences among African First Ladies. • Prevent new infections in Africa through Increase the capacity of First Ladies and other national campaigns on ZERO new infections, women leaders to advocate for effective solutions to ZERO stigmatization and ZERO deaths.