First Lady marshals support for the war against AIDS

“HIV/AIDS continues to be a huge concern to us all and that is why OAFLA is intensifying its advocacy for more concrete actions on the Paediatric HIV diagnosis, advocacy and educating our youth, treatment, care and support among other interventions,” the First Lady said.She also underscored the need for all OAFLA members to continue championing initiatives that will help the continental organization achieve its vision and mission.

The First Lady was speaking when she opened the 17th Ordinary General Assembly of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS in Kigali, Rwanda.

She pointed out that the 17th Ordinary General Assembly offered a unique opportunity to discuss OAFLA’s contributions towards the renewed high-level commitments against HIV and the progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in general.

She expressed optimisms that OAFLA’s focus and theme Advancing Sustainable Partnerships to end paediatric AID’s and improve Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights’ would allow for rigorous deliberation and debate. She urged her fellow African First Ladies to continue to prioritise and engage on critical issue around Sexual reproductive health and rights of young people.

The First Lady emphasised the need for OAFLA to meaningfully engage young adolescents in its forums. She further urged her fellow First Ladies to do the same forums held in their respective countries.

She said this as the audience heard a moving speech presented by Kenya’s Joyce Amondi, a young 19year old adolescent girl from Sauti Skika – A network of young adolescents living with HIV. Speaking on behalf of millions of young girls living with AIDs, Joyce said that the involvement of adolescents in the interventions made for them is essential. She said ‘Nothing for us. without us, is for us’.

The First Lady later in the meeting outlined her own journey with the Beyond Zero Campaign Initiative, launched in 2013. She thanked her host, First Lady of Rwanda, H.E. Madame Jeannette Kagame for running with her during the 3rd edition of the First Lady’s Half Marathon.

She said though Kenya had made great progress towards zero new mother to child transmissions, more still needed to be done to reverse the harsh reality in many African countries where HIV remains the single biggest killer of adolescents. ‘Young people –especially girls contribute to up to 51% of all new adult HIV infections.

The 17th Ordinary General Assembly was attended by a several African First Ladies including the host H.E. Madame Jeannette Kagame.