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PRESS
RELEASE
Banjul, 1 July 2006
4TH ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
OAFLA
The First Ladies of Africa, members of the
Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA)
meet today, 1 July 2006, for their 4th Ordinary
General Assembly at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.
In July 2002, thirty-seven African First
Ladies signed a Framework of Action to combat AIDS on the
continent and created the Organisation of African First
Ladies against HIV/AIDS. Today, OAFLA members represent 40
countries across the African continent.
As the symbolic mothers of Africa, the First
Ladies recognize that the future of their continent depends
on the health of its children.
The First Ladies have been involved in a
joint continental youth prevention campaign called “Treat
Every Child as Your Own”. The Campaign was launched on 15
September 2006 in New York at an even in which the First
Lady of the United States, Mrs Laura Bush and other
dignitaries participated.
This meeting in Banjul will be an opportunity
to report on the progress of the First Ladies’ Campaign
activities across the continent. During this Assembly, the
First Ladies will also elect a new OAFLA Steering Committee
to lead the organisation for the next two years.
According to the First Lady of Rwanda, H.E.
Mrs Jeannette Kagame, the Chairperson of OAFLA; “As African
mothers, we are tired of watching our children die and we
are now holding adults – all of us - responsible for
protecting young people from HIV. Together, we are speaking
to adults and community leaders. Children cannot protect
themselves.”
The new OAFLA Steering Committee together
with the host First Lady, H.E. Mrs Zineb Yahya Jammeh will
address the press at the end of the General Assembly on
Saturday, 1 July at 6pm at the Kairaba Beach
Hotel.
For more information on OAFLA, visit the website at www.oafla.org
END
Contacts:
Ms Yolande Makolo, OAFLA Communications Officer: Tel: 790 7492
Ms Teneng Jaiteh, Local Organising Committee: Tel: 996 7722
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