24 January 2018

First Lady of Zimbabwe, Auxillia Mnangagwa, recently met with UNAIDS country director Mr. Girmay Haile at Zimbabwe House and pledged to play a national and international advocacy role in the fight against HIV and AIDS. In this meeting, Mr. Haile briefed the First Lady on upcoming events of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV and AIDS (OAFLA) which engages First Ladies for high level advocacy on HIV, empowerment of young women and adolescent girls and the elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission in their respective countries.

The First Lady said she was ready to fight HIV and AIDS and to champion national and international advocacy efforts to end the pandemic. “I am a field person and I will be delighted to take initiatives that will improve the lives and livelihoods of the people of Zimbabwe particularly those who are most in need, marginalised and at high risk," she stated. She also reiterated her commitment to intensify advocacy efforts to address other prevalent social ills such as ending child marriage, early pregnancy, reproductive health rights, cervical and breast cancer as well as other issues which affect adolescent girls and young women, including those in vulnerable communities.

Read the full article online here.