African First Ladies ready to tackle child marriage - Lordina

Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama says her counterparts are prepared to show leadership in the fight against child marriage on the Continent.

She was speaking at a Special Luncheon in Her Honour by the Wives of African Heads of Mission, Female Ambassadors & Leaders of Japanese Women Groups Wednesday in Tokyo Wednesday.

“Like our host Japan, we must learn to preserve what is positive in our heritage, and culture, and jettison the practices that are harmful and degrading. In Africa, there is a lot we can be proud off, and we must preserve. But there is also a lot that we must discard such as child marriage. Page 4 of 4 As First Ladies of Africa, we are prepared to show leadership in this arena and I am sure we can count on your support," she said.

Mrs Mahama is also President of the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV and AIDS (OAFLA) revealed that since she assumed the Presidency of OAFLA “we have also included the campaign to end child marriages to our agenda. Despite our broadened programme of activities, getting new HIV infections to zero remains a principal objective for us.

“We are especially worried that new HIV infections among adolescents are not declining quickly enough, as compared to other segments of the population.

This concern prompted us earlier this year, to hold a meeting of OAFLA members and stakeholders in Accra. Under the banner of the 7th Africa Conference on Sexual and Health Rights we launched a new campaign to tackle this challenge.

The United Continental ‘All-In’ Adolescent HIV Campaign, which was launched in Accra, will help us surmount all the hurdles. These include stigma, discrimination and lack of education, and also harness the demographic dividend, for optimal productivity among the youth in our population,” she added.

Mrs Lordina said African First Ladies are determined to ensure an HIV-free generation for the continent through education, campaigns and the provision of anti-retroviral drugs, among others.