During the “Passing the Baton” session of a high‑level Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) side event at the Ford Foundation Centre for Social Justice in New York, Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Dramani Mahama urged African leaders and international partners to step up investment in healthcare, education and women’s economic empowerment to secure a more prosperous future for the continent.
The event, themed “A Legacy of Leadership: Delivering for Women and Girls,” brought together African First Ladies and a First Gentleman to discuss OAFLAD’s strategic direction for the coming quarter. Mrs Mahama reflected on the organisation’s 25‑year journey, noting its founding amid the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the need for collective leadership to tackle persistent challenges facing women and children.
She emphasised the importance of building resilient health systems that reach every mother and child, integrating maternal care with HIV prevention, early screening, nutrition and other lifesaving services. “Health cannot be addressed in isolation. Education, women’s economic empowerment, and gender equity are essential to creating healthier families, stronger communities, and more prosperous nations,” she said.
Mrs Mahama highlighted that when mothers are healthy, girls are protected and kept in school, and women are empowered to build their own livelihoods, the ripple effects lift entire communities and drive national prosperity. She reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to embedding maternal healthcare, youth empowerment and gender equity into its national development agenda, ensuring no woman or child is left behind.
She called on her counterparts to leverage OAFLAD’s collective influence and strengthen global partnerships to advance these priorities, insisting that access to quality healthcare, dignity and economic opportunity must be guaranteed rights for every woman and child across Africa.
Following the session, the First Lady’s statement will be circulated among OAFLAD members and international donors to galvanise further support for Africa’s health and gender agenda.
