Women Speak Up at the UN

In Global Advocacy, Global Featured by Fiona Ip

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) representatives recently joined over 5,200 civil society members and 1,850 government delegates at the 63rd Commission on the Status of Women (CSW63) at United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York City to spotlight its successful Girls Act! empowerment campaign and to promote women’s health worldwide.

The CSW, a United Nations global policy-making body dedicated to promoting gender equality, held more than 200 sessions over the two-week forum.

“The Commission is a welcomed platform that encourages the unpacking of developmental issues as they affect women and girls on a global scale,” said Oluwakemi Gbadamosi, AHF Senior Manager for Public Relations and Communications in Africa and Regional Policy and Advocacy Manager for Mozambique, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe. “Each session highlighted the significance of how much we can achieve globally if we commit to creating enabling environments for the empowerment of women and girls—and the protection of their rights.”

Empowering women and girls is the chief goal of AHF’s Girls Act! program, which it showcased at the CSW. The campaign kicked off over two years ago in sub-Saharan Africa, where adolescent girls ages 15-19 account for 75% of all new HIV infections. Its model helps keep girls HIV-free and healthy by showing them the value of staying in school and helping them to take control of their physical and emotional health.

“Advocates have made important progress for women through the Commission, but it also serves as a reminder that there is still much to be done,” said Ebonni Bryant, AHF Legislative Affairs and Community Engagement Manager (US). “We hope to see increased sessions at future forums that are dedicated to addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS for women and girls, since they carry the highest burden of this epidemic in many parts of the world.”

AHF invites you to watch and share this short documentary film titled Girls Act! to experience how girls everywhere are triumphing over HIV and succeeding through the confidence and knowledge gained from the Girls Act! program.

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