According to a statement from the Presidency of the Republic, to which VerAngola had access, the election took place in the capital of Ethiopia.
"The First Lady of the Republic of Angola, Ana Dias Lourenço, is, since yesterday [Saturday], the Vice-President of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), after being elected during the work of the 29th Ordinary General Assembly of the Organization", which took place in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and ended this Sunday, says the statement.
"Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone, is the President of OAFLAD", also elected on Saturday.
The election of Ana Dias Lourenço "as the new leader of OAFLAD reinforces Angola's commitment to promoting women's rights and the development of the African continent".
On Sunday – the second and last day of the 29th Ordinary General Assembly of OAFLAD, held on the sidelines of the 38th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union – Ana Dias Lourenço highlighted the "importance of female leadership and African solidarity for the construction of a more just and egalitarian future".
On the occasion, the First Lady of the Republic "highlighted the essential nature of the union of women on the continent, to create a support and mobilization network for the end of conflicts and the search for lasting peace, as a link that contributes to a harmonious future, progress, economic and social empowerment of future generations, in particular women and girls", says another statement from the Presidency to which VerAngola had access.
During her speech, Ana Dias Lourenço "shared her experiences", highlighting "the results achieved with the 'We are all equal' Campaign, launched in August 2024, under the motto 'Education for gender equality and the fight against violence against children and young people'".
"Six months after the publication of the Action Plan of the 'We Are All Equal' Campaign, to mobilize society in general, including important actors such as churches, universities, civil society organizations and ministerial bodies, as well as United Nations partners residing in Angola, as we predicted, there has been a significant increase in citizens' awareness regarding reporting cases of sexual abuse and violence against children and young people, particularly girls, which consequently reduced stigma and discrimination," said the newly elected vice-president of OAFLAD, quoted in the note.
