The First Lady of Ghana, Her Excellency Mrs Lordina Dramani Mahama, has called on African leaders and global development partners to intensify investments in healthcare, education and women’s economic empowerment to secure a healthier and more prosperous future for the continent.
Mrs Mahama made the call during the ‘Passing the Baton’ session at a high-level side event organised by the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) at the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice in New York.
The event, held under the theme “A Legacy of Leadership: Delivering for Women and Girls,” brought together African First Ladies and a First Gentleman to reflect on OAFLAD’s achievements and discuss the strategic direction of the organisation for the next 25 years.
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Reflecting on OAFLAD’s nearly 25-year journey, Mrs Mahama recalled that the organisation was established at a critical period when the HIV and AIDS pandemic required bold, urgent and coordinated African leadership.
She emphasised the need for resilient healthcare systems capable of reaching every mother and child, particularly vulnerable communities across the continent.
She called for maternal healthcare to be integrated with HIV prevention, early screening, nutrition and other essential lifesaving services to ensure women and children receive comprehensive care.
According to the First Lady, improving healthcare outcomes requires a broader approach that also addresses the social and economic conditions affecting women and families.
“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 stressed the importance of protecting girls from harm and ensuring they remain in school while creating opportunities for women to develop sustainable livelihoods.
“When a mother is healthy, when a young girl is shielded from harm and kept in school, and when a woman is empowered to build her own livelihood, the transformative ripple effects lift entire communities and drive national prosperity,” she added.
Reaffirming Ghana’s commitment to the issues discussed at the summit, Mrs Mahama said the country remains dedicated to integrating maternal healthcare, youth empowerment and gender equity into its national development agenda.
She stressed the importance of ensuring that women and children are not left behind in the pursuit of national development.
The First Lady also urged her counterparts to leverage the collective influence of OAFLAD to strengthen global partnerships and mobilise greater support for programmes that directly benefit women and girls.
Access to quality healthcare, dignity and economic opportunity, she said, should not be treated as privileges available to a few but as rights that should be accessible to every woman and child across Africa.
The session forms part of broader efforts by OAFLAD to shape its priorities for the next quarter-century while building on the organisation’s longstanding advocacy for improved health and development outcomes for women, children and vulnerable communities across Africa.