(OAFLAD) - At a critical juncture for Africa’s development trajectory, the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) enters a renewed phase of leadership and institutional consolidation. This transition is marked by the formal assumption of office following the vote, with the installation of a new Steering Committee and the commencement of a renewed flagship leadership mandate for the period 2025–2027. More than a governance milestone, this moment signals OAFLAD’s determination to deepen impact, strengthen partnerships, and deliver results for women, children, and youth across the continent.

Under the presidency of H.E Dr Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, OAFLAD advances a leadership approach rooted in inclusivity, participation, credibility, collective action, and accountability. She is ably supported by a strengthened executive leadership, notably H.E. Dr. Ana Afonso Dias Lourenço, First Lady of Angola, who serves as Vice President of OAFLAD, reinforcing continuity and strategic depth. The newly constituted Steering Committee brings together First Ladies from Angola, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Ethiopia, reflecting continental spread, balance, political legitimacy, and a shared commitment to inclusive and sustainable development.

This new mandate is guided by the OAFLAD Strategic Framework 2025–2030, which serves as the primary instrument steering all actions, partnerships, and advocacy efforts. Designed to ensure coherence and measurable impact, the framework is structured around four core strategic pillars: education, health, gender-based violence (GBV), and women’s economic empowerment. Education focuses on equitable access, skills development, and enabling policy environments for girls and youth. Health priorities address maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, cancer prevention, mental health, nutrition, and pandemic preparedness. Efforts on GBV seek to transform harmful social norms, strengthen prevention and response systems, and support survivors. Women’s economic empowerment advances financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, digital literacy, leadership, and policy reforms that remove structural barriers.

These priorities are reinforced by two cross-cutting pillars: climate change and peace recognizing that environmental shocks and insecurity disproportionately affect women and girls. By embedding gender-responsive climate action and peacebuilding across its work, OAFLAD positions resilience as a long-term development outcome rather than a short-term response.

In line with this strategic vision, OAFLAD launched its flagship continental campaign, “Building Resilience for Women and Girls in the Face of Climate Change and Conflict,” in 2025. The campaign was first introduced through a virtual launch on 12 August, before being elevated on the global stage during a high-level side event at the United Nations General Assembly. It connects community-level realities with global policy platforms and fosters coordinated action among governments, UN agencies, development partners, civil society, and the private sector.

Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone and Deputy Chair of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Zero Waste, champions this campaign in line with her global role advocating for sustainable waste management while advancing the empowerment of women and girls.

Founded in 2002, Organization of African First Ladies for Development, with membership close to 40 First Ladies, is the First Global First Ladies network that has inspired the establishment of other First Ladies Network in Caribbean and Latin America. With more than two decades of experience, unparalleled convening power, and direct access to national leadership, as well as communities the Network has shown remarkable results addressing developmental challenges in Africa. By working closely with this network, OAFLAD offers partners a unique opportunity to align with credible, high-level African leadership and to co-create scalable, sustainable impact for women and girls across Africa.