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Women bear brunt of HIV/Aids pandemic, says First Lady
2006-01-19 09:02:04
By Guardian Reporter
The year 2005 was a momentous one for women, the First lady Mama Salma Kikwete has said, promising to scale up the achievements made during her stay at the State House.
Speaking to diplomatic spouses at the State House in Dar es Salaam yesterday at a party she hosted for them, the First Lady said:
’The year 2005 was a very eventful one for women—nationally, regionally and globally. The elections in Tanzania that saw President Jakaya Kikwete win a landslide victory were indeed momentous.’
About 19 women from the ruling party, CCM, who vied for parliamentary seats won, she said adding that the achievement made last year is interesting and one to be remembered.
’This will ensure that Tanzania meets Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) goal of 30 per cent women representation in parliament,’ she said.
In her stay at the State House, she would strive to improve women’s education and fight two threatening diseases- HIV/Aids and Malaria, she said.
’As the saying goes, if you educate a girl or a woman, you educate the whole society - this is something I want to work on,’ she said.
On HIV/Aids, she said:
’The gender dimension in HIV/Aids cannot be ignored as women bear the brunt of the pandemic, as victims and as care givers to the sick.’
Malaria, she said, was a major disease threatening lives of millions of women in the country.
She commended her predecessors, Mama Maria Nyerere, Mama Sitti Mwinyi and Mama Anna Mkapa for their excellent supportive role to previous presidents.
’I humbly request that the former first ladies to continue helping me as I embark on this new and heavy responsibility. To Mama Shadya Karume, I equally ask for your continued support and co-operation,’ said Mama Kikwete.
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