“Empowering women in every sector is equivalent to empowering the entire nation,” declared First Lady Zinash Tayachew during her address at the 30th General Assembly of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD).

The First Lady noted that this year’s milestone 30th summit was conducted under the timely theme, “Building the Resilience of African Women: Climate, Conflicts, and a Sustainable Tomorrow.” She emphasized that this mission is instrumental in bolstering the capacity of African women across the critical pillars of gender equality, health, education, economic development, and climate action.

Highlighting that women-centered social development is the key to national strength, the First Lady detailed the extensive work of the Office of the First Lady of Ethiopia over the past six years. To expand educational access for women and children, the Office has overseen the construction of 37 secondary schools in various regions across the country. Beyond infrastructure, she explained that significant support has been provided to help women transform their lives and support their families through vocational and business skills training, the provision of dedicated workspaces, and the distribution of essential resources and seed capital for income-generating ventures.

First Lady Zinash underscored that the inclusion of women in all spheres of life is synonymous with the mobilization of the entire country, citing the voluntary participation of millions of women in the success of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy initiative as a powerful testament to this impact. In her closing remarks, she urged for the creation of environments where women can take a decisive lead in addressing climate instability and other systemic challenges facing the continent, calling upon her fellow First Ladies to embrace their profound responsibility in achieving these goals.