Latest news with #AUC
Zawya
9 hours ago
- Health
- Zawya
Empowering African Women from the Start: Integrating Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Prevention into the First Bonds of Life
Each year, Pan-African Women's Day (PAWD) reminds us of the enduring legacy, resilience, and leadership of African women. However, as we celebrate, we must also confront a lingering truth: far too many pregnant and breastfeeding women in Africa are still left behind in HIV prevention efforts. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are not merely recipients of care, they are architects of community wellbeing, leaders within households and societies, and central to the intergenerational health equity we must pursue. The theme for PAWD 2025, 'Advancing Social and Economic Justice for African Women through Reparations', reminds us of the critical need to address systemic social and economic inequalities hindering women's empowerment and advancement. PAWD 2025 coincides with the World Breastfeeding Week 2025, themed ' Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems.' Therefore, we are also called to translate that legacy into concrete action for the next generation, starting from pregnancy and the earliest days of life. This year, we call for an intentional shift to integrate HIV prevention, including PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT), and Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) into the broader maternal and child health ecosystem. Doing so is not only scientifically sound; it is a moral and human rights imperative, and a step toward redressing historic injustices through maternal health equity. A Gendered Lens on HIV Prevention The African Union Commission (AUC) has long championed the rights of African women and girls. AU frameworks, including the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), the AU Strategy for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, and the Catalytic Framework to End AIDS, TB, and Malaria by 2030, guarantees equitable and affordable access to HIV prevention and treatment services. Nonetheless, gender inequality continues to drive HIV vulnerability, especially among adolescent girls, young women, and mothers. On a continent where women bear the brunt of both unpaid care work and HIV infections, we must place pregnant and breastfeeding women at the heart of HIV prevention strategies. Pan-African Women's Day is more than a celebration; it is a policy moment. We should use this occasion to strengthen the link between reproductive health, HIV prevention, and gender equity. In our communities, we have witnessed firsthand ways midwives and frontline workers can transform maternal care when equipped with the tools, training, and trust to do so. We need to reimagine HIV prevention not as a siloed programme, but as a foundational component of respectful, comprehensive, gender-responsive maternal health. Breastfeeding as a Health Justice Issue The 2025 World Breastfeeding Week theme urges us to prioritise breastfeeding through sustainable systems- systems that must also prioritise the health and HIV status of the mother and child. Offering long-acting PrEP like CAB-LA, ensuring routine HIV testing during antenatal care, and integrating EID into immunisation schedules are essential to building that system. This is how we ensure that breastfeeding is not only a biological bond, but also a protective, empowering act, free of fear, stigma, or silence. Sustainable breastfeeding support must include comprehensive maternal diagnostics and wraparound care. Let us also ensure that every woman is met with dignity, discretion, and informed choice — whether through access to long-acting PrEP, timely testing, or compassionate postpartum support. A United African Response We must elevate community engagement, involve Traditional and Religious leaders, and support healthcare workers who are often themselves women and the first and sometimes only line of care for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Pan-African leadership on all levels, from governments to grassroots, must ensure that every mother has access to life-saving HIV prevention tools. Transforming outcomes for mothers and babies requires systems change, built on multisectoral partnerships. From ministries to midwives, from labs to legislatures, we must align our investments with our aspirations, for a future where no woman is left behind. The AUC Women, Gender, and Youth Directorate and Africa REACH Leadership Council stand together to say: African women should live, lead, and breastfeed without the shadow of HIV. As we celebrate Pan-African Women's Day and Breastfeeding Week, let us continue to advocate for and implement policies that lead to health emancipation. May we renew our collective resolve to ensure that African women can live, lead, and nourish the next generation, in health, in dignity, and in freedom from HIV. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union (AU).
The Star
a day ago
- Politics
- The Star
Roundup: Global leaders urge urgent action on food system challenges
ADDIS ABABA, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Global leaders on Monday called for urgent collective action to address challenges facing food systems. They made the call during the second United Nations Food Systems Summit, which is underway in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, with political leaders from around the world, heads of UN agencies and regional organizations, as well as representatives from the private sector and civil society, convened to reaffirm their shared responsibilities. Addressing the official opening session on Monday, African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf emphasized the need to transform global food systems to address critical sustainable development challenges. "Food systems transformation is not just a moral imperative. It is a strategic necessity central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially ending hunger, reducing poverty, and building climate-resilient economies," he said. The AUC chief highlighted Africa's "bold steps" in food systems transformation, supported by collective continental commitments and investment targets to build resilient, inclusive, and climate-smart food systems. He further called on global partners to support African-led solutions. In a video message, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underscored the vital need to realize shared commitments in ensuring global food systems that are inclusive, sustainable, equitable, resilient, and rooted in human rights. "Global hunger is rising, trade shocks are pushing food prices out of reach, and one-third of the world's population cannot afford a healthy diet while one-third of the world's food is lost or wasted," Guterres said, warning that climate change and conflict are further driving hunger across the globe. For her part, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stressed the need to address the major drivers of global food insecurity. She noted that although food insecurity has drastically decreased over the past decades, the phenomenon still affects about 10 percent of the world's population. "This percentage is largely concentrated here in Africa, where one in five people suffer from hunger and do not have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to lead a healthy life. This situation, already complex, has been exacerbated by the crises the world is currently facing," Meloni said. Describing food insecurity as a critical global political and economic issue, she warned of the catastrophic consequences, including poverty and conflicts, as communities become more vulnerable to violence, terrorism, and forced migration. Echoing the sentiment, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed highlighted the importance of ensuring predictable financing to support investments in agriculture, rural transformation, infrastructure, and nutrition in Africa and beyond. Abiy, in particular, emphasized the need to put in place fair access to technology and finance for agricultural modernization in Africa. He further emphasized the importance of fair trade rules that create a level playing field and a strong global partnership that empowers local solutions. The summit, held on July 27-29, is expected to reflect on global progress in food systems transformation, strengthen collaboration, and unlock finance and investments to accelerate action toward the UN SDGs.
The Star
5 days ago
- Business
- The Star
AU announces election of 2 new commissioners
ADDIS ABABA, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) has announced the completion of the election of all eight members of the top leadership of its secretariat, the African Union Commission (AUC). In a statement issued on Wednesday, the AU declared the election of two commissioners at its seventh Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, which was held in Malabo, the capital of Equatorial Guinea, from July 10 to 13. Francisca Tatchouop Belobe from Equatorial Guinea has been appointed as AU commissioner for economic development, trade, tourism, industry, and minerals, while Gaspard Banyankimbona from Burundi was elected as AU commissioner for education, science, technology, and innovation, according to the AU. The election of the two posts was postponed at the AU's 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, which was held in February in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. The pan-African bloc said the new commissioners will be sworn in at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa. The AU said the new commissioners were selected from the central African region, as per a decision of its Executive Council, to ensure gender parity, predictable rotation, merit-based selection and equitable distribution of the top eight jobs. All other regions secured their share of two members of the top leadership team, one male and one female each, in February, the statement noted. The AUC leadership structure comprises a chairperson, a deputy chairperson, and six commissioners, with the newly completed team to serve from 2025 to 2029.
Al-Ahram Weekly
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Abu drops new summer album Toba - Music - Arts & Culture
Egyptian singer and songwriter Abu has joined this year's summer music season with the release of his new album Toba, which dropped on Monday, 21 July. Released via Abu's official YouTube channel and major streaming platforms, Toba features six new tracks that blend diverse musical styles into a distinctive fusion. While the album embraces a bright, summery spirit, Abu has revealed that he plans to release another album later this year, tailored to suit the winter season. The title track, Toba, is composed by Mohamed Hamza and arranged by Ramy Samir. The song's cheerful melody blends traditional musical elements—characteristic of Abu's signature style—with contemporary Egyptian pop, adding a refreshing twist. The lyrics, written by Mohamed El-Qayati, offer a playful and light-hearted celebration of love. The accompanying music video, directed by Omar Donia, adopts a slightly comedic tone and was filmed in Qanater El-Khayriya, capturing a genuine popular atmosphere among the locals. The album also includes Balash Beleil and Come Back, both composed by Abu. Additional highlights include Ban Ban, composed by Tayam Aly, and Alby Aho, composed by Karim Ashour—both tracks feature prominent darbouka rhythms embellished with layered percussion. In contrast, Ahla Haga, with lyrics and music by Tarek Nadem, leans into joyful, melodic arrangements that reinforce the album's summer mood through its celebration of a beloved. Abu's journey Abu is an Egyptian singer and songwriter born into a family with a rich artistic heritage. His father, a celebrated Sufi poet, introduced him to the power of language and rhythm from an early age. He began playing piano and guitar at the age of eight and went on to study Business Administration at the American University in Cairo (AUC). Abu's musical breakthrough came in 2012 with the release of El-Nas Mabterhamsh (People Have No Mercy), a politically charged track that struck a chord with Egyptian audiences. The song's success ultimately led him to leave his corporate career and pursue music full-time. In 2017, he rose to regional fame with the hit single 3 Daqat, a summer duet with actress Yousra that became a viral sensation. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al Bawaba
15-07-2025
- Health
- Al Bawaba
AUC Contributes to a Groundbreaking International Study About Novel Factors Accelerating Aging
A team from the American University in Cairo (AUC), led by Mohamed Salama, professor at the Institute of Global health and Human Ecology and senior fellow at the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) and Sara Moustafa, a postdoc in AUC's aging research group, contributed to a groundbreaking international study published in Nature Medicine that reveals that our environments—including pollution, social inequality, and weak democratic institutions—significantly accelerate how our lifespan ages. The research, involving 161,981 individuals across 40 countries, introduces a global exposome framework and shows that multiple exposures can predict bio-behavioral age gaps (BBAGs), a novel measure of accelerated aging. BBAGs are the difference between a person's actual age and the age-predicted from their health, cognition, education, functionality, and risk factors like cardiometabolic health or sensory study—led by a multinational team from Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America—analyzed environmental, social, and political factors and their impact on brain aging using advanced artificial intelligence and epidemiological modeling. The results show that where you live—your exposome—can age you several years faster, increasing the risk for cognitive and functional AUC team contributed to this work building on the impactful work done at AUC focusing on aging and brain health. 'Diversity in research is not a luxury anymore,' said Salama. 'Including countries from Africa and the Middle East is essential to understand the global risks and challenges for brain health. Our team at AUC has been successful in contributing to international research in this field promising to better understand determinants of healthy aging in Egypt and adding to the global knowledge.' Agustin Ibanez, corresponding author of the study and researcher at the GBHI and Latin American Brain Health Institute noted that people need to stop thinking of brain health as a purely individual responsibility and consider a more ecological and neurosyndemic framework. 'Our biological age reflects the world we live in. Exposure to toxic air, political instability, and inequality, of course, affect society, but also shapes our health,' he said. The findings of this study present the first evidence that combined structural exposures beyond individual lifestyle are deeply embedded in our aging process. In an age of rising populism, environmental degradation, and global displacement, understanding how environments age the brains is a scientific, political, ethical, and health imperative.'This is not a metaphor: environmental and political conditions leave measurable fingerprints across 40 countries, revealing a clear gradient of accelerated aging from Africa to Latin America, Asia, and Europe,' said Hernan Hernandez, first author of the types of exposures were linked to faster aging: physical factors such as poor air quality; social factors, including economic inequality, gender inequality, and migration; sociopolitical factors, such as lack of political representation, limited party freedom, restricted voting rights, unfair elections, and weak democracies. Importantly, higher BBAGs were associated with real-world consequences: they predicted future declines in both cognitive abilities and daily functioning. People with larger age gaps were likelier to show significant losses in these areas over time.'Whether a person ages in a healthy or accelerated way is shaped not only by individual choices or biology, but also by their physical, social, and political environments—and these effects vary widely between countries,' said Sandra Beaz, co-corresponding author and Atlantic Fellow of the GBHI at Trinity study redefines healthy aging as an environmental, social, and political phenomenon. Public health strategies must expand beyond lifestyle prescriptions to address structural inequalities and governance Hernando Santamaria-Garcia, co-first author and a GBHI fellow, 'Governments, international organizations, and public health leaders must urgently act to reshape environments, from reducing air pollution to strengthening democratic institutions.' He added that these go beyond climate or governance issues to inform urgent health interventions. The study affirmed that to promote healthy aging and reduce dementia risk worldwide, we must intervene upstream, where inequality is produced, where politics shape lives, and where environments silently erode healthy aging.
