PRESS RELEASE

The Mama Afrika Award officially launched in Johannesburg

Johannesburg – 1st August 2013- In the margin of the International Conference on Maternal, New-borns and Child Health in Africa (CMNCH), the African Union acknowledged that individuals, organisations, communities, companies and governments should continue to make remarkable efforts to ensure that Africa’s mothers and new-borns both survive childbirth, and thrive to realise their full productive potential, said Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, African Union Commission’s Chairperson, while addressing the participants to the ceremony organised to officially launch the “Mama Afrika Awards on Maternal, New-borns and Child Survival in Africa”, today 1st August 2013, in Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.

Although challenges still exist, a number of successes have been recorded in the improvement of MNCH in Africa and the African Union has not acted alone in these achievements, noted Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma (See full speech of the Chairperson in AU Web Site: www.au.int )
The Mama Afrika Award, which was named in the honor of late Miriam Makeba, will recognize and celebrate key dignitaries in Africa in the fore-front of maternal, newborn and child survival issues on the continent. It will recognize individuals, organisations, communities, companies and governments who have made remarkable efforts to ensure that Africa’s mothers and newborns both survive childbirth, and thrive.

The Awards hail real-life heroes and heroines, including organizations from around the African continent.

The CMNCH is hosted by the Government of South Africa and the African Union, with support from technical and financial support UNFPA, UNAIDS and UNICEF, as well as the UK Government from 1st to 3rd August 2013.