The First Lady of the United States of America, Jill Biden has said it is always time for a female president no matter the country you are in, in response to questions from the media.
Biden said this on Thursday during her visit to the Hope initiative, which is a US-funded programme, as she listened to young beneficiaries alongside Namibia’s First Lady Monica Geingos at Okahandja Park, Katutura.
Hope Initiative Southern Africa is a community-based organisation owned by spouses Patricia Sola and John Mafukidze, which helps children in the informal settlements of Namibia who are affected by the HIV pandemic.
The First Lady of the United States whilst talking to Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) programme beneficiaries Ilena ‘Brave’ Shoombe and Adelaide Gowases, commended Namibia for having a lot of women in government.
‘I have seen that the future is female in Namibia because you have so many women in government that hold public office. They are not afraid to jump in and I love that about your government,’ she said.
Additionally in response to questions from the media on whether it is time for the USA to have its first female president, Biden said: ‘It is always time to have a female president no matter what country you are in. I am very supportive of women running for office.’
The DREAMS initiative is funded by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS relief (PEPFAR) Programme and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the lead implementer of the initiative in both funding and geographic reach. DREAMS uses a multi-sectoral approach to prevent HIV and AIDS among adolescent girls, young women and their male sex partners.
Co-owner of the Hope initiative, Sola, said its programmes specifically have pillars they work with which includes economic and family strengthening, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Anti- GBV where they work with boys and men, as well as girls and women.
She also expressed gratitude towards Biden for her visit and said it was a big honour.
Biden arrived in Namibia on Wednesday for a three-day visit. The trip forms part of US President Joe Biden’s commitment to deepen engagement with African nations.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
