PPRETORIA, 21 JULY 2020 — Heartiest congratulations to Dr T for her appointment by consensus, without a vote as UN Special Rapporteur, making her the first Africa Woman to hold such a position at the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
We are delighted and wish Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng well in her new role as UNHRC’ Special Rapporteur for the Right of Everyone to the Enjoyment of the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Care.
Dr Mofokeng has shown dedication in advocating for equality in the public health sphere. She currently serves as a Commissioner at the Commission for Gender Equality, worked as a medical director at a private practice and as a senior medical officer with the Gauteng Department of Health.
She contributed enormously as an advisor to the Technical Committee for the National Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Framework Strategy in South Africa.
She has collaborated with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Envoy of the Secretary-General on Youth, the Independent Expert on the enjoyment of human rights by persons with albinism and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) on health-related human rights matters in South Africa.
Dr Mofokeng has a wealth of solid knowledge, long history of advovacy and expertise in this area. We have no doubt she will continue to champion the cause along with various stakeholders in the attainment for gender equality, universal access to sexual reproductive health and rights and patent free vaccines for all.
As the country embarks on the final leg of achieving the NSP (National Strategic Plans on HIV, TB & STI) goals, without doubt implementation at community level and ensuring multi-sectoral approach remains valuable for advancing change, knowledge and strengthening capacity, by implementing community based measures which comes with unique challenges, however eliminating the one size fits all approach, provides an opportunity for innovations and local solutions.
The NSP provides us with an opportunity to respond to peoples health needs beyond clinical approach, therefore strengthening interlinks of community systems with health care systems. Diverse civil society sectors over the years have stepped up, demonstrated the collective power and continuation of efforts to achieving the NSP goals, and now more than ever upscaling support for civil society efforts is needed.
During this time marked by loss and hardship for African women in particular, Dr T’s appointment is something to celebrate – a glimmer of light in the distance. A symbol of hope and pride for Africa. Who better to advance the politics of women’s rights as human rights.
Enquiries: Oliver Meth, Communications & Media Officer for SANAC CSF, 067 834 8092
ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIOANL AIDS COUNCIL CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM