AFRO-NETS> AMANITARE 2002 Annual Awards

[Nikki Erasmus <Nerasmus1@aol.com>]

AMANITARE 2002 Annual Awards
----------------------------

AMANITARE, the African Partnership for Sexual and Reproductive Health 
and Rights of Women and Girls recently paid homage to two exceptional 
African organisations taking significant strides forward in their 
work to promote and protect the Sexual and Reproductive Health and 
Rights of young women and girls in Africa.

At a recent AMANITARE skills development workshop held in Abuja, Ni-
geria, the AMANITARE 2002 Annual Award and the AMANITARE 2002 Re-
source Centre Grant were presented to the Edna Adan Ismail Maternity 
Hospital in Somaliland and Journalists Against Aids (JAAIDS) in Nige-
ria, respectively.

The recipient of the AMANITARE 2002 Annual Award, Mrs.Edna Adan Is-
mail and the Edna Adan Maternity Hospital, have revealed the pioneer-
ing spirit that lies at the heart of translating African women's 
health rights into effective reality. In 1998, Edna Adan Ismail, an 
internationally renowned health professional and former WHO represen-
tative, returned to her country of birth to work with the local com-
munity and open the first not-for-profit private maternity hospital 
in Somaliland. Working against the backdrop of a country emerging 
from prolonged civil war, where health service infrastructures are 
almost non-existent, Edna Adan Ismail personally contributed US$ 
350,000 to the development of this much-needed maternity hospital in 
the capital city of Hergeisa. The Edna Adan Maternity Hospital pro-
vides antenatal care and supervised childbirth by trained midwives 
and doctors, acting also as an educational and training centre for a 
new generation of nurses and midwives. The hospital also hopes to un-
dertake much-needed research on the reproductive health status of So-
mali women.

As a long-term activist for women's rights, Edna Adan Ismail has con-
tinued her campaign to end the practice of female genital mutilation, 
primarily through the counselling of families attending the hospital. 
In Somaliland, infibulation (the severest form of female genital mu-
tilation) affects almost 100% of women.

Mrs Edna Adan Ismail expressed her sincere appreciation for AMANI-
TARE's recognition. She said, "A hospital has a hundred and one needs 
and your donation will certainly be put to good use". AMANITARE is 
very proud to be supporting this brave and important initiative.

The AMANITARE 2002 Resource Centre Grant was awarded to JAAIDS (Jour-
nalists Against Aids). JAAIDS is a well-structured and focused media-
based NGO in Nigeria. Launched in May 2001, JAAIDS works in the field 
of HIV/AIDS and development, focusing on improving the environment 
for informed discourse and HIV/AIDS communication messages. Its vari-
ety of projects reveals the calibre of commitment and professionalism 
that AMANITARE recognises and hopes to emulate throughout Africa. 
JAAIDS projects include Monthly Media Roundtables, training workshops 
and seminars, an advocacy campaign on access to treatment, the AIDS 
News Service monthly bulletin and the Nigeria-AIDS eForum.

JAAIDS Project Director, Mr. Omololu Falobi, commented that the 
grant, comprising various books, publications and other reference ma-
terials, would increase their work on the promotion of women's and 
girls' Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Mr. Falobi added 
that: "We are committing to develop a section of our Media Resource 
Centre, in Lagos, to resources on RHR of women and girls". AMANITARE 
is proud to play a role in acknowledging their work and adding value 
to their knowledge resources.

Nikki Erasmus
Communications and Development Officer
RAINBO
Research, Action and Information Network for the Bodily Integrity of 
Women
Queens Studios
121 Salusbury Road
London NW6 6RG, UK
Tel: +44-20-7625-3400
Fax: +44-20-7625-2999
mailto:nerasmus1@aol.com
http://www.rainbo.org
http://www.amanitare.org

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