Ugandan Winnie Byanyima, the head of the UK charity Oxfam and the first female Ugandan female aeronomical engineer has been appointed the new Executive Director of UNAids.
The UNAIDS chief said “Ms. Byanyima brings a wealth of experience and commitment in harnessing the power of governments, multilateral agencies and the private sector and civil society to end the Aids epidemic around the world. Her appointment followed an open and wide-ranging search”.
Her appointment comes following the resignation of former head of the agency Michel Sidebé in May of this year amid some controversy. “I am excited and honored to be returning to the UN to lead and coordinate the global AIDS response at this critical moment. I am looking forward to joining the brilliant staff at UNAIDS,” she quoted, taking to her official twitter account to acknowledge her acceptance of the leading role.
She also tweeted “an honor to be asked to lead the Un and global HIV response! I embrace the role with humility, passion and faith that we can end this pandemic by 2030. I look forward to joining UNAIDS team and closely with co-sponsors and partners and to remove barriers to prevention, care and treatment.
She emerged the new appointee after a tough competition with four other contenders who were all male. The 60 years old Ugandan serves as an inspiration to girls out there who aspire to be more in life. She sets new records and encourages others to do same due to her passion and zeal towards all the works she does.
She worked for the African Union Commission on women’s rights project to reduce the disproportionate effect of HIV on the lives of women in the continent.
She is currently married to Kizza Besigye a Ugandan Opposition leader with whom she has a son.
