Hats off for Fatoumatta Ndure as the beautiful and smart young Gambian chairs in New York a high-level United Nations panel on the role of First Ladies in improving the sexual and reproductive health of adolescent girls.
Her session, organized by the Organization of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA), witnessed the participation of First Ladies from Canada and Japan and also the wife of US Vice President.
In a powerful introductory remark, Fatoumatta, who was among government officials that accompanied Vice President Isatou Njie Saidy at the 71st session of the UN General Assembly, described OAFLA as a strong voice for Africa's most vulnerable - women, adolescents and children.
"First Ladies through their initiatives have become champions," she said, commending wives of African presidents for protecting and promoting the rights and welfare of children and women.
She reminded the audience the challenges women are facing in different parts of the world.
According to her, 37,000 girls in Africa are forced into marriage every day and expected to have a child when they themselves are still just children.
The famous gender activist went further to reveal that cervical cancer is becoming a major threat in many African countries.