The UN Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, has appointed Dr Asha-Rose Migiro, former UN Deputy Secretary-General, as his Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Dr Asha-Rose Migiro

She is replacing Ms Elizabeth Mataka, who has been serving in that role since 2007.Dr Migiro (56) brings to this role unique and valuable experience in promoting the AIDS response both globally and within Africa over her term as UN Deputy Secretary-General from 2007 to 2012.

“Dr Migiro became a powerful advocate for a greater balance in HIV-related care-giving responsibilities between men and women on the African continent,” read a statement issued by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

Before joining the UN as Deputy Secretary-General, Dr Migiro was Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation. She earlier served as Minister for Community Development, Gender and Children for five years.

Prior to her career in government, Dr Migiro was an academic as a member of the Faculty of Law at the University of     Dar es Salaam, where she rose to the rank of senior lecturer.

Between 1992 and 1994, she headed the University’s Department of Constitutional and Administrative Law and between 1994 and 1997 she headed its Department of Civil and Criminal Law.

Dr Migiro later served as a member of Tanzania’s Law Reform Commission in 1997 and as a member of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in 2000.

She obtained an LL.B and LL.M from the University of Dar es Salaam and her Ph.D. in 1992 from the University of Konstanz in Germany.

Source Tanzania Daily News