'I'm a woman and a mother and I want to reach out to women': Victoria Beckham speaks at the UN as she is named goodwill ambassador

• .Victoria Beckham made her debut on the political world stage today  
• .She will work with the UN as an ambassador for their UNAIDS campaign 
• .She was inspired after a trip to Cape Town as part of the Born Free initiative
• .The former Spice Girl missed the opening of her London store to be there
• .The fashion designer said: 'It's taken me to get to 40 to realise I have a responsibility as a woman and as a mother'

By THOMAS BURROWS FOR MAILONLINE

Victoria Beckham today told how she wanted to make a difference to the women of the world as she was made a UN goodwill ambassador for an AIDS charity. 

The former Spice Girl told a press conference at the United Nations building in New York that she was ‘honoured’ to be made an ambassador for their UNAIDS campaign.

Beckham – who missed the opening of her London store to be there – said she felt her public profile meant she had a duty to do more about woman’s health.

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Victoria Beckham today told how she wanted to make a difference to the women of the world

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Beckham – who missed the opening of her London store to be there – said she felt her public profile meant she had a duty to do more about woman’s health

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She said: 'I would do anything for my children and I think every woman has the right to health and every woman has the right to give their children a healthy future'

And she was inspired following a recent trip to South Africa, where she met with children stricken by the deadly disease. 

The fashion designer visited Cape Town in February as part of the Born Free initiative, which tackles the issue of HIV being transmitted from mothers to their children

In August, Beckham hosted an online sale of 600 items from her wardrobe to raise money and awareness for mothers living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.

At the press conference in New York, she said: ‘I am mother and I am a woman. 

'I will do whatever I can to raise awareness. I feel very passionate about this. I recently visited South Africa and was so touched by the women I met and felt inspired. I came home and I knew I had to do something.  

 

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• PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: Victoria Beckham visits Cape Town to support Born Free initiative to end mother to child HIV transmission

'It's taken me to get to 40 to realise I have a responsibility as a woman and as a mother. 

'For some reason people will listen to me. This is the beginning of an incredible journey for me. 

'I have people mentoring me. I am going back to South Africa in a few weeks and then further afield next year. 

'I would do anything for my children and I think every woman has the right to health and every woman has the right to give their children a healthy future. 

‘[Sir] Elton [John] is a very dear friend of mine and David’s and we’ve been patrons of the Elton John Aids Foundation for 20 years so I have been working a lot with lots of Aids charities. 

'It’s why I realise I have to step forward and do whatever I can do. I want to get to know the women and understand them. It was life changing when I want to South Africa.

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The former Spice Girl says she wants to go 'further afield' next year in her role as an ambassador 

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Beckham said: 'I would do anything for my children and I think every woman has the right to health and every woman has the right to give their children a healthy future'

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The fashion designer said she had been inspired by a visit to Cape Town as part of the Born Free initiative

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The fashion designer said: '‘Babies should not be born with HIV and we can stop that we are close to stopping that we cannot give up we have to keep going'

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Beckham said she would do 'whatever I can' to raise awareness about HIV in her new position as ambassador

She made the address on the day her first clothing store opened in London.

The three-storey shop in trendy Dover Street, Mayfair, is the first in a series she plans to open after launching her designer range online last year.

She went on to say: ‘For some reason people will listen to me. So I can speak on behalf of these women.

‘The experience was life changing and that’s why I want to go back.

‘Babies should not be born with HIV and we can stop that we are close to stopping that we cannot give up we have to keep going.

‘I feel so honoured to be here. Thank you for mentoring me through this – I have so much to learn, this is just the beginning for me.

‘I’m a mother, a woman and I want to reach out and help as many women and mothers as I can.’

Michel Sidibé, executive director of UNAIDS, said: 'I dream of a generation free from HIV and I know that Victoria’s support will help us to achieve this shared goal.

'Her creativity, innovation and outreach will amplify our efforts and bring us one important step closer towards ending the AIDS epidemic.'

UNAIDS aims to reach 15 million people living with HIV with antiretroviral treatment and reduce sexual transmission of HIV by 50 per cent by 2015. 

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE SPICE GIRL COME FASHION DESIGNER

Victoria Adams was born on April 17, 1974, in Hertfordshire, England

She first became famous for being one of the five Spice Girls.

After forming in 1993, each of the members of the Spice Girls developed their own persona, with Victoria as 'Posh Spice.' 

They released their debut album, Spice, in 1996, and it sold more than 20 million copies worldwide.

The group's 'girl power' message attracted a substantial audience, especially young teenage girls. In 1997, they released the second album titled Spiceworld and starred in a film of the same name early the following year.

Behind the scenes, Beckham's personal life was also thriving. She met soccer player David Beckham at a game in 1997, and the two soon became one of Britain's most popular couples, known in the tabloid as 'Posh' and 'Becks.' 

They got engaged in 1998 and welcomed their first child together, son Brooklyn, in March 1999.

After the Spice Girls split, she had four UK Top 10 singles.

Stepping away from the music scene, Beckham explored her love of fashion. 

She developed a line of jeans called VB Rocks for the Rock & Republic brand in 2004. In 2006, Beckham shared her fashion wisdom in the book That Extra Half an Inch: Hair, Heels and Everything in Between. 

One year later, Beckham launched her own line of sunglasses called dVb Eyewear and a line of jeans soon followed.

In 2007, Beckham returned to the pop music world for a reunion tour with the Spice Girls. Her return to music was short-lived, despite having numerous sold-out shows. Beckham has said several times that her main focus is fashion. 

She expanded her clothing line in 2008, introducing a new line of dresses. 'Everything that I design I would wear myself,' Beckham once said. Her business empire also includes a line of fragrances.

In 2009, Beckham became the model for the Emporio Armani underwear line for women.

In 2011, Victoria Beckham won Designer Brand of the Year at the British Fashion Awards. 

A year later, the Spice Girls reunited again, this time to announce the creation of a new musical about the rise and fall of the Spice Girls. Viva Forever!, named after the group's 1998 No. 1 single, is slated to open in London by the end of 2012.

In August 2012, Beckham performed along with other members of the Spice Girls at the closing ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, held in London. 

David and Victoria have four children and of 2014, the couple's joint wealth is estimated at £380 million.