WiLDAF - The pan-African network

WiLDAF is a pan-African network established in 1990 in Harare, Zimbabwe that works in 31 African countries.

It has its origins from the NGO Forum in Nairobi, Kenya in 1985 that marked the end of the UN Decade for Women.

WiLDAF, through its networking role, programmes and activities is recognised as an effective regional women's rights organ.

WiLDAF was the African-coordinating organisation for the campaign for recognition of women's rights as human rights for the African Preparatory Conference in Dakar in 1994 and for the Fourth World Conference for Women in Beijing, 1995. At that conference, the issues WiLDAF focused on were the impact of structural adjustment programmes on women's rights, the rights of women in conflict situations and the high incidence of femicide in Southern Africa. Together with other African women's networks, WiLDAF lobbied for inclusion of the issue of the girl-child in the Beijing Platform of Action.

WiLDAF was the regional women's NGO involved in launching the campaign against impunity in Africa in Burkina Faso in 1996. In the same year, WiLDAF was the recipient of the organisational award of the International Human Rights Law Group in Washington.

In 1997, it was involved in the drafting of the additional protocol on women to the African Charter. Since its adoption by the AU in Maputo, Mozambique in 2003, WiLDAF has un-relentlessly continued its advocacy activities in all its country focal offices and at the sub-regional level to get at least 15 AU members to ratify the Protocol to bring it into force.

WiLDAF was also heavily involved in the campaign to appoint a Special Rapporteur on Women's Rights to the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to assist in bringing women's human rights issues to the fore within the African Union. WiLDAF continues to make statements on topical issues at the Sessions of the African Commission. In 2004, it made a statement on trafficking of women and children in West Africa.

WiLDAF was a founder member of the working group on the Optional Protocol to CEDAW at the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The protocol was adopted by CSW in March 1999 and was adopted by the General Assembly for signature and ratification by member states in December 1999.

As a result of these activities WiLDAF was invited by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) to be a member of the technical committee of the UN Economic Commission for Africa for the preparation of the 6th African Regional Conference and was the focal point and coordinator of NGO Consultations at the 6th African Regional Conference and continued in this role for the Special Session of the United Nations, the Beijing +5 Review.

At the country level, systematic capacity building has often led to effective campaigns such as the campaign on violence against women, which is implemented to coincide with the 16 Days Activism against Gender Violence between November 25 and December 10 each year. This campaign has become such an established WiLDAF programme in Africa that UNIFEM worked through the country networks to launch their Africa campaign on violence against women.

BACK TO PREVIOUS PAGE

Mission & Vision Statements

Goals and Strategic Objectives

WiLDAF Ghana Background