Foundation for Women's Health Research and Development / FORWARD

FORWARD is a registered charity which was formed to promote good reproductive health among African women and girls both in the UK and Africa. The organisation's prime objective is campaigning for the elimination of female genital mutilation (FGM) worldwide and promoting awareness to counter gender discriminatory practices prejudicial to the health of African women and girls. FORWARD's aims and objectives include the following.

• Supporting the elimination of FGM and other harmful practices through sponsoring local health and education programmes in the countries directly concerned.
• Advocating that remedial policies be adopted in those countries where harmful traditional practices, such as FGM, have a strongly negative impact on health.
• Promoting health education at the grassroots for African women and their children through the support of community self-help groups.
• Facilitating the development of co-ordinated policies on FGM issues and good practice models in the UK.
• Developing training and advocacy material on FGM for African women and their families and health, education, social work and child protection professionals.
• Providing information and advice in FGM issues to individuals, African women and others.
• Providing a referral .service for survivors of FGM and those at risk.

FORWARD is part-funded by the Department of Health and is active on an international level in its aim to eliminate FGM. FORWARD publishes a newsletter, information leaflets on FGM and has details of specialist clinics.

Checked: June 2006