The Inter-African Committee on Harmful Traditional Practices (IAC)
The Inter- African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (IAC) is a non-governmental organization working to promote the health of women and children in Africa and amongst immigrants. IAC was created in 1984 in Dakar, Senegal following unanimous decision reached by African women and men to fight and eradicate harmful traditional practices and promote those that are positive. Since its creation IAC has deployed great efforts to eradicate practices such as FGM, early marriages, nutritional taboos, etc and to promote breast feeding, child spacing and child care.
The IAC has the following mandates:
- Reduce the morbidity and morality rates for women and children through the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation and other harmful traditional practices
- Promote traditional practices which are beneficial to the health and well being of children and women
-Advocate at national, regional and international levels on the importance of actions against harmful traditional practices
The work of IAC both in Africa and the rest of the world have shown very encouraging results among the following
-involvement of the 28 countries in the IAC network
-breaking taboos and demystifying of FGM
-adopting FGM legislation by 14 African countries
-winning support of the OAU
-mobilizing youth and religious leaders
-recognition by the UN (1995 population award)
-public renouncement and laying down knives by sensitized practitioners, counselling and care of women victims of FGM
IAC activities are concerned mainly with democratization the Protocol to make people known about it and its application to grassroots campaign for the elimination of FGM and other harmful traditional practices.
Contact:
Linda Osarenren
Tel : +251-11-15515798
For further information contact: