Member Profile: African Indigenous Women's Organization

AIWo has been working on water issues

The African Indigenous Women’s Organization is a continental-wide NGO, whose members are composed of African Indigenous Women representing NGOs and CBOs from all over the continent. We work towards the promotion of women’s rights and indigenous rights throughout Africa.
The specific objectives of AIWO are:
• The defense and promotion of the rights and interests of African Indigenous Women.
• Provide assistance and support to the Indigenous Women of Africa who are victims of violence and genital mutilation.
• Supporting the Indigenous Women of Africa in the preservation of their Indigenous knowledge and natural resources.
• Making every effort to guarantee the property rights of Indigenous Women in order to enable them to live a decent life in their own territories.
• Monitoring the initiation of sustainable economic development in the areas inhabited by the Indigenous Peoples of Africa.
• Organizing training sessions for Indigenous Women in the field of Human Rights.
African Indigenous Women’s Organization (AIWO) was formed on 24th April, 1998, in Agadir, Morrocco. This was after the first African Indigenous Conference held on 20th to 24th the same year. The conference was initiated by Netherlands Center for Indigenous Peoples and hosted by Tamaynut of Morocco. The Theme of the conference was to “Clarify the role of the Indigenous Women as supporters of the Community and strengthen the Indigenous Cultures’ chances for persistence”. The organization was started by a number of Indigenous Women attending the conference, in response to the lack of recognition of Indigenous Women’s rights in Africa. Those who started AIWO are all members of Indigenous and/or women’s rights-focused NGOs and CBOs throughout Africa.
AIWO is a regional organization. We work in all regions of the Africa. AIWO has elected officials to represent Northern, Western, Eastern, Central and Southern Africa. We are connected with NGOs and CBOs throughout the continent, and carries out activities in each region.
Our target group is all African Indigenous Women throughout the continent, as well as non-governmental and community-based organizations run by and for the benefit of African Indigenous Women.
AIWO’s strength is in its diversity, extensive networks and the knowledge that each of the members bring to the group. As AIWO’s members are also members of women’s rights-focused and Indigenous organizations from all over Africa, each brings valuable experiences, contacts and ideas to the organization. The regionally-focused structure means that AIWO can run programs and activities in each region, as well as planning activities which bring all of the regional segments together.