About Us

Women's Action Against FGM, Japan (WAAF) is a non-governmental and nonprofit organization launched in January 1996. WAAF works toward the abolition of female genital mutilation (FGM). We now have 100 members, and our activities include:

raising awareness among the Japanese public through the dissemination of information on FGM,

sending financial support through the WAAF Fund to projects dedicated to the elimination of FGM in Africa, and

providing moral support in the international arena for the movement to abolish FGM in Africa.

Although FGM is not practiced in Japan, we see FGM as a harmful practice that poses a serious risk to the sexual and reproductive health of women and as a violation of the bodily integrity and human rights of women. In Japan and every other country in the world, women are subjected to various forms of violence and discrimination. The struggle against violence and discrimination against women has no national nor geographical boundaries. WAAF supports the campaigns against FGM, and we are in spirit with the women and men who are fighting to eliminate this harmful traditional practice.

WAAF activities include:

workshops

film shows

publication of a triannual newsletter

translations of international conventions dealing with FGM

fund-raising for the WAAF Fund.

International Symposia
We have held three international symposia in Tokyo to which we invited activists from Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Kenya to speak to the Japanese public about their struggle both locally and nationally in their fight against FGM.

Contact Information
Women's Action Against FGM, Japan (WAAF)
waaf@jca.apc.org (general inquiries)
waafjapan@hotmail.com (WAAF Fund inquiries)

WAAF Fund

Raised from donations from our members and the general public, WAAF Fund is an annual grant, ranging from $500 to $3,000, awarded to projects devoted to the eradication of FGM in Africa. WAAF accepts applications directly from interested NGOs working in Africa, and each year one or two projects are selected after a careful screening process.
Past recipients include the following organizations and projects:

1997
Sudan IAC Sudan National Committee
Project: Educational Campaign in Replacement Camps

1998
IAC Inter-African Committee Liaison Office in Geneva
Project: Office Operating Costs

1999
Tanzania Kilimanjaro IAC
Project: Purchase of Bicycles for Local Facilitators in Anti-FGM Campaigns (together with matching funds from Niigata Fureai Grant)

2000
Burkina Faso National Committee, IAC
Project: Commemorative Activities on 18 May, National Day for the Fight against FGM

2001
1) Senegal GAMS-Belgique
Project: The Development of a Country Starts with Childeren

2) Nigeria Concerns Organisation
Project: Production of Instructional Materials for the Advocating/Campaign to Eliminate Female Genital and Sexual Mutilations in Abia State (South East Nigeria)

2002
National Committee of the Inter-African Committee Cameroon
Project: Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation Through Training and Information Campaigns and Alternative Income Generating Activities in Yaounde, Centre Province

2003
Kenya SETAT Women's Organisation
Project: Advocacy and Awareness Creation on FGM and Early Forced Marriages

2004
Mali Sahel Initiative 3rd Millenary (SI3)
Project: Three Rural Radio Stations in Dogon Cultural Area Mobilized in Fighting Against FGM

2005
Guinea Cellule de coordination sur les Pratiques Traditionnelles Affectant la Santé des Femmes et des Enfants (CPTAFE)
Project: Dissemination and Application of the Law Anti-FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) voted by the Guinean Parliament in July, 2000

2006
Ghanaian Association for Women’s Welfare (GAWW)
Project: The Youth Outreach Project in Mamprusi East and West Districts

2007
1) Uganda The REACH Programme
Project: Youth Radio Programme Awareness Creation on FGM and Early Marriage

2) IAC Inter-African Committee Liaison Office in Geneva
Project: IAC Photo Book (3rd edition)

2008
1) Egypt Care for Girls (CGC) and Coptic Organisation for Services and Training (COST)
Project: Combating Female Genital Mutilation and Early Marriages and All Forms of Violence

2) Inter-African Committee Sierra Leone (IACSL) / Center for Safe Motherhood, Youth and Child Organisation (CESMYCO)
Project: Operational costs

2009
1) Egypt Care for Girls (CGC) and Coptic Organisation for Services and Training (COST)
Project: Combating Female Genital Mutilation and Early Marriages and All Forms of Violence

2) Senegal GAMS-Belgique
Project: JAMMU II, Better Health for Little Girls in Kolda

3) Somaliland Family Health Association (SOFHA)
Project: Sensitization Project on the Harmful Effects of FGM for Marginalized Communities as well as the Production of Appropriate Instructional Materials for an Effective Campaign against this Harmful Traditional Practice

4) Inter-African Committee Sierra Leone (IACSL) / Center for Safe Motherhood, Youth and Child Organisation (CESMYCO)
Project: Operational costs

2011
1) Kenya Sinyati Women Group
Project: Ilchamus Anti-FGM Campaign

2) Inter-African Committee Sierra Leone (IACSL) / Center for Safe Motherhood, Youth and Child Organisation (CESMYCO)
Project: Operational costs

2012
1) Ghana Upper West Rural Women's Association
Project: Advocacy on the Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation in Upper West Region of Ghana

2) Inter-Africa Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) Nigeria, Edo State Chapter
Project: Eliminating FGM through Grassroots Activism in Egba Community in Edo State, Nigeria

3) Inter-African Committee Sierra Leone (IACSL) / Center for Safe Motherhood, Youth and Child Organisation (CESMYCO)
Project: Operational costs

2013
1) Liberia Women Solidarity, Inc. (WOSI)

Project: Anti-Female Genital Mutilation, Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS Education for Rural Communities in Todee District in Montserrado County

2) Inter-African Committee Sierra Leone (IACSL) / Center for Safe Motherhood, Youth and Child Organisation (CESMYCO)
Project: Operational costs

2014
1) Uganda The REACH Programme
Project: Economic Empowerment of Reformed FGM practitioners in Kapchorwa District

2) Tanzania Women Wake Up (WOWAP)
Project: Campaign to End FGM through Focus Group Discussion in Singida Region

3) Liberia Women Solidarity, Inc. (WOSI)
Project: Discouraging the Traditional Practice of FGM in Local Communities in Todee District in Montserrado County

4) Inter-African Committee Sierra Leone (IACSL) / Center for Safe Motherhood, Youth and Child Organisation (CESMYCO)
Project: Operational costs

2015
1) Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) Nigeria, Edo State Chapter

Project: Eliminating FGM through grassroots Activism in Igieduma community

2) Tanzania Women Wake Up (WOWAP)
Project: Campaign to End FGM through Focus Group Discussion

3) Liberia Women Solidarity, Inc. (WOSI)
Project: Monitoring the Status and responding to the incidences of FGM in Todee District

4) Inter-African Committee Sierra Leone (IACSL) / Center for Safe Motherhood, Youth and Child Organisation (CESMYCO)
Project: Operational costs

2016
1) Tanzania Women Wake Up (WOWAP)
Project: Campaign to End FGM through Focus Group Discussion

2) Liberia Women Solidarity, Inc. (WOSI)
Project: Anti-FGM Awareness Outreach in Zewhorr Community

3）Inter-African Committee Sierra Leone (IACSL) / Center for Safe Motherhood, Youth and Child Organisation (CESMYCO)
Project: Operational costs

2017
1) Tanzania Women Wake Up (WOWAP)

Project: Campaign to End FGM through Focus Group Discussion and Arts Performance

2) Inter-African Committee Sierra Leone (IACSL) / Center for Safe Motherhood, Youth and Child Organisation (CESMYCO)
Project: Operational costs

3）RISK (Riksföreningen Stoppa Kvinnlig Könsstympning), Sweden
Project: Operational costs

2018
1) Tanzania Women Wake Up (WOWAP)
Project: Campaign to End FGM through Focus Group Discussion and Arts Performance

2) Ghana Care Development Initiative (CDI)

Project: Girls School Retention Programme to Curb Rural-Urban Migration Due to Harmful Traditional Practices (FGM) in the Bawku West District

3) Inter-African Committee Sierra Leone (IACSL) / Center for Safe Motherhood, Youth and Child Organisation (CESMYCO)
Project: Operational costs

2019

1) Inter-African Committee Sierra Leone (IACSL) / Center for Safe Motherhood, Youth and Child Organisation (CESMYCO)
Project: Community Mobilization for Ending Harmful Traditional Practices

2) Organization for the Development of Women and Children-Ethiopia (ODWaCE)
Project: Creating Awareness on the Negative Impacts of FGM to School-Enrolled Students in Yirgalem Junior Secondary School and Comprehensive High School, in Yirgalem Town, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR)

2020
WAAF Fund for 2020 Cancelled (1 December 2020)
COVID-19 has placed severe restrictions on human movement and interaction worldwide. The implementation of the training and educational projects currently funded by WAAF Fund has been put on hold, and we anticipate that this situation will continue for the foreseeable future. With great regret, we are cancelling our grants program, WAAF Fund, for 2020 and will not be making our annual call for applications.

2021
1) Tanzania Women Wake Up (WOWAP)
Project: Addressing Gender-Based Violence by Curbing FGM in Singida Region

2) La Palabre Sénégal
Project: Sensibilisation et lutte contre les MGF

2022
1) Women Solidarity Incorporated (WOSI)
Project: Assessing Citizens’ Compliance to the Suspension of Sande Practices (FGM) in Liberia

2) Tanzania Women Wake Up (WOWAP)
Project: Addressing Gender-Based Violence by Curbing FGM in Singida Region

3) Inter-African Committee Sierra Leone (IACSL) / Center for Safe Motherhood, Youth and Child Organisation (CESMYCO)
Project: Operational costs

Where to Send Your Donations

Donations are accepted via postal deposit (yubin furikae kouza) in Japan:

Account name: FGM Haizetsu o Shiensuru Onnatachi no Kai / Han FGM Kikin
Account number: 00190-2-355679