FORWARD (Foundation for Women's Health Research and Development) is committed to gender equality and safeguarding the rights of African girls and women.
 
They are a leading African diaspora women’s campaign and support organisation. They work through partnerships in the UK, Europe and Africa to transform lives, tackling discriminatory practices that affect the dignity and wellbeing of girls and women. Their focus is on female genital mutilation (FGM), child marriage and obstetric fistula.

The key issues that they address is:

1.  FGM - Female Genital mutilation. FORWARD works in the UK, Europe and Africa to safeguard girls at risk of FGM and support women affected. We do this through direct community engagement, advocacy and strategic partnerships. 
2. Child Marriage - Marriage of a child younger than 18yrs. FORWARD works closely with partners in Africa to support girls affected by child marriage and child pregnancy through the creation of girl clubs and networks. We are also working to change attitudestowards child marriage through research and education to end the practice.
3. Obstetric Fistula - early childbirth which leaves the women physically, emotionally and socially traumatised. It is a devastating pregnancy related disability. FORWARD has been working to end obstetric fistula in Africa since 2002 through research, access to treatment, maternal health services, social re-integration and rehabilitation.

They are now one of the longest standing organisations tackling FGM in the UK and they continue our work to support women affected and girls at risk of FGM through their programmes:

• Community Programme: engaging affected communities through events, training and community development approaches
• Young People Speak Out!: empowering young people to help create change in their communities by providing skills, peer to peer training and support for youth advocates
• Schools Programme: offering a comprehensive range of services for schools to engage and empower young people about issues that affect them and raising awareness about the role that everyone can play in supporting girls and ending the practice.
• Training Courses for Professionals: offering a range of FGM training sessions, including accredited training for front line professionals including health, education, social services and the police, as well as to organisations from FGM practicing communities, and the voluntary sector at large.