Africa Women Solidarity (FAS) is a non-governmental organisation of women. Its objective is to encourage, strengthen and promote womens’ leadership in preventing, managing and resolving conflicts. FAS was created in 1996 in response to an explosion of violent conflicts that tore through Africa. Its International Secretariat is based in Geneva, Switzerland. Other offices have opened in Washington and recently in Dakar, Senegal. FAS has members and associated members in NGOs from 27 African countries. The organisation recently created the Pan African Center for Gender, Peace and Development. In the past, FAS published a twice-yearly newsletter in English, FAS Advocacy News. The publication was suspended due to lack of funding, but FAS hopes to resume publication in the near future.
The FAS website is new and primarily in English. FAS is also in the process of creating a Leadership Bank. This will consist of a register of qualified African women from various areas of expertise which will be used as a tool to promote equal gender balance within organisations such as the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and within the governing bodies of African States. This tool will be available on line.