Background

The Association for the Protection of Women's and Children's Rights (APWCR) was founded in 1999 in Limbe, Cameroon. After serving there for eighteen years, now re-domesticated in Pennsylvania in 2018 as a human rights development non-profit organization, APWCR is now incorporated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time (the "Code"), or the corresponding provision of any future federal tax law, and may engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be incorporated under the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988, as amended, to the extent consistent with such charitable and educational purposes, including, without limitation, the protection and promotion of human rights through research, education, advocacy and developmental programs in the USA and Africa, with headquarters in Pittsburgh - USA. In April 2016, APWCR obtained Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

APWCR's founder, Mr. George Abang Tawoh, was moved to start the organization after witnessing countless human rights abuses within his own community, particularly the pervasive practice of forced marriage. Through the practice of forced marriage, young girls and women are often married to older men in order to pay off a family debt. That was the case for Mr. Abang Tawoh's beloved aunt.

APWCR seeks to serve in the United States of America and Africa, and through its previous experience working on human rights, charitable and development programs will likely target the following 15 countries for now: Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Zambia and Zimbabwe. We specifically target the most vulnerable rural communities and populations, teenage mothers, children, female students who have dropped out of school, and commercial sex workers. However, we believe our programs truly benefit the entire community -- men, women, children and youth alike.