Association pour la Défense des Droits des Consommateurs (ADC)

Association pour la Défense des Droits des Consommateurs (ADC) was created in 1996 by a voluntary network of economists, lawyers, teachers and journalists with the aim of promoting consumer interests and influencing decision making on behalf of consumers. It currently has a network of more than 100 supporters. ADC quickly won recognition for its advocacy work on product safety (carcinogenic sugar for instance) and food safety (advocating the use of iodised salt in food). It carried out a campaign against the importation of non-biodegradable plastic bags, which resulted in a government ban. ADC is consulted regularly by government departments on many consumer issues and has historically been very active on trade issues, playing a major role in strengthening civil society scrutiny on the impact of international trade agreements, in particular EPAs. ADC has campaigned hard alongside other civil society organisations in support of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. ADC is now turning its attention to ‘new’ issues such as access to essential medicines and counterfeit medicines. ADC has also worked on various water and sanitation projects and studies and is currently coordinating the work of the African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (ANEW) for Central Africa.