Ethiopia has a rich history of women playing significant roles, from administrators and warriors to advisors on important communal matters. Elite and powerful women in Ethiopia have been visible as administrators and warriors historically. This never translated into any benefit to improve the rights of women, but it had meant that women could inherit and own property and act as advisors on important communal and tribal matters.
As late as the first part of the 20th century, Queen Menen, consort of Emperor Haile Selassie I, had a decisive role in running the Ethiopian Empire. In 1896, Empress Tayetu Betul, wife of Emperor Menelik II, actively advised the government and participated in defending the country from Italian invasion.
Challenges Faced by Women in Ethiopia
Despite these historical roles, women in Ethiopia face numerous challenges. Gender equality has been a problem in Ethiopia for decades but has had an improvement over the past three years since when Mulatu Teshome became president. As in other traditional societies, in Ethiopia, a woman's worth is measured in terms of her role both as a mother and wife.
Rural vs. Urban Disparities
Over 85 percent of Ethiopian women reside in rural areas, where households are engaged primarily in subsistence agriculture. In the countryside, women are integrated into the rural economy, which is often labor-intensive and exacts a heavy physical toll on all, including children. In urban areas, women have greater access to education, health care and employment outside the home.
Economic and Political Limitations
Following the Ethiopian Revolution, women made some gains in economic and political areas. However, the role of women was limited at the national level. In 1984, for example, the government selected only one woman as a full member of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Ethiopia.
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Harmful Traditional Practices
Improving Women and Girls' Health, Combating Harmful Traditional Practices, Malga, 2019-22
Ethiopia faces significant challenges related to harmful traditional practices affecting women, including:
- Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): As of 2005, 74.3% of women aged 15 - 49 years had undergone female genital mutilation (FGM). According to Data from UNICEF, 25 million " In Ethiopia, 25 million girls and women have undergone FGM, the largest absolute number in Eastern and Southern Africa".
- Bride Kidnapping: Bride kidnapping is practiced by certain communities in Ethiopia, mainly in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region (SNNPR). According to surveys conducted in 2003 by the National Committee on Traditional Practices in Ethiopia, the custom's prevalence rate in the SNNPR was estimated at 92 percent.
- Child Marriage: And tragically numerous Ethiopian families still practice arranged marriages at young ages. According to the Ethiopian Demographic And Health Survey 2016, the women's median for their first marriage is at 17 years of age and 15 years of age in the Amhara district, however it is 23 years of age for men.
Violence Against Women
In a 2005 WHO study, 59% of women reported lifetime sexual abuse by a partner, while one third of women reported that during the past 12 months they were physically forced to have sex against their will with their partner. During the war women get raped more often, according to Anger Callamard, "It’s clear that rape and sexual violence have been used as a weapon of war to inflict lasting physical and psychological damage on women and girls in Tigray".
Progress and Empowerment Initiatives
Despite the challenges, there have been significant strides towards empowering women in Ethiopia. Following the Ethiopian Revolution, women made some gains in economic and political areas.
Educational Advancements
Under the Derg regime, the enrollment of girls in primary and secondary schools increased from about 32 percent in 1974/75 to 39 percent in 1985/86. As of 2008-2009, there was a steady increase in general enrollment and a decrease in gender disparity in access to education. According to the director of the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association Mahdere Paulos, "Empowering women begins with education".
Government and Organizational Support
After the formation of the Federal Republic in 1995, the Ministry of Women's Affairs was also established. The USAID is one of the worldwide countries that have done a lot in promoting women in Ethiopia and giving them an opportunity to live a better life without discrimination. Other international organizations working with Ethiopia include All African Women For Peace (AAWP) and many others part of the UN keeping their focus on advancing the participation of women in peacemaking and strive to stop early marriages and gender-based violence.
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Association of Women in Boldness (AWiB)
The Association of Women in Boldness (AWiB) is the product of two dynamic and magnificent women, Nahu Senay Girma and Roman Kifle. AWiB is also committed to collecting and disseminating knowledge. AWiB believes that information is power and aims to keep its members in the know by not only serving as an information repository but also by disseminating gathered information through a newsletter delivery system right to the inbox of AWiB’s audience so they are always connected.
AWiB believes in the power of creating and expanding networks for success, moving culturally imposed notions of reservation out of the equation. By promoting the value of building relationships, AWiB espouses the idea that a vision shared is a vision realized. Not only does AWiB bring prominent people to engage with the audience in a highly accessible environment, but AWiB is also committed to profiling and introducing to its audience up-and-coming women and women whose work & contribution to society in their respective industries have not been exposed.
Improving Women and Girls' Health, Combating Harmful Traditional Practices, Malga, 2019-22
Africa Women Conference (AWC)
The 7th edition of the Africa Women Conference (AWC) is scheduled to hold from the 25th to 27th October, 2023 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Africa Women Conference is a gathering of experts, institutions and high profile individuals across different sectors of the African Economy who come together every year to have conversations that set the agenda for the next phase of the empowerment, inclusion and enlightenment of African women across the world. Our aim is to ensure that resources available to women are channeled towards the sustainable development of the African continent.
At the helm of AWiB’s aspiration for its members is that a culture can take shape and emerge where networking and sharing amongst the professionals and business owners that it comprises will enable the strengthening of the pool of women in leadership positions by not only teaching but living the notion of sponsorship in addition to mentorship - where women pull each other to where their dreams take them. AWiB is also highly driven by its moral compass of “giving back to the community that sustains us all”.
Female Leadership
On October 25, 2018, Sahle-Work Zewde was chosen to lead the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia as its fifth and first female president. Meaza Ashenafi is an Ethiopian lawyer. She was named president of Ethiopia's Federal Supreme Court by the Federal Parliamentary Assembly in November 2018.
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Travel Safety for Women in Ethiopia
Travel in the rest of Ethiopia should be treated cautiously. Ongoing incidences of civil unrest, including protests and strikes, are occurring around Ethiopia. The capital, Addis Ababa, is relatively stable at the moment (March 2022), as is travel to southern regions of Ethiopia. The continued internal conflict has added an additional level of uncertainty to travel in Ethiopia. It is important to monitor the on-ground situation closely in the country.
| Safety Tip | Description |
|---|---|
| Dress Conservatively | Opt for long dresses and skirts, loose pants and tops. |
| Accommodation | Stay at official establishments when possible. |
| Transportation | In Addis, it is safe to walk around alone during the day but it’s best to take a taxi at night. |
| Monitor Political Situation | Violent uprisings and conflict occur in these areas, which should be avoided. |
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