Ethiopia

Despite being one of the oldest nations on earth, Ethiopia is one of the world’s poorest countries with a recent history of political instability and civil conflict.??

With one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world and the worst rates of school enrolment for girls of any country in Africa, it is Ethiopia’s women who suffer disproportionately. Poverty, illiteracy and lack of access to basic health care combine with strongly patriarchal social attitudes which maintain women’s low social status and perpetuate Traditional Harmful Practices such as Female Genital Mutilation and early marriage.

Over 70% of the country’s children between the ages of 8-15 are working. Of these, the majority are young girls who are significantly discriminated against in their access to even basic levels of education. The result for Ethiopia’s women is a literacy rate of 35% compared to over 50% for men. Lack of education condemns many Ethiopian women to a lifetime of poverty and exclusion. While recent Sustainable Development Poverty Reduction Plans demand a greater economic contribution from Ethiopia’s women, World Bank statistics show that only 40% of women work in the formal employment sector. Of these, almost none are in positions of responsibility or decision-making.
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Unloading roofing panels in Ethiopia
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In addition to the wide disparities in education and employment opportunities for Ethiopian women, they also face serious and substantial risks to their sexual and reproductive health. And with one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in the Continent, the country’s Health Sector Development Programme has – so far – had very little impact on women’s lives.? Access to even basic health care is limited, while support and resources for maternal and child health remain inadequate. An inadequacy poignantly reflected in the country’s shockingly high maternal mortality rates. And despite the Government’s 2004 ban on the practice of any form of female circumcision, FGM is widespread throughout the country. Mainly performed by traditional birth attendants, over 85% of Ethiopian women have undergone Female Genital Mutilation. For the practitioners, it means payment and social status for their role.?? For the women who are subjected to the practice, it means a lifetime of painful menstruation, incontinence, and complications with pregnancy and childbirth. A legacy of damage to women’s physical, mental, emotional and psycho-sexual health and well being.

Ethiopia’s women face further violence and discrimination in the form of early, forced or marriage by abduction.? Some 72% of the country’s women are married by abduction – a practice which often involves rape by the abductor – while the figures are 92% in the country’s Southern Nations region.

Kembatta Women’s Self-Help Centre

With a programme of community outreach and mobile health clinics, the Self Help Centre provides education and support to local women on issues of reproductive health. They also provide vocational training and credit and income generating schemes to enable women to become economically self sufficient. In addition, their programme focuses on environmental restoration and land productivity.

Women’s Association of Tigray

The Association runs awareness and rights training programmes to help women build their own leadership capabilities, enabling them to take a full and active role in the decision-making process of their families, their communities and their country. In addition, they participate in health education programmes for local women, as well as providing vocational training and credit, saving and income generating schemes to help women move out of poverty.?

Integrated Community Educational and Development Association (ICEDA)

ICEDA’s focus is on advocacy – lobbying and campaigning to raise public awareness of issues regarding violence and other forms of discrimination against women.? Working to counter early, forced and marriage by abduction, the Association also runs training programmes for women, educating them about their civil, economic and legal rights.

Kenya