Ethiopia: Experts Voice Education, Community Roles to Ensure Gender Equality
ADDIS ABABA-The role of accessing quality education among girls and active community participation in gender issues is fundamental to ensure gender equality in Ethiopia, experts said.
The Union of Ethiopian Women and Children Associations (UEWCA) held a panel discussion on gender equality progress and challenges in Ethiopia.
Education and Gender Equality Advisor YesharegDamite (PhD) said that effective guidelines and policies are important to enable everyone be accountable and responsible regarding improving gender equality in the country.
According to her, education plays a fundamental role in the journey of ensuring gender equality since educated women will have significant contributions in deciding their future while educated and become self-aware.
Thus, every girl should be educated and get the chance to change her life through education, she recommended.
The primary education enrollment is improving in Ethiopia which is a promising move towards ensuring gender equality, she noted.
However, the education sector and active community mobilization should be given due priority to empower women and brighten their future.
“Currently, the rise in cost of lives, conflicts in different parts of the country, bad community habits, among others are the challenges that women are facing in Ethiopia.”
She underscored the need to fight women and child abuses together and diversify awareness creation efforts through active community mobilization towards women empowerment.
On her part, a representative from Addis Ababa City Administration Tsedalech Michael said that compared to other parts of the country the city is witnessing a remarkable progress regarding women participation in various fields.
“Women decision making in politics and economic participation is improving from time to time as there are numerous opportunities in the city that promotes women,” she said.
She urges women cultivating active participation in social, political, and economic affairs to create a better future for all women and girls.
Presenting a paper on “The status of gender equality in Ethiopia” Ministry of Education Women, Children, and Youth Education Team Leader and Gender Expert Eskinder Lakew said that Ethiopia is endeavoring to achieve gender equality through designing various policies and strategies.
However, there are still gaps in women economic empowerment and political participation, he said.
As to him, government to partners’ partnership, multi-sectorial collaborations, active community mobilization, among others are crucial to attain gender equality.
“Women and child abuse prevalence is worsening in the country due to the ongoing conflict in some parts of the country. Thus, more attention should be given to the issue,” he stressed.
Crédito: Link de origem