Rose Mestika
20 March 2008
Addis Ababa — Despite their active role played in the political social and economic life of the country, Ethiopian women and their contribution in welfare and bringing about positive change, this has not been acknowledged and paid its due, in the Ethiopian context, a gender activist said on Thursday.
The activist said, the Ethiopian woman has always been an active agent in formal politics and community welfare in Ethiopia but this has not been acknowledged.
She said that for this reason, the role and significance of Ethiopian civil society groups and particularly women's groups lack the dynamism and vibrance they deserve.
"They should have a clear vision and should be assertive enough to advance their agendas," Meaza Ashenafi, who is an expert in gender issues said presenting at the forum organized by the Inter Africa.
The forum at the Sheraton Addis on Tuesday was held under the theme : Women in the new millennium.
Study papers on the topic of women in civil society organizations, women and gender equality, women's role for development in the new millennium, were presented.
"Development concepts require equal share of resources between men and women. However, this has not happened in reality for Ethiopian women are not beneficiary as they have to be," Tiruwork Tiezazu, Head of Women's Department at Ministry of Finance and Economy, said presenting her paper.
She said this resulted in women having to live in poverty, worse than men.
"These are the main difficulties in women's history on the past millennium," she said.
She noted however that there was much progress in the country in this regard, which if sustained can help women meet the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs).
Mahder Paulos, another presenter at the forum expressed discontent over the list of crimes committed in the country which does not include rape and violence against women.
"Among the seven high crimes listed in our country, rape and women violence are not included," she pointed out.
"This helps people who rape a baby or a teenage girl or abuse women's right to go out freely," Mahder contended.
She said this has in a way contributed to the rise of such cases in the country.
Women drawn from various institutions, students and other participants from regions attended the forum where discussions were held after each presentation.
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The disadvantages women face transcends formal institutions. The main problems are the norms, values, etc. that assign women and men to act a certain way just because they have a certain sex. Likewise, the solution should not be focused solely on women--it must include men, if we are to see any solution. How do we change this norm that requires men to get paid more than their wives and take care of their wives, to be heard more than their wives, to be dominant and act "like a man" etc. How do we change the norm that requires parents to raise their girl "as a woman?" How do we empower women to be who they are, who they want to be instead of "acting like a woman?" How do we change our mentality? For those who are in international NGOs who attempt to "help women in third world countries," how do you explain these issues with individuals in these societies?
Another option: Incorporate our culture, religion etc. Don't break marriages and our building block--the family. I AM A STRONG BELIEVER THAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE. But, please deal with these issues carefully.