Ethiopia

80 %

of Ethiopian women have experienced discrimination or violence.

27 %

of Ethiopians live below the poverty line.

99 %

of the women living in the Somali region have undergone female genital mutilation.

Our work in the Somali Region of Ethiopia

ISF has been active in Ethiopia’s Somali region since 2023, with offices in Jijiga and Addis Ababa. The region was selected due to high female genital mutilation (FGM) prevalence and opportunities for synergy with our long-term work in neighbouring Somaliland.

Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)

Research shows that rural, crisis-affected communities have relied heavily on emergency responses, leaving gaps in prevention and awareness. We work with partners to move beyond response-only approaches, combining long-term development with crisis preparedness.

Empowering women and girls to recognize violence is a first step toward claiming their rights. A key innovation is the creation of Safe Spaces for Women and Girls, locally called Ebyan (“complete”), starting in 2025 and expanding in 2026–29. These community-run spaces will provide safe environments for women and girls to organize, advocate, and develop skills through peer groups, livelihood trainings, and capacity-building sessions. They are designed to be multifunctional and disability-inclusive.

We also engage boys and young men to discuss girls’ rights and challenge harmful attitudes. Male-focused sessions for young men promote family wellbeing, address links between substance abuse and violence, and encourage healthier behaviors.

At the community level, we use intergenerational dialogues to challenge harmful gender norms and identify locally-owned solutions. Dialogue champions are connected with local authorities to amplify community voices and integrate solutions into regional structures. Traditional and religious leaders, as well as health workers, are trained as advocates, and local media channels are used to raise awareness and challenge taboos.

RDV:n johtaja Mohamed Ali osuuskunnan tilalla — RDV’s Chief Executive Officer **Mohamed Ali** at one of the cooperative farms they support. **Image**: Nafkot Gebeyehu

Promoting Women’s Livelihoods

Ethiopia’s national strategies focus on climate resilience and economic diversification. ISF contributes by strengthening Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Rangeland Councils in local communities, supporting the development and implementation of Community Adaptation Action Plans and Rangeland Management Plans. We also provide technical support for climate-smart farming and agro-pastoral practices, collaborating with research institutions and universities to promote sustainable agriculture.

Women’s participation is a priority: half of DRM councils and Early Warning committees are women. ISF organizes separate dialogues for women, youth, and people with disabilities to strengthen their influence and understanding of disaster risks and gender-based violence in emergencies.

In urban areas, ISF supports women’s participation in the green and circular economy, offering business skills training, access to microfinance, and opportunities to join self-help groups or cooperatives. Partnerships with vocational colleges, innovation hubs, and government programs help women grow their businesses. Traditional systems like shirkas are leveraged to reduce barriers to economic participation, while clan leaders are engaged to ensure women gain access to resources such as land, technology, and finance.

Our partners in Ethiopia

Currently we are working with four partners in Ethiopia’s Somali region:

Community in Action Against Poverty (CAAP)

Horn of Africa Voluntary Youth Committee (HAVOYOCO)

Relief and Development for the Vulnerable (RDV)

Ugaaso Women Dialogue Space (UWDS)

At the water source in the Somali region. Photo: ©UNICEF Ethiopia/2022/Mulugeta Ayene

The Status of Women's Rights in Ethiopia

The status of women in Ethiopia is weaker than that of men, and women's rights are still a relatively unknown concept for many. A woman's value is often measured by the role she plays as a wife and mother. Girls and women suffer from harmful practices such as child and forced marriages, female genital mutilation, and gender-based violence.

Approximately 80 percent of Ethiopian women experience some form of discrimination or violence.¹
The legal age of marriage in Ethiopia is 18 years. However, 40 percent of girls aged 20-24 end up getting married before reaching adulthood.²
An estimated 25 million Ethiopian girls and women have undergone female genital mutilation. Nearly half of girls and women aged 15-19 have been subjected to the practice, even though it has been legally prohibited since 2004. The practice is most common in rural areas and among those with lower levels of education.³
Around 2.6 million primary school-age children in Ethiopia do not attend school, and more than half of them are girls. Traditional gender norms, heavy domestic workloads for girls, and long distances to school are typical barriers to education.⁴

Ethiopia has progressive legislation and programs aimed at promoting gender equality, with the goal of ending child marriages and female genital mutilation by 2025. However, the challenge lies not in the legislation but in the persistence of harmful practices, primarily fueled by a conservative social climate and deeply rooted perceptions of women's roles in society.⁵

Despite these grim figures, there have been improvements over the years. Female genital mutilation is now less prevalent than in previous generations, and an increasing number of Ethiopians believe that the harmful tradition banned by law in 2004 should be abandoned.