Women and girls
Opportunities for women and girls.
Ethiopiaid partners with local projects helping women and girls make informed decisions about their health, their lives and their futures. By protecting girls and promoting women’s voices, our partners are building a safer, more equal world.
Challenge
Adolescent girls are often subjected to inequality, limited opportunities and harmful practices, such as missing and dropping out of school because of their periods, female genital mutilation, gender-based violence and child marriage.
These challenges not only threaten their education, health and livelihood, but also compromise the well-being and opportunities of the next generation.
Solution
We partner with local organisations who provide support and opportunities for women and girls:
• Studio Samuel provide free reusable sanitary packs to girls to keep them in school.
• APDA educate families, communities and leaders about the damage of harmful practices such as FGM and early marriage.
"There's so much that needs to be done for girls, I want to do more" Teyeba ⪢
In Ethiopia, 80% of girls drop out of school before the age of 14. Many do so because they do not have access to sanitary products, so they miss school and fall behind.
Mekedes' Story ⪢
In Ethiopia, nearly a quarter of the women are subjected to gender-based violence, and most of this happens at home.
Each year, Ethiopiaid-supported safehouses help around 4,000 women and girls to find safety, and build a life beyond their recovery.
Support, guidance and a safe home ⪢
Rediet was raped by her own father. Scared to speak out Rediet was able to find support, guidance and a safety with the Association for Women’s Sanctuary and Development (AWSAD).
Our impact
In 2021, around 80% of people supported by our partners were women. Your donations and the hard work of our local partners have helped make lasting changes to the lives of Ethiopian women and girls.
71,662
people were made aware of the dangers of harmful practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and early marriage.
1,084
women and children received life-saving support and shelter in AWSAD’s Addis Ababa safe house.
3,650
girls aged 12-18 learned about menstrual hygiene management and received free reusable sanitary kits.
6
safe houses across Ethiopia provided shelter, food, medical care, legal assistance and counselling for women and girls.
Our partners
Stigma surrounding menstruation means that many girls in Ethiopia are ashamed to ask for help, and often drop out of school. Based in Addis Ababa, Studio Samuel’s project supports vulnerable girls to stay in school by distributing free re-usable sanitary kits, and through offering extra-curricular after school courses in IT and business skills, sewing, life skills and creative arts. Studio Samuel helps girls continue their education and develop important skills for future employment. Support is also given to access healthcare, tutoring and scholarships that they otherwise would miss out on. Some of the girls also go on to lead presentations at other schools on how to use the sanitary kits, encouraging both girls and boys to break the taboo.
APDA was created alongside local Afar leaders who felt their needs were not being met by formal government services. APDA is dedicated to ending harmful practices, including female genital mutilation (FGM), child marriage and the lack of rights for women in marriage. They also run life-changing projects in water harvesting, mobile health and education, and have been providing life-saving emergency support, in response to the recent locust plagues and conflict in the region.
We also help
Supporting the vulnerable ⪢
Ethiopia has over four million people over the age of 60. Many of these people have no access to a state pension and are unable to save for their old age.
Education ⪢
Around 60,000 children live on the streets of Addis Ababa. More than half have no access to shelter, adequate food, or an education.
Living with disabilities ⪢
People living with disabilities are routinely denied their most basic human rights, and are cut off from education, employment and healthcare. In Ethiopia, many live in extreme poverty.
