Ethiopia is second on the world to female genital mutilation

Maat Foundation report on women's rights in Ethiopia

Within the framework of Maat Foundation's interest in UN human rights mechanisms, including treaty committees, and in conjunction with the 65th session of the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination against Women, held from February 18 to March 8, 2019, Maat Foundation issues this report On the status of women's rights in Ethiopia, in the context of the Foundation's interest in promoting and protecting human rights on the African continent.

The report monitored many developments, whether at the level of legislation or practice. Although the Ethiopian government has taken many positive steps to promote women's rights, especially with regard to issuing laws and legislations that guarantee equality and prohibit discrimination against women, this has not prevented the increase in the crime of gang rape and has not been prevented, and Ethiopia is witnessing a significant increase in cases of violence against women. Ethiopia ranks second in the world in genital mutilation of women and girls, with a percentage of 74%. In addition, the erosion of women's rights to obtain education and work on an equal basis with men in many places, and other challenges discussed in the report.

The report recommended the need to review the existing laws on the sexual perspective, which would put Ethiopia on stronger foundations to eliminate all forms of discrimination, as well as strict penalties for perpetrators of sexual violence against girls and women in Ethiopia, and the need to work to increase the empowerment of women in government jobs. .

This comes in conjunction with the participation of a delegation from the Maat Foundation in the activities of the forty session of the Human Rights Council held in Geneva, which is held from February 25 to March 22, 2019.