WOMEN HELPING WOMEN
TACKLING GENDER INEQUALITIES
The Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization with an objective of enhancing the political, economic, legal and social rights of women.
MARIA DWEGGAH
To achieve these objectives, ELA has set its programs through research and Law Reform Advocacy, Public Education and Legal Services. The legal service activities by and large involve providing free legal counselling to women, mediating between disputing spouses and providing court representation in selected cases. Since its establishment in 1995, thousands of women have benefited from these services.
Mahdere Paulos, director of Women Lawyer’s Group
The visit with the women with EWLA in Addis was first of all too short, but one of my most memorable, in the ten days I spent in Ethiopia. I was surprised by their youth, their experiences, their enthusiasm and their high level of involvement in an area that seems to be a never ending uphill battle. I was especially impressed by Mahdere Paulos, the current Executive Director of EWLA, who was appointed judge at barely 23 years of age. I looked around at the 6 women sitting with us with a bit of envy. How much they had already accomplished at such a young age and how important their struggle. And then thinking that their struggle is not unlike many others before them which took or are currently taking place in countries, soit disant developed who still struggle with the issues of violence against women.
In a country where women are plagued with harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation, child marriages, abduction and rape that severely affect their physical and psychological health, their struggle is a difficult one, even more so for the rural women. But changes are taking place, slowly and EWLA’s efforts to incite changes in the law or engendering action on existing policies are paying off. For example the revised Family Code of 2000, amendments to the Constitution and the newly amended Criminal Code of 2005 affirmed that abduction is a criminal offence and is punishable are signs that things are moving ; raising the minimum age of marriage to 18 or allowing women to opt for civil court over Sharia court in a dispute, in the absence of clear consent for the case to be adjudicated by the court of Sharia before which the case is brought. EWLA has also lobbied for issues which, though affecting women, also affect the rights of men and children in its successful effort to redefine the word “trafficking“ in the Penal Code to define the act of trafficking in a broader way and include different aspects of trafficking such as forced labour.
Some practices of violence against women, such as marital rape are still not recognized under the Criminal Code. The EWLA has complained that despite lobbying to criminalize marital rape, legislative bodies have failed to show interest, and consequently, the law continues to tolerate marital violence.
Traditions and cultures are deeply rooted and are strong. And at times culture wins over law. Both men and women need to be educated as well as all those persons who are involved in the condition of women – students, police, social workers, office employees, employers, union leaders, doctors, nurses, political, traditional as well as religious leaders. They need to be aware of the laws and see that they are properly enforced. And that is one of the roles of the EWLA, to focus on public education for the purpose of consciousness raising and to promote the legal social and political rights of women by carrying out training and advocacy workshops. This is essential to fight against traditionally/culturally accepted practices that hurt and discriminate against women.
EWLA is also in the process of conducting a pilot on a “hot line” service with an initial one language then will move to four. Funding is an issue. They are not supported by the Government so need to seek donors who will ensure their struggle continues.
Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association: www.etwla.org.
