Ethiopia: gaining support for women’s rights

1,200 people attended two days of panel presentations and open discussions on violence against women. A three day workshop geared for representatives from local administration, legal bodies and the police, resulted in a commitment by local administrators to practice tougher law enforcement to protect women against harmful traditional practices. A full day of events at the close of the campaign coincided with International Women’s Day, where 110 women leaders of local self-help associations representing about 2,000 women publicly announced their commitment that no self-help groups members would tolerate the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) and that they would actively stand to promote women’s rights.