The Ethiopian Women’s Development Organization (EWDO), in collaboration with EngenderHealth, organized a panel discussion in commemoration of March 8 – International Women’s Day.

International Women’s Day, celebrated for the 115th time globally and for the 50th time in Ethiopia, was marked under the global theme “Give to Gain” and the national theme “50 Years of Women’s Voices for Equality and a Prosperous Ethiopia.” The celebration took place in Addis Ababa.

As part of this occasion, the Ethiopian Women’s Development Organization (EWDO) and EngenderHealth organized a panel discussion at Elilly Hotel, bringing together members of the House of People’s Representatives, government officials, civil society leaders, representatives of religious institutions, media professionals, and women’s rights advocates. The discussion focused on women’s rights, equal participation, and women’s empowerment.

The program began with a welcome address delivered by W/ro Huluagerish Tazez, Director of EWDO. Key messages highlighting the significance of the day were also delivered by the Chief Executive Officer for Support and Service at the Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) and the Chief Executive responsible for Women and Social Affairs at the Ministry of Health.

The event was officially opened with an opening remark by Dr. Tadele Burqa, Deputy Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Health, Social Development, Culture and Sports at the House of People’s Representatives.

Following this, a panel discussion titled “Advancing Women’s Meaningful Participation as a Fundamental Right” was held. Various experts presented introductory perspectives, which led to an in-depth discussion.

The discussion addressed challenges and risks affecting women’s participation, as well as strategic actions that should be taken to enhance women’s meaningful participation in different sectors.

Finally, Mr. Jemal Kassaw, Country Director of EngenderHealth Ethiopia, delivered the closing remarks and outlined future directions, concluding the program.

This event is expected to make a significant contribution to strengthening the rights, equality, and empowerment of women and girls in Ethiopia.

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Ethiopian Women Development Organization (EWDO), with financial support from Ipas Ethiopia through a sub-grant, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to implement a project aimed at preventing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and enhancing Sexual and Reproductive Health Right (SRHR) awareness and service utilization, with a special focus on adolescents and youth.

The project will be implemented at the Jara IDP Center, located in North Wollo Zone, Amhara National Regional State.

The MoU signing took place in Woldiya Town with the following Zonal offices: Finance Office, Women, Children and Social Affairs Office, Health Office, and Disaster Risk Management Commission.

This collaboration strengthens multi-sectoral efforts to protect vulnerable communities, promote health awareness, and ensure access to essential services for displaced women, girls, and youth.

🤝 Together for protection, health, and dignity.

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Ethiopian women’s organizations emphasized that concerted efforts among all stakeholders are imperative to prevent gender-based violence at all levels in Ethiopia.

With financial support from the Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA) and through joint coordination, the Ethiopian Women’s Development Organization (EWDO) conducted a workshop and organized the 34th International and 20th National Anti-Gender-Based Violence Campaign under the theme, “Let My Sister Live a Dignified Life and Thrive for Her Dream.”

The Ethiopian Women’s Development Organization, together with the Addis Ababa City Administration School Directors and Teachers Association, gender focal persons from the 11 sub-cities, students, and other education stakeholders, held a consultative discussion on ways to prevent gender-based violence in schools.

Huluagersh Tazez, Executive Directress of the Ethiopian Women’s Development Organization, delivered a welcome message, emphasizing that ending gender-based violence requires concerted efforts.

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In a significant step toward inclusive and informed democratic participation, the Ethiopian Women’s Development Organization (EWDO) is proud to announce it has received formal authorization from the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE). This official mandate empowers EWDO to conduct critical voter education programs and to serve as an independent observer for the upcoming 7th National Election.

This authorization is more than a procedural milestone; it is a testament to EWDO’s longstanding credibility, its nationwide reach, and its unwavering commitment to empowering Ethiopian citizens. It recognizes the vital role that women-led civil society organizations play in strengthening the foundations of democracy.

Accepting this national responsibility is a duty we hold in the highest regard. EWDO has completed all necessary preparations to carry out this mission with the utmost professionalism, integrity, and commitment.

As we embark on this critical work, we call on all stakeholders—community leaders, media, governmental bodies, and every eligible voter—to collaborate in fostering a peaceful, transparent, and participatory election. Democracy is a shared project, and each of us has a role to play.

EWDO is honored to contribute to this historic process. We believe that by empowering voters and safeguarding transparency, we are helping to build a more resilient and inclusive democracy for all Ethiopians.

Stay tuned to our website and social media channels for updates from our voter education campaigns and observation missions.

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The Ethiopian Women Development Organization (EWDO) Executive Director, Mrs. Huluagerish Tazez, is currently participating in the FIFAfrica Conference taking place in Windhoek, Namibia from September 23–26, 2025

Mrs. Huluagerish arrived in Windhoek yesterday and has already taken part in various conference sessions today, engaging in discussions before and after the main plenary sessions. The conference will continue tomorrow, bringing together civil society leaders, experts, and key stakeholders from across different countries to share knowledge and experiences on digital rights and related issues.

We are honored to be part of this important international platform and grateful for the opportunity to represent EWDO and contribute to meaningful conversations on digital rights, gender equality, and social change.

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The Ethiopian Women’s Development Organization (EWDO) has been awarded a Certificate of Recognition from the Addis Ababa Teachers’ Association.

The certificate was presented during the 4th Women Leaders’ Forum organized by the Association on September 18, 2025, at the Adwa Memorial Hall. EWDO received this recognition for its partnership and contribution, particularly through providing training on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) and strengthening women’s leadership.

We are grateful for this honor and remain committed to continuing our collaboration and support.

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The Ethiopian Women’s Development Organization (EWDO), in partnership with the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA), held a high-level national dialogue Saturday to address legal and policy gaps in addressing online gender-based violence in Ethiopia. The discussion was supported by a Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa Sub-Grant.

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In honor of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), EngenderHealth-Ethiopia partnered with government, NGOs, the media, and the private sector to accelerate efforts in GBV prevention, gender norm change, and Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR) advocacy.

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Explore how the Ethiopian Women’s Development Organization (EWDO) is driving change in communities across Ethiopia. This video delves into EWDO’s targeted programs, which focus on empowering women through education, skill-building, and entrepreneurship.

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The Ethiopian Women's Development Organization (EWDO) has called on stakeholders to fulfill their responsibilities in ending gender-based violence (GBV) in Ethiopia.

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A meeting organized by the Ethiopian Women Development Organization (EWDO) in collaboration with Engineer Health Ethiopia and the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs has concluded, ...

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የዘንድሮው ማርች 8 በዓለም አቀፍ የሴቶች ቀን በአለም አቀፍ ደረጃ ለ114ኛ ጊዜ በሀገር አቀፍ ደረጃ ደግሞ ለ49ኛ ጊዜ "’ፈጣንና ቀጣይነት ያለው ሁሉን አቀፍ ለውጥ በሴቶች ተሳትፎ ይረጋገጣል’’በሚል የተመረጠውን መሪ ቃል መሰረት በማድረግ ከኢንጀንደር ሄልዝ ኢትዮጵያ ጋ በመቀናጀት ሃገር አቀፍ ፓናል ውይይት አዘጋጅታለች፡፡ ...

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Women’s rights advocates have called for a stronger commitment to empowering women across various sectors, emphasizing the urgent need for increased investment in their development.

Zeyneba Shukur, a Standing Committee Member for Women's Affairs at the Addis Ababa City Council, highlighted the importance of deeper efforts to address gender inequalities. Speaking at the 114th International Women’s Day event, organized by the Ethiopian Women Development Organization (EWDO) in partnership with EngenderHealth, she acknowledged the critical role women play in society. However, she pointed out that harmful traditional practices, gender-based violence, and weak governance continue to hinder women’s full participation in development.

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• By: Goshu Melisew