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NEWA Concludes National Workshop to Strengthen Sustainability of Efforts to End FGM, Child Marriage, and Violence Against Children BISHOFTU, ETHIOPIA | October 17, 2026 — The Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA), in strategic partnership with UNICEF Ethiopia, the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (MoWSA), and regional Bureaus of Women and Social Affairs (BoWSA), successfully convened a National Experience-Sharing, Exit Strategy, and Sustainability Planning Workshop at the Yatu Hotel in Bishoftu, Oromia. The workshop marked a significant milestone in national efforts to prevent and eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM), child marriage, and violence against children (VAC). It brought together representatives from federal ministries, regional government bureaus, civil society organizations, faith-based and interfaith institutions, media partners, and grassroots women’s rights organizations to reflect on achievements, share best practices, and strengthen mechanisms for sustaining results beyond the project period. Building on the successes of the 22-month national project, participants developed and reviewed transition frameworks and regional sustainability roadmaps. These are aimed at institutionalizing community-led protection initiatives, strengthening local ownership, and integrating proven approaches into existing government and community structures. Leadership Commitment to Sustainable, Community-Led Protection In her opening remarks, Saba Gebremedhin, Executive Director of NEWA, highlighted the importance of translating community-level progress into sustainable institutional change. She emphasized that lasting progress requires robust partnerships, locally owned protection mechanisms, and continued commitment from government institutions and communities. “Sustained normative change requires that community-led protection structures, watchdog committees, and multi-faith coalitions transition into permanent, locally owned frameworks,” said Saba Gebremedhin. “Through our strategic partnership with UNICEF Ethiopia, regional sub-grantees, and government partners, we have shifted the focus from temporary awareness-raising to concrete, community-driven action that supports lasting protection for every Ethiopian girl.” Representatives of the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs and other government partners reaffirmed the importance of integrating community-based protection initiatives into formal government systems. Their closing reflections underscored the need for sustained coordination among government institutions, regional bureaus, civil society organizations, and local administrations to strengthen prevention, reporting, and referral mechanisms. “The institutionalization of these grassroots models is a national priority. MoWSA remains dedicated to working alongside regional bureaus, civil society allies, and local administrations to strengthen protective legal frameworks, sustain community reporting mechanisms, and integrate community protection approaches into regular government structures.” — Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (MoWSA) Representative The discussions reflected a shared commitment to consolidating progress across the Amhara, Oromia, and Somali regions and ensuring that community-led initiatives remain active and effective beyond the project’s implementation period. Sharing Results and Good Practices from the Regions Regional implementing partners and NEWA’s program team presented key achievements, lessons learned, and promising practices from project implementation. The presentations featured the experiences of the Amhara Women Association (AWA), Terkanfi Sustainable Development (TSD), and the Women Development and Resilience Organization (WDRO). 864737907_1133692682354772_1077282576944203496_n 863383694_1133689452355095_8073932624343686774_n 862955550_1133689612355079_9105553973457169768_n 861944646_1133689489021758_2938018103053926621_n 861887569_1133689689021738_9187553496443664149_n 861630828_1133689792355061_1814316036425448040_n 860180904_1133692055688168_3174727202332006414_n 860180855_1133689542355086_1993221706552199973_n 860072368_1133689559021751_1732791389835037566_n 858547633_1133670212357019_1272804536577385944_n Load More End of Content.

NEWA Hosts UN Trust Fund Mission to Review Progress in Strengthening SGBV Responses in Ethiopia On October 20, 2026, the Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA) hosted a mission team from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UNTF), alongside its regional implementing partners: Besa for Women Community-Based Development Association, Mujejeguwa Loka Women Development Association (MLWDA), and Rise and Shine Women Empowerment Center.The mission provided an opportunity to review the first year’s progress and achievements under the four-year project, “Improving Legal and Service Responses to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Conflict-Affected Areas of Ethiopia.” NEWA presented the project progress report, highlighting key achievements, implementation challenges, actions taken to address them, and lessons learned to strengthen implementation and improve results.The discussion also featured findings from two assessments: the Baseline Assessment of SGBV Service Delivery in Conflict-Affected Areas and the Assessment of Existing Accountability Mechanisms for Responding to SGBV and Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). The findings informed reflections on service delivery gaps, the needs and priorities of women and girls, and opportunities to strengthen survivor-centred services and institutional accountability.NEWA sincerely appreciates the mission team’s constructive technical feedback, valuable insights, and continued partnership. We also recognize the dedication of our regional implementing partners, whose collaboration and field experience are vital to learning, adapting, and improving responses to SGBV.Together, we remain committed to advancing accessible, accountable, and survivor-centred services for women and girls affected by violence.The project is implemented at the federal level and in Amhara, Benishangul-Gumuz, and Tigray regions, with financial support from the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women.#NEWA #UNTrustFund #EndViolenceAgainstWomen #SGBV #CRSV #Accountability #SurvivorCentredResponse 000000000 00000000 0000000 0Q6A0635 0Q6A0643 0Q6A0658 0Q6A0664 0Q6A0671 0Q6A0681 0Q6A0686 Load More End of Content.

SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED: COMMUNITY AWARENESS-RAISING CAMPAIGN ON ENDING FGM AND CHILD MARRIAGE Addis Ketema Senior Secondary School, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 17 October 2026The Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA), in partnership with UNICEF, successfully hosted a city-wide Community Awareness-Raising Campaign focused on ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Child Marriage (CM). The event convened over 250 key stakeholders representing all sub-cities across Addis Ababa.Diverse Stakeholder Representation: The campaign brought together a broad coalition of community leaders and institutions, including:Government representatives and civil society organizations (CSOs)Women-led organizations and former women firewood carriers’ associations; Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), Iddirs, and Elders’ Associations, School administrations, Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), student/teacher associations, and Girls’ Clubs.Panel Discussion: Sustaining Efforts to End FGM and Child Marriage. A central feature of the campaign was an interactive panel discussion that actively engaged representatives from across the participating groups. Panelists and audience members explored practical, community-led strategies to sustain momentum and drive long-term behavioral change beyond initial awareness efforts.Key themes included:Community Ownership: Strengthening grassroots leadership and engaging traditional and religious leaders as advocates for change.Empowerment & Education: Advancing girls’ education and challenging deeply entrenched social norms that undermine women’s rights.Multi-Sectoral Collaboration: Enhancing coordination among government institutions, schools, civil society, and traditional community structures.The discussion highlighted the alignment of these local efforts with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—specifically SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).Drama & Music: Inspiring Change Through Art. The event integrated creative drama and music performances designed to convey the physical, psychological, and social impacts of FGM and child marriage. Through culturally relevant storytelling and artistic expression, the performances prompted reflection on harmful practices while reinforcing the shared responsibility of families and communities to protect young girls.By combining artistic expression with structured dialogue, the campaign fostered an environment of open reflection and commitment to action.Our Shared Commitment Every girl deserves to grow up free from violence, exploitation, and harmful practices.End FGM!Stop Child Marriage!Ending FGM and child marriage requires continuous commitment, strategic partnerships, and collective responsibility. Together, we are building a future where every girl can realize her rights, dignity, health, and full potential.Empowering Communities. Transforming Futures. 0 855575613_1127573252966715_8335296289161089502_n 855272409_1127573152966725_54010110357469465_n 855272306_1127573116300062_8109273528215867237_n 855086392_1127573009633406_3543994297717915743_n 854911253_1127573196300054_8844335484338050433_n 854911242_1127573232966717_4273939561599747483_n 854855517_1127573292966711_205448249489136303_n 854316174_1127610252963015_9221497862629438409_n 853805361_1127610136296360_5396635733275213399_n Load More End of Content.

NEWA Supports Werebabo Safe Space to Strengthen Survivor-Centred Services for Women and Girls On September 17, 2026, the Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA), with financial support from the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UNTF), provided demand-driven material support to the women and girls’ safe space in Werebabo, South Wollo Zone, to improve the delivery of survivor-centred services. The support aims to create a more comfortable, confidential and welcoming environment where survivors can access psychosocial support, participate in healing sessions, build self-esteem and resilience, and strengthen their ability to cope with the effects of violence and reintegrate into their communities. The materials provided include a television and accessories, mat, mattresses, blankets, bed sheets, pillow, chairs, tables, first-aid kits, sanitary pads, traditional Ethiopian coffee-making equipment, and a lockable filing cabinet to ensure the confidential storage of survivors’ records, alongside other essential supplies. By strengthening the safe space’s facilities, NEWA seeks to support the provision of dignified, confidential, and survivor-centred services that promote survivors’ well-being, recovery, and resilience. A safe and supportive space is an important step toward healing, rebuilding confidence and restoring hope. 0Q6A0383 0Q6A0373 0Q6A0393 0Q6A0406 0Q6A0391 0Q6A0387 0Q6A0384 0Q6A0379 0Q6A0378 0Q6A0363 Load More End of Content.

Experience Sharing to Strengthen Women’s Role in Peacebuilding On the margins of the 8th GIMAC Network CSOs–RECs Coordination Meeting, the Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA) and the Ethiopian Women’s Peace Table, in partnership with ACCORD and with financial support from the Government of Ireland, brought women #peacebuilders together for an experience-sharing and learning exchange on what it takes to sustain women’s meaningful participation in peace processes.The exchange provided a valuable space for women peacebuilders to share experiences, reflect on lessons learned, identify practices that can be adapted and carried forward, and discuss challenges that require collective attention. Sharing experiences. Building solidarity. Sustaining women’s meaningful participation in peace. 831492650_1112458461144861_1272997360405090867_n 830349655_1112458394478201_251635079733272888_n 828710998_1112458351144872_5428050069828368624_n 830572522_1112458367811537_5802318946462283958_n 828443430_1112456574478383_6684417977979809436_n 829631424_1112456701145037_3870918030308294653_n 830594075_1112456357811738_280737467107781252_n 830669032_1112456874478353_3763254192538750947_n 833862495_1112455277811846_3741522389714431480_n

Stakeholders Co-Create Practical Solutions to Reduce Unpaid Care and Domestic Work in Addis Ababa and Oromia Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | 29–30 September 2026A two-day participatory workshop on Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW) successfully convened 71 participants at the Sapphire Addis Hotel in Addis Ababa on 29–30 September 2026. Organized jointly by the Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA) and SOCODEVI under the STRONG’HER Project, the workshop served as a vital collaborative platform to identify practical, locally driven solutions for reducing the heavy time and labor burdens that unpaid care and domestic responsibilities place on women and families. The workshop brought together a diverse group of key stakeholders representing regional governance, grassroots communities, and national development partners: Local Administrations and Woredas: Representatives from five target woredas—Lume, Ambo, Ejere, Wolmera, and Toke Kutaye—alongside Addis Ababa City Administration bureaus. Government Ministries: Delegates from the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (MoWSA). Civil Society and Cooperatives: NEWA, SOCODEVI, the STRONG’HER Project, ERSHA, Melka Ethiopia, the Ambo Farmers’ Union, and the Lume-Adama Farmers’ Union. Designed as an action-oriented platform, the event deliberately moved beyond discussing the challenges of UCDW toward identifying feasible interventions, clear institutional responsibilities, and practical actions implementable at both woreda and sector levels. Opening and Welcome Remarks The event commenced with welcoming remarks delivered by Yididya Abebe on behalf of Wro. Saba G/Medhin, Executive Directress of NEWA. The address welcomed attendees, outlined the core workshop objectives, and emphasized the critical necessity of collective action to ease the care burden. Opening remarks were also delivered by SOCODEVI Country Director Mario Boivin, who highlighted SOCODEVI’s work in partnership with Global Affairs Canada, underscored the strong collaboration behind the STRONG’HER Project, and stressed the urgency of transforming shared understandings into concrete, localized interventions. Technical Foundations: From Understanding the Burden to Identifying Solutions The technical sessions opened with an introduction to the SOCODEVI STRONG’HER Project by SOCODEVI Deputy Directress Alemtsehay Ejigu, who framed the initiative’s overarching goals for women’s economic empowerment. NEWA Program Officer Desalegn Terecha Edea then led a comprehensive session on UCDW and the 5Rs Framework (Recognize, Reduce, Redistribute, Reward, and Represent). Presenting localized time-poverty data from Addis Ababa and the five woredas, the session vividly demonstrated how unpaid care obligations restrict women’s access to economic and social opportunities. A lively question-and-answer session followed. Collaborative Time-Use Diary ExerciseFacilitated by the joint NEWA and SOCODEVI team, participants engaged in a hands-on time-use diary exercise. This comparative analysis mapped out how household and care responsibilities are distributed across urban, peri-urban, and agrarian settings, highlighting stark gender disparities and pinpointing where the heaviest household burdens lie. Breakout Sessions and Leverage Point MappingOrganized into dedicated woreda and sector groups, participants mapped critical leverage points influencing the distribution of unpaid care work: Water Access and Infrastructure: Evaluating collection times and service reliability.Energy Alternatives: Expanding improved cooking technologies to minimize domestic labor.gricultural Innovations: Introducing labour-saving equipment, such as threshers, to ease agricultural workloads.Childcare and Community Services: Exploring early childhood care and education frameworks. Institutional Support: Integrating Health Extension Workers (HEWs) and strengthening municipal backing. Social Norms: Fostering men’s participation and community-based support systems. A robust plenary synthesis—facilitated to bridge community needs with institutional capabilities. Discussions rigorously evaluated proposed interventions by addressing feasibility, piloting potential, long-term ownership, maintenance, financing, accountability, and scalability. Co-Creating Woreda and Sector-Level Actions Day two shifted the focus decisively from analysis to actionable strategy. Working in thematic and geographic groups, participants designed contextualized solutions: Ambo, Toke Kutaye, Wolmera, and Ejere: Focused on labour-saving agricultural technologies and enhanced peri-urban service access. Lume: Designed industrial public-private partnership (PPP) childcare models.Addis Ababa: Formulated robust municipal integration frameworks. Teams refined and costed these low-cost solutions to ensure they could be effectively piloted within the STRONG’HER project budget. Proposals were tied to clear institutional roles, designated beneficiaries, and measurable UCDW indicators. The groups presented their models in a plenary session, receiving structured feedback from regional Bureau of Women, Children and Youth Affairs (BoWCYA) and municipal representatives to cross-pollinate best practices. Rather than developing isolated interventions, participants emphasized how government bodies, communities, service providers, farmers’ organizations, and civil society must unite to build sustainable solutions. Turning Ideas into 90-Day ActionA defining hallmark of the workshop was its commitment to practical, time-bound execution. Rather than remaining static recommendations, the action-planning process established concrete 90-day steps across water access, clean energy, climate-resilient agricultural technologies, childcare services, and institutional coordination. This approach ensures that proposed interventions evolve into locally owned actions backed by solid partnerships, defined implementation responsibilities, and measurable results. Strengthening Collaboration for ChangeThe multi-sectoral participation of government institutions, woredas, farmers’ unions, civil society, and development partners demonstrated that reducing UCDW requires coordinated action across infrastructure, agriculture, energy, childcare, local governance, social norms, and community systems rather than a single isolated intervention. The workshop concluded by the closing remark of Senait Endale, SOCODEVI GENDER SPECIALIST with an evaluation, final reflections, and official closing remarks by NEWA and SOCODEVI leadership, following the formal adoption of monitoring indicators and institutional roles for the upcoming pilot phases. The journey from dialogue to action has truly begun—driven by locally identified priorities, practical solutions, and stronger institutional partnerships among the communities and institutions that can make change happen.#CoCreation #LocalAction #InclusiveDevelopment #SocialTransformation 838698932_1116324904091550_5046832609111388550_n 838698930_1116324890758218_3186245891257550459_n 837494599_1116324980758209_5796674969440585450_n 837061145_1116324947424879_868268810508595924_n 835757052_1116324804091560_9213804483743069581_n 835640453_1116324914091549_5650524620146733827_n 833895199_1116324854091555_1845880858450391427_n 833779827_1116324857424888_1649095511384022824_n

NEWA and UNICEF Honor Community Champions Leading the Fight to End FGM and Child Marriage in Ethiopia Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — September 24, 2026 In a powerful celebration of grassroots leadership and community-driven change, the Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA), in partnership with UNICEF Ethiopia, honored six outstanding community champions for their exceptional contributions to ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Child Marriage, and Violence Against Children in Ethiopia. The landmark event, held under the theme “Empowering Communities, Recognizing Champions, Sustaining Change,” brought together government officials, religious leaders, civil society representatives, media professionals, and community advocates at the Sapphire Addis Hotel in Addis Ababa. A National Movement Gains Momentum The ceremony marked a significant milestone in the UNICEF-funded project “Empowering Women-Led Associations and Community Structures to Strengthen Grassroots and National Movements to End FGM, CM, and VAC.” Implemented by NEWA in partnership with the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs (MoWSA), Regional Bureaus of Women and Social Affairs, and regional subgrantee organizations — including the Amhara Women’s Association, Tarkanfi Sustainable Development, and WDRO — the project spans Amhara, Oromia, and Somali regions, alongside national-level advocacy. Speaking at the ceremony, NEWA’s Executive Directress underscored the importance of community ownership in sustaining progress: “The project capacitated us with different support, and now we are capable to take over, manage, and lead the work sustainably. These champions represent the heart of our movement — they are the reason communities are shifting from passive observation to actively challenging harmful practices and protecting their children.” Honoring Champions of Change The six honorees — drawn from Debark (Amhara), Fentale (Oromia), and Babile and Jigjiga (Somali) — were selected through a rigorous three-step vetting process involving nominations, technical evaluation, and verification with Woreda Women and Social Affairs offices. Each received certificates, trophies, plaques, and recognition packages valued at over 230,000 ETB, in acknowledgment of efforts that included: In addition, recognition was presented through trophies to three woredas—the Babile, Debark, and Fentale Woreda Women and Social Affairs Offices—while certificates were awarded to eleven key institutions, including the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, the Ethiopian Catholic Church, the Ethiopian Adventist Church, the Ethiopian Gospel Believers Council, the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, UNICEF, the Amhara Women Association, Tarkanfi Sustainable Development, the Women Development and Resilience Organization, and the Ministry of Health. Preventing over dozens of child marriages across target regions Saving hundreds of girls from FGM, with full achievement of targeted protections in the Somali region Rescuing 26 girls from gender-based violence and harmful traditional practices Stopping one community abduction and three attempted abductions by Unidentified Groups in Metahara woreda Facilitating the return of 13 girls to school in Debark woreda after ending FGM cases in Community Watchdogs and Mobilization Community watchdog committees have emerged as frontline defenders of children’s rights, driving local action by holding monthly coordination meetings and collaborating closely with traditional leaders (such as Aba Gadaa, Haadha Siiqqee, and Ugaas), religious figures, and girls’ clubs. Once resistant, trained religious leaders are now powerful allies, integrating the prevention of female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage into their teachings. This localized momentum was amplified by multi-regional caravans featuring edutainment, traditional art, and bilingual materials, which reached over 40,000 community members and key influencers across Debark, Jigjiga, Fentale, and Babile. Impact, Media, and Strategic Lessons Multilingual media content produced in Amharic, Afaan Oromo, and Somali has been deployed across regional stations to sustain community engagement and amplify protection messages. Reflecting on these milestones, project implementers highlighted several critical success factors: leveraging the moral authority of traditional and religious leaders, incentivizing positive deviance to establish new community standards, actively involving men and boys, combining formal services with watchdog networks, and maintaining confidential reporting mechanisms. Challenges and Future Commitment Despite significant progress, participants acknowledged ongoing operational hurdles, including limited government staff participation, conflict-related disruptions, persistent dowry practices driving early marriage in the Somali region, and vast geographic logistics. The event concluded with a strong forward-looking commitment: champions, government representatives, and partners formalized their dedication to sustaining these achievements by signing a Joint Protection Charter, cementing a shared, multi-sectoral resolve to end FGM, child marriage, and violence against children in Ethiopia. 831575008_1112334157823958_6188083589637179594_n 832527516_1112365891154118_7555360178731942560_n 829529651_1112332057824168_395244938325615703_n 827644884_1112332357824138_5600332772545622525_n 831479848_1112332141157493_1572316017628248818_n 831438886_1112334054490635_2833907134511982117_n 831402577_1112334924490548_467872869375722210_n 828088848_1112334781157229_7614192841304230804_n 829557488_1112333721157335_1404840833315168706_n 830188148_1112332411157466_6031476529788771868_n Load More End of Content.

NEWA, together with EWPT and EWPB, convened the High-Level National Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Policy Dialogue Forum at Ethiopian Skylight Hotel On 22 September 2026, the Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA), together with the Ethiopian Women’s Peace Table (EWPT) and Ethiopian Women Peacebuilders (EWPB), convened the High-Level National Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Policy Dialogue Forum at Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, Addis Ababa, under the theme “Peacebuilding from Above and Below: Leveraging Women’s Peace Capacities and Infrastructure for Conflict Prevention.” The Forum was held in partnership with ACCORD and with financial support of Ireland government.The forum brought together women peacebuilders, government institutions, policymakers, civil society, and regional and international partners to highlight women’s contributions to peacebuilding, strengthen policy dialogue, and identify practical pathways to institutionalize women’s meaningful participation in peace processes and decision-making.The forum also generated advocacy messages, recommendations, and stakeholder commitments to connect women’s existing peace capacities and community-level peace infrastructure with national peace, recovery, and conflict-prevention processes.On 22 September 2026, the Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA), together with the Ethiopian Women’s Peace Table (EWPT) and Ethiopian Women Peacebuilders (EWPB), convened the High-Level National Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Policy Dialogue Forum at Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, Addis Ababa, under the theme “Peacebuilding from Above and Below: Leveraging Women’s Peace Capacities and Infrastructure for Conflict Prevention.” The Forum was held in partnership with ACCORD and with financial support of Ireland government.The forum brought together women peacebuilders, government institutions, policymakers, civil society, and regional and international partners to highlight women’s contributions to peacebuilding, strengthen policy dialogue, and identify practical pathways to institutionalize women’s meaningful participation in peace processes and decision-making.The forum also generated advocacy messages, recommendations, and stakeholder commitments to connect women’s existing peace capacities and community-level peace infrastructure with national peace, recovery, and conflict-prevention processes. 819714567_1104782871912420_435667518643041973_n 819110302_1104783581912349_5907106853778209368_n 820085103_1104787151911992_648455821680516662_n 819110334_1104783841912323_3733590603498824963_n 819405697_1104783541912353_6479722566035566261_n 820047813_1104784035245637_5561952339250987522_n 820114382_1104783715245669_6493566532250753522_n 821665084_1104785231912184_4870987402626200269_n 819068753_1104786971912010_1867736207310826800_n 820000092_1104782438579130_4400946068545669161_n Load More End of Content.

Strengthening women’s peace networks — From Addis Ababa outward, with sisterhood across borders  On 18–19 September 2026, the Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA) and Ethiopian Women’s Peace Table (EWPT) brought together women peacebuilders from Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan, Uganda, and an IGAD representative from Djibouti for two days of Regional Experience-Sharing and Learning Exchange on Women, Peace and Security at Crescent International Hotel, Addis Ababa — in partnership with ACCORD, and with the financial support of the Government of Ireland through Irish Aid.The event was aimed at sharing experience, strengthening regional networks, and identifying practical pathways for advancing women’s meaningful participation in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, mediation, and peace and security decision-making.One message ran through every session: the shift now needed is from participation to influence — strengthening women-led peace infrastructure, sharing evidence across borders, and building deeper regional solidarity and coordination. 0 795386108_1102662935457747_1954965894823282648_n 810148883_1102662815457759_2959665652955595328_n 819560423_1102662938791080_1690012101696081531_n 819383905_1102662942124413_8389054537289990347_n 817176644_1102662812124426_8043812924445619955_n 817043192_1102662835457757_7869316808151491562_n

Powerful Community Mobilization Caravan Sweeps Fentale Woreda to End FGM, Child Marriage, and Violence Against Children https://newaethiopia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/video_2026-08-24_22-25-14.mp4 FENTALE WOREDA, ETHIOPIA — In a resounding collective stand for human rights, gender equality, and child protection, over 5,000 community members were reached today during a high-impact, public mobilization caravan across Fentale Woreda in the East Shewa Zone of the Oromia region. The event was spearheaded by the Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA) in close collaboration with Tarkanfi Sustainable Development (TSD) and the Fentale Woreda Women and Social Affairs Office. This initiative is part of the broader project titled “Empowering Women-Led Associations and Community Structures to End FGM, Child Marriage, and Violence Against Children,” generously funded by UNICEF Ethiopia. A Convergence of Culture, Leadership, and Advocacy The day opened with traditional blessings from Oromo Aba Gadaa elders and energetic musical performances by local youth bands, setting an inspiring, culturally resonant tone for the mobilization. Key leaders and stakeholders delivered passionate opening addresses emphasizing unity and sustainable social change: Worknesh Begi, Executive Directress of Tarkanfi Sustainable Development (TSD), reaffirmed her organization’s unwavering commitment to dismantling harmful traditional practices (HTPs)—specifically Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Child Marriage (CM)—through direct grassroots engagement. Saba Gebremedhin, Executive Directress of NEWA, highlighted NEWA’s long-standing dedication to advancing gender equality, combating Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and eradicating HTPs across Ethiopia. She extended deep gratitude to the local community, government stakeholders, religious and traditional leaders, and funding partner UNICEF Ethiopia for their steadfast support. Key speeches were also delivered by the Fentale Woreda Administrator, the Woreda Women and Social Affairs Office Head, local Hadha Siiqqee (Oromo women leaders), and Aba Gadaa** elders, all pledging unified institutional and traditional alignment against child abuse and early marriage. Dynamic Public Outreach & Edutainment Across Kebeles The mobilization blended rich cultural traditions with interactive Social and Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) tools: Cultural & Creative Arts: The gathering featured traditional coffee ceremonies, symbolic bread cutting, educational drama, poetry recitations, and live music designed to spark dialogue and challenge harmful social norms. Mobile Sound & Caravan Outreach: Vehicles equipped with banners, anti-FGM/CM placards, and high-powered Montarbo loudspeakers traversed multiple villages and Kebeles across Fentale Woreda. The mobile units brought critical awareness, legal referral details, and protection messages directly to thousands of residents. SBCC Materials: Attendees and youth facilitators were outfitted with printed campaign T-shirts, informative brochures, placards, and visibility banners to maximize campaign engagement and message retention. Unyielding Community Commitment The mobilization concluded on a historic note, as local administrative authorities, traditional leaders, and community members forged a common stance to eliminate FGM and child marriage. The event officially closed with sacred blessings and commitment pledges from traditional elders, followed by concluding remarks from the Fentale Woreda Women and Social Affairs Office. Through vehicle-supported public outreach and widespread distribution of SBCC materials, the joint initiative successfully reached more than 5,000 individuals in a single day—marking a major milestone in strengthening grassroots protection networks for women and children in Oromia. photo_2026-08-17_02-22-52 photo_2026-08-17_13-39-59 (2) photo_2026-08-17_13-39-59 photo_2026-08-17_13-40-01 photo_2026-08-24_22-24-07