NEWA organized an Awareness Creation Training for Media Outlets focused on international, continental, and national legal frameworks governing the political rights of women and persons with disabilities.
The Network of Ethiopian Women’s Associations (NEWA) is currently implementing a project titled “Inclusive Women’s Political Participation in Ethiopia,” with financial support from the Political Parties of Finland for Democracy—Demo Finland. This initiative is being carried out across Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz Regional States, as well as in Addis Ababa through engagement with national political parties.
The project’s overarching aim is to encourage political institutions to adopt more inclusive approaches, practices and take actionable steps toward increasing diversity in political participation, particularly for women and persons with disabilities. In collaboration with Demo Finland, NEWA is dedicated to advancing an inclusive, multi-party democratic system in Ethiopia.
As part of this commitment, NEWA organized an Awareness Creation Training for Media Outlets focused on international, continental, and national legal frameworks governing the political rights of women and persons with disabilities. The training session, held from 23-24 June 2025 at Robi Hotel in Adama, and brought together 40 female participants representing various media houses. From the total participants two of them (5%) were women with disabilities.
Objectives of the training included:
- Enhancing participants’ understanding of legal frameworks that safeguard the political rights of women and persons with disabilities at international, regional, and national levels
- Promoting media coverage that accurately and inclusively addresses political issues affecting women and persons with disabilities
- Shifting perceptions and behaviors within media institutions to better recognize and support the role of women and persons with disabilities as political decision-makers
Key training topics covered:
- Foundational principles of political participation for women and persons with disabilities
- The current political status and representation of these groups in Ethiopia
- International conventions ratified by Ethiopia concerning political inclusion
- Continental legal instruments adopted by the country related to rights and participation
- National legislative provisions advancing the political rights o marginalized groups
- Strategic pathways to strengthen inclusive political participation going forward
