By: Kassahun Chanie
Ethiopia is strengthening its commitment to women's empowerment and sustainable peace by prioritizing research-driven policy.
This commitment was vividly on display at a recent workshop in Addis Ababa, organized by the African Women Peace and Security Institute (AWPSI), bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders dedicated to advancing the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda.
The workshop commenced with a powerful keynote address by Ambassador Dr. Genet Zewudie, the esteemed former Education Minister for Ethiopia. Ambassador Dr. Genet set the tone for the event by emphasizing the crucial role of evidence-based policymaking in achieving lasting peace and gender equality. "It is an honor and a privilege to join you today and deliver this keynote address at this important workshop organized by the African Women Peace and Security Institute," she declared, commending AWPSI for its dedication to the WPS agenda.
She further emphasized AWPSI's core belief: "Empowering women as agents of peace is not merely an aspiration; it is a prerequisite for sustainable peace and national resilience."
Ambassador Dr. Genet, drawing upon her extensive experience in government and diplomacy, highlighted the transformative power of women’s meaningful participation in peace processes. "Where women lead, peace endures; where women are excluded, conflict too often persists," she asserted, underscoring the critical need to ensure women's voices are heard and valued at all levels of decision-making.
Dr. Yohannes Adigeh, Director of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies (IES) at Addis Ababa University, provided further context for the workshop's significance. He explained that the IES is currently undertaking a three-year research project specifically designed to amplify women's voices, study women-focused indigenous knowledge systems, and document their significant, yet often overlooked, contributions to peace and development. Dr. Yohannes told attendees that the IES researchers are actively dedicated to studying women-focused indigenous knowledge systems and documenting the immense, yet often overlooked, contributions of Ethiopian women to peace and development.
Also in attendance was the former Ethiopian Women and Children Affairs Minister Ambassador Zenebu Taddese, a distinguished figure in Ethiopian politics and diplomacy.
Drawing on her experience, she underscored the importance of gender-sensitive research in giving visibility to women's lived experiences and measuring progress in critical areas such as peace negotiations, justice mechanisms, and post-conflict reconstruction programs. Ambassador Zenebu emphasized the need to translate global commitments into concrete actions that reflect Ethiopia's diverse realities, stating that localization means translating global commitments into concrete actions that reflect Ethiopia's diverse realities. She emphasized the need to recognize that women's agency in peacebuilding is deeply rooted in community, culture, and lived experience. Illustrating the human impact of conflict, Ambassador Zenebu Taddese shared a poignant anecdote from her work with the Jerusalem Children and Community Development Organization. She recounted meeting an elderly woman in Bahir Dar who rented beds to displaced young people, many of whom were victims of sexual assault. This story, Ambassador Zenebu explained, poignantly revealed the erosion of community values and the heavy moral burden that women often silently bear in conflict zones.
The workshop served as a dynamic platform for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to exchange views, share best practices, and strategize on ways to further advance the WPS agenda in Ethiopia. Participants expressed optimism that the discussions and collaborations initiated at the workshop will lead to impactful policy recommendations, build a more cohesive national research platform, and ultimately, create a more just and peaceful society where women are empowered to reach their full potential.
