By: Makeda Yohannes
The Ethiopian Catholic Church through different religious congregations and Diocesan desks is supporting women to discover their potential through various skill trainings, capacity support and educational services. In most parts of Ethiopia women have been subjected to financial dependence on men because of culture and lack of educational opportunities for women. Lack of financial independence and lack of awareness has also been subjecting women to be victims of Gender Based Violence. The Church’s efforts to contribute to the alleviation of such problems through women promotion centers run by the Catholic Church in different parts of the country have been successful in raising awareness of women and building their capacity to engage in various entrepreneurial activities.
This was disclosed on November 24 - 25, 2016 when the Ethiopian Catholic Church Social and Development Commission (ECC SDCO) marked the international day for the elimination of violence against women. The commission marked the day by bringing together the women promotion centers from all the Dioceses for experience sharing and discussion among one another in Addis Ababa.
During the event, ECC SDCO Program and Fund Mobilization Manager, said that throughout the years’ tens of thousands of women have gone through the programs to become very successful entrepreneurs.
“We have witnessed many stories of women who were subjected to stay at home depending only on the kindness of their husbands for a living, the worst part of such cases were that when the husbands passed away or left, the women were left to care for their families without means of income. Our programs helped these women discover their potential, to do more than run the household and supported them to engage in small scale businesses based on their desired field, these women have become successful in supporting their husbands financially and changed the life style of their families, some even becoming famous business women,” he recalled.
He said that discussions and sharing experiences among the Catholic Women Promotion Centers, projects and program would help to further strengthen the Church’s experience. He also emphasized the importance of women’s development in raising a healthy family and building a successful community. He called on the implementers to continue serving the women with dedication.
According to the Women and Family Affairs national officer, there are more than 50 women promotions centers run by the Catholic Church throughout the country to ensure holistic development of vulnerable women. She explained that the centers in addition to skills training supports women to organize in groups and engage in savings, offers support systems, sensitizes them on nutrition and health mainly maternal health, and creates awareness against harmful traditional practices. They have developed the confidence to participate in various community discussions and even raise their voice to be heard among men and all stakeholders and decision makers.
Some of the women promotion centers have grown to the level of vocational training institutes. The Catholic Church in Ethiopia is also among the first to start an all girls’ school in the country.