National Women’s Economic Empowerment Forum Established

The Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Labour and Skills, Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (ECCSA) and Action Aid Ethiopia with the support of UN Women have established the National Women’s Economic Empowerment Forum (NWEEF). The Forum was launched on 29th April 2022 in Adama town of the Oromia region.

The main purpose of the National Women’s Economic Empowerment Forum (NWEEF) is to initiate a national platform that aspires to work in spurring and supporting the implementation of policy reforms to improve women’s access to economic empowerment by creating economic opportunities across the country.

In his keynote address, H.E. Mr. Nigussu Tilahun, State Minister of Labour and Skills, highlighted the significance of women economic empowerment. Economic empowerment is the foundation for enabling women’s socio-political involvement, which impacts the progress of their family, community and the country as a whole.

Ms. Anna Mutavati, UN Women Representative to Ethiopia (OIC), in her keynote speech emphasized on the power of institutions like NWEEF to collectively address issues of women economic empowerment

“It is clear that collaboration and coordination have the potential to accelerate the pace of change in women’s economic empowerment through sharing information and resources, tackling common challenges, and collectively advocating and lobbying for gender–responsive policy and resource allocation.”

In her opening remarks, H.E Ms. Alemitu Omot, State Minster, MoWSA underlined the Government’s effort to economically empower women and its achievements. She also stated the gap especially in addressing the challenges of women from the rural area and the need to empower women at all levels. She said that establishment of the forum is important to inclusively enable women to benefit from the economic sector.

UN Women, in collaboration with Care Ethiopia and Amhara Bureau of Women, Children and Social Affairs, has launched the ‘Community Dialogues on Gender Equality and Women’s Participation in Leadership and Decision-Making in Amhara Regional State’ project to challenge and change the negative perception of the community towards women’s participation in leadership and decision-making positions.

The launch of the National Women Economic Empowerment Forum is expected to contribute to boosting the economic empowerment of Ethiopian women/female youths by addressing the gap in coordinating different stakeholders.