Protecting the dignity and rights of women and girls in Ethiopia

This project contributes to protecting the dignity and rights of women and girls in Ethiopia by integrating the provision of sexual reproductive health and rights information supplies and services with sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) prevention and response. This includes abortion and post-abortion care. Canada’s funding to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) would increase the availability and accessibility of gender-based violence and family planning services. Also gender-based violence survivors would receive free legal aid and UNFPA would be able to continue supporting national justice mechanisms to evaluate laws ensuring they are aligned with regional and international human rights mechanisms. As well health facilities would be strengthened through capacity building of health staff and procurement of medical and non-medical supplies. Project activities include: (1) developing a gender-based analysis (GBA) plus strategy to outline approaches to and tangibly plan for integrating lessons learned from previous work ongoing needs assessment intersectionality feminist monitoring evaluation reporting and learning; (2) providing gender-based violence survivors with free legal aid; and (3) providing dignity kits that contain menstrual pads underwear and sanitary napkins accompanied by key information on GBV GBV risks and access to GBV services.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased legal protection and survivor-centred justice mechanisms for women girls and other vulnerable populations; (2) increased quality of integrated sexual and gender-based violence and sexual reproductive health and rights services in a timely and coordinated manner for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and women and girls at risk; and (3) increased quality of integrated sexual and gender-based violence and sexual reproductive health and rights services in a timely and coordinated manner for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and women and girls at risk.