TIMRAN (ትምራን)

Women's representation in political leadership

According to UN WOMEN data women's representation in political leadership remained critically low in 2024. Only five women were elected as Heads of State out of 31 direct presidential elections held worldwide.

At the same time, women's representation in parliament remained stagnant at 27% in 2024. Among 39 countries with available data, 15 recorded increases in the number of women elected, while 24 experienced declines. Legislated quotas proved to be a driving force for progress. 12 out of 16 countries without quotas experienced declines, underscoring the pivotal role such measures play in advancing gender equality in political representation.

“This ‘mega election’ year has highlighted a stark truth: women’s political leadership remains the exception, not the norm,” said UN Women Executive Director, Sima Bahous. “Despite progress, harmful norms, violence, and insufficient political will continue to undermine women’s participation. We must act decisively to make gender-equal leadership a reality.”

Globally, men continue to dominate political power, with only 87 countries ever having been led by a woman. Women’s participation in elections as voters, candidates, and administrators strengthens democracy worldwide.

As the world approaches the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2025, Member States must invest in women’s leadership by implementing and enforcing gender quotas and strategic appointments; addressing societal biases and eradicating violence against women in politics; adopting legal and policy reforms; and investing in feminist movements and coalition-building.

Achieving women’s full and equal leadership requires bold action, resources, and a collective commitment to transforming systems of power for a more equitable future. (Adapted from www.unwomen.org)

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EHRC and CSOs Coordination Platform celebrated International Human Rights Day
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and Ethiopian Civil Society organizations (CSOs) Coordination Platform celebrated the 76th annual International Human Rights Day on December 17, 2024, G.C. at Hawassa city.
Different CSO members, associations’, universities representatives working on legal aid, university students and NGOs representatives from Addis Abeba and Hawassa cities as well as Sidama, Central Ethiopia and South Ethiopia regions attended the event.
The EHRC Human rights Education Directress, Mekdes Tadelle (PhD), in her welcoming address briefed about EHRC mandated activities.
The EHRC-CSOs Coordination Platform Co-chair and Network of Ethiopian Women Associations (NEWA), Executive Directress, Saba Gebre Medhin, made an opening remark on the Platform. She noted the platform established to collaborate on the protection of Ethiopians human rights, to coordinate activities, to advocate for the advancement of human rights, to engage citizens in lieu of their rights, to empower the society on human rights issues and other interconnected aspects of human rights.
Yemisrach Legesse, the Platform chair and Partnership Department Directress at EHRC, on her part said the Platform was established by EHRC based on a guideline in 2020 focusing on protection of human rights and then after two years subgroups created to increase the contribution of CSOs in the Platform.
An expert from EHRC Office of the Chief Commissioner (OCC), Neima Aman, presented about the Ethiopian Transitional Justice preparation process from its inception up to the present-day update and the role of EHRC with in the process.
TIMRAN Program Manager and Co-chair of the Women and Children subgroup within the platform, Hawi Geleta, tabled a brief presentation on women’s and Children Rights (WCR). She publicized the opportunities and challenges of women and children rights situation in Ethiopia.
Disability and Older Persons’ Rights Senior Human Rights Officer at EHRC, Shimeles Ashagrie, indicated in Ethiopia the number disability and older person is not justified, and this shows their right is compromised beginning from unavailability of defined statistical data. Due to this, as a nation we always depend on NGOs data and notify them around this much. He pointed nationwide more than 20% of Ethiopia’s population (roughly 20 million) live with disability, whereas there are above 6.8 million older persons in the country.
EHRC Hawassa branch office Monitoring and Investigation (MONID) head, Begashaw Eshetu, explained about the branch activities along with its stakeholders. He pointed the regional office covered Sidama region, West Arsi zone, South Ethiopia and Central Ethiopia regions focusing on three major activities including monitoring, investigating and following emergency human rights abuses.
Yibekal Gizaw, EHRC Monitoring and Investigation (MONID) Regional Director, briefed about the commission activities and success stories related with the sector he leads. He also presented on the 4th Cycle of Universal Periodic Review recommendations given to Ethiopia.
In the end, a briefing on EHRC-CSOs Coordination Platform engagement was given by Yemisrach and Saba.
At the event there was a question and answer, networking and exhibition session to mark the Day.
On her closing remark, Saba Gebre Medhin said the Platform created good opportunity to learn and interact each other. She also made a call to participant CSOs and associations to join the Platform and actively engage within its working groups. In addition, she stressed CSOs to be ready to work on the UPR recommendations given to Ethiopia.
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