Hiwot Ethiopia is honored to be selected as one of the recipients of a grant of One Million ETB from Zemen Bank. On behalf of Hiwot Ethiopia and especially the children and youth of Ethiopia, we sincerely thank the Zemen Bank board, management, and staff for their generosity, commitment, and demonstration of strong social responsibility.

In total, around 19 organizations received grants amounting to approximately 20.5 million ETB. Hiwot Ethiopia deeply appreciates that Zemen Bank recognizes the important work carried out by community-based organizations like ours. This support allows us to continue fulfilling our civic responsibilities and engaging in initiatives that benefit society, particularly those focused on empowering citizens and enhancing accountability.

Our Executive Director, Mr. Getaalem Kassa, attended the grant handover event on behalf of the organization, highlighting the partnership between Hiwot Ethiopia and Zemen Bank in advancing social development initiatives.

Under the Safe School Bill initiative, Hiwot Ethiopia, with support from the Malala Fund and in collaboration with JAG (Joint Action Grant), WEAction, ESD, and COS, recently distributed school supplies and sanitary pads to 120 female students across three secondary schools in Debre Berhan, North Shewa Zone of Amhara.

The beneficiary schools Goshbado Secondary School, Baso Secondary School, and Keyet Secondary School each received assistance for 40 girls. The donated items included scholastic supplies and menstrual hygiene management products, addressing two major barriers that often hinder girls from attending and staying in school.

By promoting menstrual health management and ensuring access to essential learning materials, the project seeks to foster a safer, more inclusive educational environment. This effort aligns with broader goals of empowering young women and advancing gender equity in education.

During the distribution event, representatives from the Debre Berhan Education Office, school principals, and students all expressed heartfelt gratitude to Hiwot Ethiopia and its partners.

As one school director remarked, “This support is more than just materials it is a commitment to ensuring that girls are not left behind in their education. It helps students focus on their studies with dignity and confidence.” A student added, “Sometimes we miss classes because we don’t have the supplies or sanitary pads we need. Now we feel supported and motivated to stay in school.”

A consultative workshop titled “Investing in Children for Better Child Rights Outcomes” was organized by Hiwot Ethiopia, in collaboration with Save the Children and the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, along with other relevant sector ministries, on July 18, 2025, in Addis Ababa.

The event brought together key stakeholders to discuss strategic approaches for enhancing investments in children and improving child rights outcomes in Ethiopia. Distinguished attendees included:
H.E. Mr. Desalegn Wodajo, Chairperson of the Plan, Budget, and Finance Standing Committee of the House of People’s Representatives;
H.E. Dr. Abreham Alemayehu, Vice Chair of the same committee;
Mrs. Workesemu Mamo, Chair of the House of People’s Representatives’ Standing Committee on Health, Social Development, Culture and Sport;
Dr. Tadele Burka, Vice Chair of the same committee;
and other esteemed committee members.

Also in attendance was Mrs. Hikema Kaireddin, State Minister at the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, alongside members of the Child Budgeting Technical Team from various ministries, and staff from both Hiwot Ethiopia and Save the Children who actively engaged in the discussions.

During the workshop, participants reviewed and deliberated on two core agenda items:

• The efforts of the Addis Ababa City Government in investing in early childhood care and development programs.
• A newly developed Checklist for Parliamentary Standing Committees to monitor sector ministries’ child rights plans and budgets.

The session was highly interactive, fostering meaningful dialogue and a shared sense of commitment. Leaders of both standing committees, along with the State Minister, expressed firm support for national efforts to prioritize child budgeting in the public budgeting process. They pledged to review and officially endorse the checklist with plans to begin its implementation in the 2018 Ethiopian Calendar (EC).

This workshop marked a significant step forward in aligning government efforts and stakeholder initiatives to ensure sustained investment in the wellbeing and rights of children across Ethiopia.

A Migration Coalition Council meeting titled “Migration Partnership Coalition Council Meeting” was organized by Hiwot Ethiopia, in collaboration with the Addis Ababa City Bureau of Justice Migration Partnership Coalition, at the Interlexury Hotel on July 7, 2025.

Attendees included His Excellency Mr. Jantirar Abay, Deputy Mayor and Head of the Industry Development Bureau of Addis Ababa City Administration; Mr. Tekle Bezabih, Head of the Justice Bureau of Addis Ababa City Administration; senior officials from federal, city, and sub-city government bodies; and representatives of various nongovernmental organizations.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Jantirar Abay stressed that human trafficking and irregular migration not only endanger individuals—inflicting physical, psychological, social, and economic harm, even death—but also tarnish the country’s image. He noted that these risks stem from increased labor demand, exploitative human trafficking networks, and physical and psychological abuse that often result in life-threatening circumstances.

He also emphasized that, under Proclamation No. 1178/2012 and Regulation No. 126/2014, the City Administration is implementing strategic, coordinated efforts with relevant stakeholders to prevent and combat human trafficking.

During his introduction, Mr. Tekle Bezabih highlighted Addis Ababa’s commitment to its name—meaning “new flower”—by supporting women affected by irregular migration through capacity-building and reintegration centers, providing job opportunities and renewed hope. He further noted that major development projects across city corridors are creating both temporary and permanent jobs for youth, addressing root causes of migration and advancing the national agenda.

The Bureau’s 2017 fiscal year report was shared, revealing that 280 calls were received via the 6073 toll-free hotline, including 6 reports of trafficking or irregular border-crossing, 153 legal consultations, and 116 unrelated issues. All trafficking-related calls were forwarded to police for investigation.

Mr. Tekle added that the implementation of Proclamation No. 1178/2012 and Regulation No. 126/2014 has established a structured legal framework and operational system. Given Addis Ababa’s role as a source, transit, and destination in trafficking networks, he underlined the need for cooperation with regional, federal, governmental, and non-governmental partners for effective prevention and control.

The 2017 fiscal year performance report was then presented by Mr. Yohannes Berhanu, Coordinator of the Interagency Task Force on Human Trafficking and Irregular Migration, followed by a broad discussion. Participants’ questions and comments were addressed by Deputy Mayor Abay and Justice Bureau Head Bezabih, who emphasized the importance of each stakeholder fulfilling their responsibilities in a coordinated fashion. They concluded by affirming that every citizen must contribute to combating human trafficking and irregular migration, and stressed the necessity of an accountable, collaborative system.

A national-level workshop titled “United Against Gender-Based Violence: Advancing Gender Equality” was organized by MenEngage Ethiopia to discuss gender-based violence (GBV) and gender equality on July 7, 2025.

At the workshop:

• Mr. Sisay Tarekegn, Chair of MenEngage Ethiopia, delivered the official welcome and opening remarks, sharing a powerful message addressing gender-based violence and gender equality.
• Mr. Getaalem Kassa, from the Secretariat Office of MenEngage Ethiopia, provided an overview of the work and mission of MenEngage Ethiopia.
• Ms. Fedila Shehebo Hussen, Senior Human Rights Officer for Women’s Rights at the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, presented on Gender-Based Violence and human rights protection in Ethiopia.
• Ms. Adyam Solomon, Researcher & Legal Consultant at the Center for Information Resilience (CIR), presented “NO SAFE SCROLL: Investigating TFGBV on TikTok and YouTube in Ethiopia.”
• Monitoring and Evaluation experts from the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs presented on gender-sensitive budgeting in Ethiopia, the government’s efforts to advance gender equality, and provided updates on the current gender policy.
• Mr. Ahmed Wassie, Vice Chair of the Hiwot Ethiopia Board, attended the meeting and delivered the closing remarks for the advocacy workshop, praising MenEngage Ethiopia members for their efforts in advancing gender equality and justice at the national level.

More than 40 participants attended the workshop, including representatives from government agencies, civil society organizations, INGOs, embassies, and MenEngage Ethiopia members. The meeting was highly interactive, fostering collaborative efforts to unite against gender-based violence and advance gender equality.

A consultative workshop titled “Investing in Children for Better Child Rights Outcomes” was successfully conducted on July 1, 2025, in Bishoftu Town. This workshop is part of an ongoing advocacy and lobbying initiative led by Hiwot Ethiopia and Save the Children.

The event was organized by the Technical Working Groups (TWGs) under the leadership of the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, with participation from TWG members representing the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Planning and Development, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Hiwot Ethiopia, and Save the Children.

Representatives from these institutions gathered to discuss and strategize on ways to advance child rights in Ethiopia. During the workshop, progress updates on child-centered and responsive budgeting were presented by Hiwot Ethiopia, Save the Children, and the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs.

Following these presentations, participants engaged in intensive and interactive group discussions on the draft national-level child-centered and responsive budget monitoring checklist, as well as the TWG action plan.

TWG members shared their comments and recommendations on the monitoring tool. After final revisions are made based on the feedback received, the national-level monitoring tool will be presented to the Plan, Budget, and Finance Standing Committee of the House of People’s Representatives, along with other relevant stakeholders.

A consultative workshop titled “Investing in Children for Better Child Rights Outcomes” was successfully conducted on July 1, 2025, in Addis Ababa. This initiative is part of an advocacy and lobbying effort led by Hiwot Ethiopia and Save the Children.

The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, Hiwot Ethiopia, and Save the Children, with participation from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Planning and Development, and Ministry of Health. Representatives from these organizations gathered to discuss and strategize on advancing child rights in Ethiopia.

During the workshop, participants engaged in intensive discussions on key documents, including the draft Terms of Reference (TOR) for the technical working group, a monitoring checklist, and an action plan. These discussions aimed to align efforts and establish a clear framework for future activities.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants reached a consensus to establish a technical working group comprising two representatives from each of the following entities:

• Ministry of Women and Social Affairs
• Ministry of Planning and Development
• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Health
• Ministry of Justice
• Hiwot Ethiopia
• Save the Children

The primary objective of this group is to lead and coordinate the “Investing in Children for Better Child Rights Outcomes” initiative, ensuring a unified approach to advocating for and implementing child-sensitive and responsive budgeting at the federal level in Ethiopia. This collaborative effort underscores the commitment of all involved parties to prioritize children’s rights and work towards a more inclusive and equitable future for all children in Ethiopia.

MenEngage Ethiopia organized a membership meeting on July 1, 2025, in Addis Ababa, with the goal of strengthening member engagement and participation in the network’s ongoing activities. The meeting served as a platform to discuss key issues concerning the MenEngage Network and to reaffirm the collective commitment to promoting gender justice.

During the session, presentations were delivered that highlighted the critical role of engaging men and boys in efforts to prevent gender-based violence and to advance gender equality and justice. These presentations emphasized the importance of transforming harmful gender norms and building a more inclusive and equitable society.

Furthermore, Biruh Addis Charitable Organization, founded and led by women survivors, shared their experiences with the members. Their powerful testimony provided valuable insight into survivor-led advocacy and the importance of centering lived experiences in gender justice work. In addition, the Secretariat Office presented the results of a membership audit conducted to assess the current status and engagement levels of member organizations. The audit findings prompted active and in-depth discussions among participants, focusing on ways to enhance collaboration, accountability, and overall effectiveness within the network going forward.

December 12, 2024 MenEngage Ethiopia launched a 16-day national activism campaign against GBV at the Inter Luxury Hotel in Addis Ababa. The MenEngage Ethiopia members worked closely together and actively participated in the event’s planning. The Ministry of Women and Social Affairs presented about gender-based violence and Ethiopian government initiatives. Similarly, the Alliance of Civil Society Organizations in Tigray (ACSOT) discussed domestic violence in Tigray: a post-conflict overview. Conversations, Forum theater, poetry, and Brush Against Violence—art-based messages—were showcased to the attendees. Furthermore, stickers and T-shirts were printed and distributed to the participants, spreading awareness of GBV. The event included a variety of stakeholders, including government agencies, embassies, national and international NGOs and CSOs, community-based organizations, women’s organizations, and child-led initiatives. Using his excellence and important messages, Mr. Sisay Tarekegn MenEngage Ethiopian Chairperson launched the campaign. With inspiring and energizing remarks, Honorable Dr.Tadele Berka, Vice Chair for Health, Women, Social Development, Culture, and Sport, representing the House of Peoples, formally concluded the event.