Policy Report: Ethiopia

The analysis found that most policies and plans acknowledge that there is gender inequality between men and women in the Ethiopian society. For example, HIV and AIDS policies recognise that gender is a key driver of the pandemic and that women are more vulnerable to the disease than men. However, in most legislation, discussions on gender norms and roles are minimal and do not go into enough depth, especially on the impact of negative masculinities. This is most notable in the legal provisions dealing with gender-based violence. The only pieces of legislation that directly engage men are those dealing with sexual and reproductive health and parenting. Finally, marginalised men are minimally accounted for in policies, such as imprisoned men and men who have sex with men. In fact, because homosexuality is outlawed in Ethiopia, LGBTI people are left out of key legislation and are not able to access vital health services and other legal entitlements.

This Policy Report has been developed to be used as an advocacy tool for civil society, policymakers and decision-makers to identify key areas for policy advocacy, and better understand and strengthen a focus on engaging men within laws and policies for gender equality.