Improved health and living conditions for women
In Ethiopia, FOKUS supports the establishment of local women’s groups, training for women on sexual and reproductive health and rights and improving access to health services.
Photo: Flickr/Binyam Teshome/World Bank
Communities pushing for progress
Ethiopia has achieved considerable progress on women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health over the past two decades. However, this progress has been uneven and there are large variations depending on geography, education and wealth. The country’s general progress is attributed to the dedication of local communities, combined with forward-leaning national policies to improve access to health services.
The total national maternal mortality rate has declined from 960 deaths per 100 000 live births in 2002 to 267 in 2020. Delays in seeking out birth care caused 40% of the deaths, while 22% were due to delays in receiving adequate care. The accessibility of fully qualified birth care services is still very low. However, women in Ethiopia have good access to family planning services.
Unsafe adolescent abortions and FGM still a challenge
Some very critical SRHR gaps still remain in Ethiopia. Even though abortion is legal in specific circumstances, approximately a third of adolescent abortions are secret and potentially unsafe. The rate for female genital mutilation (FGM) saw a promising, significant decline of 24 percent (from 71% to 47%) between 2000 and 2016. However, in 2016, at least 28% of adolescent girls between 10 and 14 years had been subjected to FGM.
For many women, the lack of access to reproductive health services and information means that they can’t choose when to have a child or how many children they get. The lack of family planning has a negative effect both on women’s health and the family’s health, and the impact on women's and their families’ economic situation can be devastating. The consequences can be wide ranging, from malnutrition to an inability to send all one’s children to school.
Myths and taboos obstacles to progress
Sexual and reproductive health is still a subject it can be difficult to talk about. There are considerable taboos surrounding SRHR, which are rooted in culture, religion and tradition, and many myths still abound (for instance, concerning menstruation, virginity, contraception, etc.). In Ethiopia, men often oppose their partners’ use of family planning methods, avoid participating in pregnancy care and perceive health services as unfriendly.
In Ethiopia, FOKUS works on:
