Women in Ethiopia Women in Ethiopia National Policy on Ethiopian Women Ethiopian women are actively involved in all aspects of their society's life. Women are both producers and procreators and they are also active participants in the social, political, and cultural activities of their communities. However the varied and important roles they play have not always been recognised. The discriminatory political, economic and social rules and regulations prevailing in Ethiopia have barred women from enjoying the fruits of their labour. Without equal opportunities, they have lagged behind men in all fields of self-advancement.
Economic development is unthinkable without the participation of women.
In some economic sectors women even constitute a proportionally larger group of the labour force than men. However, because their participation in the economy has not been valued, Ethiopian women have not received their fair share of the nation's wealth. Background Before the 1974 Revolution, women's organised activities were run mainly by non-governmental bodies such as the Ethiopian Women's Welfare Association, the Ethiopian Officer's Wives Association, the Ethiopian Female Students' Association. These Associations were, however, limited in scope, and only existed in the cities. They had little or no impact on government policies, laws, regulations or development programs.