Women are currently limited by cultural gender roles, but their contributions can be expanded through focused support.
BACKGROUND: Gender Roles and Limitations
Women in Ethiopia and Rwanda live in a culture that continues to perpetuate strictly defined gender norms and roles, where women are seen as caretakers who maintain the household but are not the primary source of financial support.
These expectations place women and girls at a significant disadvantage in terms of health, education, employment, and basic human rights. Few girls have the opportunity to attend school and university because their family does not view their education as a priority, which leads to fewer opportunities for employment and less attention to women's health issues.
The Ethiopian and Rwandan governments know that women’s rights are an ongoing issue and are working toward gender equality.
OUR GOAL
To provide girls and women with the necessary support, opportunities and resources to allow them to protect their health, pursue their education, and increase their ability to contribute financially to their family and community. In that process, we hope to enhance the girls' and women's sense of self-worth, and self-confidence, and promote a norm of gender equity.
OUR APPROACH
We will use a project-based approach to design and implement various initiatives to pursue our goals. These projects will allow us to determine the feasibility of incorporating these activities into the schools and communities given the local resources available to maintain these efforts.
PROJECTS