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Save the Children Denmark
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Women's Affairs
ETHIOPIA
May 2008
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
A Study on Violence Against Girls in
Primary Schools & Its Impacts on Girls' Education in Ethiopia
With
a focus on Ethiopia, this paper identifies and analyses the types, prevalence,
major causes and effects of violence against girls in schools. It also aims to
assess the availability and effectiveness of policies, rules and regulations
and concludes with recommendations on ways to reduce violence against school
girls.
Despite the legal provisions and efforts to reduce and eliminate violence
against children, particularly girls, violence and abuse seem to be widespread
in Ethiopia - taking place at home, in schools, and in the community at large.
The findings of this work confirm the widespread practice of early and forced
marriage. About 33 per cent of students, 68 per cent of teachers and 36 per
cent of parents reported the existence of early marriage in their locality.
To understand why girls are subjected to so much violence and abuse in schools
and on the way to and from it, the study developed a model which explains the
clashes between the traditional gender role of girls and the norms and values
underlying the modern world, represented by the school. By analysing social and
cultural values that lie behind the traditional types of violence and abuse,
such as abduction and early and forced marriage, an attempt is made to
establish the overall picture of the traditional expectations of a girl child.
The analysis shows the traditional norms and values related to girls, such as
excessive workload at home and the need to be silent and obedient are creating
clashes in meeting the requirements of the modern education system.
A number of concluding recommendations are made to the Ministry of
Education/Regional Education Bureaus, the Ministry of Women's Affairs, schools
and local education authorities, and local authorities, NGOs and CSOs,
including:
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