ORDA Ethiopia’s empower women political participation for Enhancing leadership and decision making capacity project closing workshop has been conducted.

ORDA Ethiopia has completed a project that has been implemented for 28 months to improve the leadership and decision-making capacity of women in 15 selected kebeles of West Belsa Worda, Central Gondar Zone, with financial support from the Civil Society Support Program.

The project established 75 discussion groups in 15 kebeles which were involved the community, especially women. During the three years implementation of the project, training was given to 1,121 beneficiaries (F: 498). Through the training provided by the project, 36 women have been brought to various Kebele and Woreda leadership and decision-making positions.

ORDA Ethiopia's Gender, Disability and Youth Job Creation Program Manager W/ro. Yordanos said about the completion of the project that the project provided capacity building training for institutions working on women's rights, religious leaders, elders and community facilitators to increase women's decision-making and political participation.

W/ro. Yordanos added that the project has played an important role in improving women's political participation and leadership and bringing about a change in thinking. In particular, the project has played an important role in providing training to community facilitators and allowing them to discuss with other members, to increase women's political participation, to reduce the burden of women's work at home.

On the closing workshop, among the community members who benefited from the project, West Balsa Worda the resident of Birbrak kebele priest Mesert Nega and resident of Ashker Terara kebele W/ro. Maritu Ashagre said that the political and economic equality and rights of women in their kebele is improved and that harmful customs is decreased (i.e. early marriage and unnecessary parties). They stated that women’s benefits are being confirmed by the participation of women in decision-making positions such as the judiciary, complaint hearing and Kebele leadership positions.

Berihun Asmara, the representative of West Belesa woreda Women's and Children's Affairs Office, said at the project handover that ORDA Ethiopia had created the foundation for them and they would continue to take over the women's political participation and leadership project.

Finally, the participants said that the project had created a great awareness for them to protect their rights, so they will strengthen it and continue it.