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Ethiopian Opposition Leader under House Arrest

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TDPel Media

An inquiry committee set up by the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia, Nebe, has confirmed that the chairman of the opposition Oromo Liberation Front OLF, Dawud Ibsa, has been under house arrest since May 2021. Mr. Dawud’s residence is guarded by plainclothes security agents who prevent visits to the chairman. Reports saidNebe described Mr. Dawud’s arrest as “unacceptable” and has demanded his immediate release. The board has also written a letter to the federal police and the National Intelligence and Security Service to ensure his right to movement is respected. Mr. Dawud and his OLF rebel… Continue reading “Ethiopian Opposition Leader under House Arrest”

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President Bids Farewell to Outgoing Eritrean Ambassador

President Sahlework Zewde bade farewell to the outgoing Ambassador of Eritrea in Ethiopia, Semere Ruwsom.

President Sahlework thanked the ambassador for his contribution to strengthening relations between the two countries over the past three years.

Semere Ruwsom is the first ambassador to be assigned as Eritrean ambassador to Ethiopia since the two countries have started fresh diplomatic relation in 2018 after two decades of border standoff, it was indicated.

Source: Ethiopia News agency

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Gender Equality in and through Education

The goal of ‘Education for All’ in Eritrea has grown out of the recognition of its importance for the empowerment of citizens to respond to the demands of nation-building and national development. The education of women, in particular, is seen as a means to achieve gender equality and bring about social change.

Equality between women and men is one of the government’s fundamental principles. From the onset, the EPLF has taught equality of all citizens and treated all equally. As a result, a lot of progress has been made in getting more women into their rightful positions. In Eritrea, gender equality is more than just a slogan. Gender equality in and through education is at the center of the national development agenda of the country.

The national charter of Eritrea states that “unity, equality and participation of all sections of the Eritrean society should be the bases of all our programs.” At the global level, too, achieving gender equality in and through education is regarded as the key to achieving the transformational 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Gender equality is key to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, including ending poverty (SDG 1), enhancing health and well-being (SDG 3), supporting gender equality and women’s rights (SDG 5), establishing decent work (SDG 8) and promoting peaceful and inclusive societies (SDG 16).

The traditional society of Eritrea describes women as the ‘light of the house.’ And the government strongly believes that educating girls delivers light that benefits not only the girls themselves but also makes their families healthier, safer and prosperous. The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes the right to education, stating that elementary education should be free and compulsory for everybody, and higher levels of education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. Similarly, the national education policy of Eritrea aims at ensuring the equal participation of girls and women in all education programs. Education is seen as a human right that is essential to fulfill other human rights and the overall national development. It’s recognized as the greatest driver in efforts to eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable development.

Inequality in education is an obstacle to social, economic and political progress. The government recognizes educating women as the most effective investment in development. Gender equality in education is crucial to progress towards poverty reduction since it empowers women and makes them more productive members of society.

Eritrea has achieved phenomenal development in educating women from primary all the way to college level. The equitable access to schools in Eritrea has received appreciation. The government has demonstrated an unswerving commitment to provide every citizen equal access to educational opportunities.

After Eritrea’s independence, higher education has attracted great attention. Higher education was recognized as a powerful instrument of socioeconomic advancement of the society and a vehicle for upward social mobility. In 2004, the government decided to expand higher education and established seven colleges in different parts of the country.

With the expansion of institutions of higher education, women’s enrollment in colleges increased. In the 2020-2021 academic year, for example, out of the 1237 newly enrolled students at the College of Sciences, 590 (47.7%) were female. In the same year, female students make up 56.8% of the total number of students at Hamelmalo Agricultural College. The trend is almost the same in the other colleges with little variations. Women’s enrollment at vocational training centers is also encouraging. In the previous year, 43.7% out of the total number of students in Sawa Center for Vocational Training were women. The trend is the same in secondary schools. Almost half, 47.2%, of the 34th round of students at Warsay Yikealo Secondary School were women.

Higher Education is one of the most important means of empowering women with the knowledge, skills and self-confidence necessary to participate fully in the development process. With the expansion of education, many young Eritrean women are able to develop their full capacities and live and work in dignity. Women college graduates are increasingly participating in the social, economic and political life of the country and improving the quality of their lives. Education, in general, and higher education, in particular, is key to closing the existing gender gap, and women graduates are in a privileged position to lead and consolidate the change. Eritrean institutions of higher education are not only making contributions to the struggle for gender equality but also assume the responsibility of training future women leaders.

Eritrea’s achievements in fostering equality between women and men have helped to change the lives of the people for the better and provide the foundation on which to build a harmonious, inclusive and equal society. The increase in the number of women in education and at the workplace, though encouraging, needs to be sustained as women’s contribution is vital to the achievement of an inclusive and sustainable development.

In addition to making education accessible to all, the government also makes legal and institutional arrangements to ensure gender equality. The national charter of Eritrea and its macro policy contain important commitments to gender equality and women’s empowerment and provide the national values and principles that guide all Eritreans. Eritrea is a signatory to international conventions, including the Convention on all forms of Discrimination Against Women, Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination, Convention on the Rights of the Child, African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Government has introduced policies and schemes to level the ground for gender equality. The national charter states that “the issue of women is a major social issue. A society that does not respect the rights and equality of women cannot be a truly liberated society.” The education policy of Eritrea also states that “sustainable socio-economic development cannot be realized without the full participation of women, which comprise half of the population.” The Government has also drafted a gender policy and strategy in recognition of the fact that sustainable development cannot be realized without the full and equal participation of women at all levels. Many proclamations granting women equal access to state-funded services and restricting harmful practices like Female Genital Mutilation and underage marriage were also issued and enforced.

Eritrea is now relieved of the cost of gender inequality. By creating opportunities for women’s personal and professional development, Eritrea’s status can definitely be improved in terms of societal well-being and sustainable development. Eritrea views achieving gender equality in and through education as an accelerator of the human rights agenda, a pathway to social justice and the key to national development.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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Empowering Women: Building Resilient Nation

Ensuring the economic emancipation of women is a basic human right. Women’s unwavering determination to bring about multifaceted transformation as mothers, girls and citizens has enabled them to have a say in all work areas. Eritrean women who have fought for the country’s independence and to safeguard the national sovereignty have continued to play a due role in the nation-building process. Their participation in all sectors has enabled them to become breadwinners and supportive to their society. Eritrea’s policy on women’s rights is crystal clear: women and men have equal rights as citizens of the country. Gender equality has been a focal point of all policies that have been enacted in the country.

Women’s enrollment in schools, including colleges, has been the main driving force for their participation in all development sectors. The more women go to colleges, the more their input in the socio-economic transformation that has been going on and will go on in the country.

Women in villages are being provided with the necessary support to enable them to become economically self-reliant. They are given technical assistance and input such as chickens to start small-scale farms such as poultry. In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (MLSW), the National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW) provided over 300 beehives to women farmers. In 2020, over 200 women were given training in weaving in Anseba, Central, Southern and Gash- Barka regions. Training of trainers in designing was also organized in 2021 to build the capacity of weavers.

Around 80 artisan women who work with beads were also trained in the techniques of making beautiful ornaments while 43 female members, who fulfilled their national service duties and have been exempted, have been trained to drive for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th-grade driving licenses. All 43 are now working as drivers, 20 work for the National Aviation Authority and the rest for Harat Transportation Company.

Over 47 million Nakfa has been disbursed as part of the micro-credit scheme for women to support them engage in the fields of their interest. The training and supportive measures have transformed women’s living standards and created a viable venue in upbringing and educating their children.

In 2021, over 9000 chicken were given to around 300 women farmers in various locations. The result has been so encouraging and such an intervention will be extended to other businesses as well.

Women have been organized at a community level in all villages to reinforce their participation in development activities. Their active participation in soil and water conservation activities has been a testimony to their commitment to protect the environment. There is no activity that women do not participate in. The major activities of women in environmental protection include the construction of terraces, the restoration of check dams, the construction of micro-dams and the planting of seedlings as part of the reforestation programs that have been carried out at a national level.

Around 250 women in Qnafina, a village in the Southern region, have become beneficiaries of solar energy while the women, on their part, actively participated in the renovation of roads and planting of seedlings.

The overall participation of women and their unwavering determination to implement development projects is impressive. Ms. Senait Mehari, head of Socio-Economic Services at the NUEW, said that women in the six regions of the country have implemented 32 of the planned 33 projects. Their contribution in the national greening campaign was applauded and awarded on 15 May, the National Greening Day. “Any project set out to be implemented by women has always been successful,” Ms. Senait said.

The distribution of improved energy-saving stoves has been transforming women’s livelihood. NUEW has been motivating women to extend their influence in their communities by participating in all communal activities. The expansion of energy-saving stoves in villages has been done with the support of the MoA and the Ministry of Land, Water and Environment, and the role of the NUEW has been to facilitate and follow-up the projects.

Training was given to selected women who play a key role in promoting the stoves in their villages. They call the energy-saving stove ‘Adhanet’ (savior) for it has protected them from the hazardous effects of smoke and consumption of firewood. There have been major achievements in the distribution and promotion of energy-saving stoves at household levels in Central and Southern regions. The NUEW has been working to introduce portable Adhanet particularly in the lowlands.

The NUEW has also been actively engaged in supporting efforts that aim at women’s healthcare. The fight against malaria, Female Genital Mutilation, underage marriage and other healthcare issues have been reinforced to be able to fight against any unforeseen negative impacts that may erupt with the outbreak of COVID-19.

One in 10 women in the villages is given training in healthcare to provide basic healthcare services to mothers who have newly born children and children under five years of age. The intervention is done by three parties — NUEW, the Ministry of Health and the MLSW, who have prepared a strategic action plan and conducted studies on mother and child health.

The NUEW encourages female students to be competitive in their academic careers. It provides educational materials and make-up classes and gives awards to outstanding students to mark March 8 –International Women’s Day.

Eritrean women have been empowering themselves with the support of the NUEW and other stakeholders and playing roles in building the nation. United they overcome challenges and united they are always ready to make a difference.

This year’s International Women’s Day will be commemorated under the theme “Principled Belief for Timely Imperative.” Events associated with the commemoration of March 8 will be held in all regions of the country and involve blood donation, visiting hospitals and supporting patients, staging dramas that highlight women’s role in all socio-economic activities and women’s role in the struggle for independence, and seminars, highlights of opportunities aimed at empowering women and the wider training opportunities women will have with the opening of vocational training centers for women in all regions of the country.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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Nationals in Saudi Arabia celebrate International Women’s Day

Eritrean nationals in Jeddah and Riyadh commemorated the International Women’s Day, 8 March, under the theme “Principled Belief for Timely Imperative!” with patriotic zeal.

Speaking at the commemoration event in Riyadh organized by the National Union of Eritrean Women branch, Ms. Elsa Kidane, head of the union branch, indicating the proud history of the Eritrean women called for strengthened participation for total emancipation and empowerment of women.

Mr. Abdulrahman Imam, chairman of the Eritrean community, on his part called on the young to equip themselves with the necessary education and technology and play due part in the nation building process.

In the same vein, nationals residing in Jeddah colorfully celebrated the International Women’s Day in the presence of Mr. Aburahman Osman, Charge d’Affairs at the Eritrean Embassy and nationals residing in that city.

Indicating that the theme of the commemoration “Principled Belief for Timely Imperative!” reminds and shoulders the timely responsibility of women, Ms. Nura Haj Ali, head of the union branch, called for strengthening organizational capacity and participation in the national affairs.

The event was highlighted by cultural and artistic programs as well as exhibition.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

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Many Vietnamese Civil Society Groups Support Ukraine

WASHINGTON — Independent civil society organizations in Vietnam are condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine, a stance at odds with Hanoi’s abstention vote at the United Nations.

Cultural researcher Nguyen Khac Mai and Professor Nguyen Dinh Cong, representing six independent civil society organizations in Vietnam and more than 150 individuals, presented a letter expressing their “support for the Ukrainian people” to Ukrainian Charge d’Affaires Nataliya Zhynkina at the Ukrainian Embassy in Hanoi on March 3.

“We have great sympathy and compassion for the people of Ukraine who were invaded by Russia,” said Nguyen Cong, 86, who taught at the National University of Civil Engineering in Hanoi. He gave up his Vietnam Communist Party membership in 2016 and now is a dissident and political observer.

“The reason we expressed our support was the Vietnamese government did not support Ukraine and abstained in the U.N. General Assembly’s vote on Ukraine. It’s the government’s move, they abstained,” Nguyen Cong said.

“As for us, the people, we have the right to voice our support … on behalf of some civil society organizations and individuals, we also want to speak out that we support, sympathize with the Ukrainian people and against Russian aggression,” he added.

In the meeting with the Ukrainian diplomat, Nguyen Mai, the 90-year-old researcher, expressed his concerns about the sacrifice and lost lives of the people in Ukraine under the firestorms of the past two weeks, according to Boxite Vietnam, a forum for Vietnamese intellectuals to discuss Vietnamese politics.

“We understand that defending Ukraine at this time is not only about protecting peace, but also about protecting a fledgling democracy that has just escaped from the authoritarian past. As freedom-loving people, we stand by the Ukrainian people to preserve your democracy,” said Nguyen Mai who was director of the Minh Triet Viet Research Center and a former director of the Communist Party Central Committee, according to posts on Boxite Vietnam.

“As a country that went through many wars until the late 1980s, Vietnamese understand the price Ukraine has to pay to maintain its sovereignty and democracy in the face of Putin hegemony,” the letter posted on the Boxite Vietnam reads.

“We resolutely condemn Putin’s blatant aggression against Ukraine and fully support the just resistance war of the Ukrainian people and its government,” it said.

VOA emailed the Russian diplomatic mission in Vietnam and Vietnam’s Foreign Affairs Ministry seeking comments. Neither responded.

On March 2, the United Nations General Assembly held an extraordinary emergency session on the situation in Ukraine and issued a resolution that “deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine” and demands that Russia “unconditionally withdraws all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine.”

While 141 of 193 countries voted in favor of the resolution, five countries — North Korea, Belarus, Eritrea and Syria — joined Russia in voting against the motion. The remaining 35 countries that abstained included China, India, Laos and Vietnam.

However, on March 3, Vietnam said it’s deeply concerned about the armed conflict in Ukraine and called on the relevant sides to exercise self-restraint, stop using force and avoid causing casualties and losses to civilians, spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang said.

The Vietnam-Russia relationship, which began in 1950, is now one of Hanoi’s three comprehensive partnerships, along with China and India.

The former Soviet Union provided arms to Vietnam’s communists that helped them win their war against the United States, which withdrew in 1975. And now Vietnam buys military hardware and oil from Russia as part of its policy to avoid dependency on any single foreign power such as China.

“Vietnam’s consistent policy of enhancing the solidarity, friendship and comprehensive strategic cooperation with Russia, which is also the top priority in the foreign policy of the Vietnamese (Communist) Party, state and army,” Vietnam’s party website Nhan Dan Online said.

On March 2, right after Vietnam abstained from voting at the U.N. General Assembly, Zhinkyna wrote on Facebook: “Among all ASEAN members, only Vietnam and Laos abstained. My Vietnam, my second homeland, I am very disappointed.”

Source: Voice of America

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International Women’s Day celebration in Sawa

International Women’s Day, 8 March was enthusiastically celebrated in Sawa under the theme “Principled Belief for Timely Imperative!”

The commemoration event in which students of the 13th round of the Vocational Training Center, students of Technical School as well as staff members of the Sawa National Service Training Center took part featured sports and general knowledge competitions as well as cultural and artistic performances.

Indicating that Eritrean woman is the symbol of perseverance, courage and heroism, Let. Col. Temesgen Samuel, Deputy Commander of the Sawa National Service Training Center, said that the issue of gender equality of Eritrean women has been addressed through their sacrifice and hard work.

Stating the role of the Eritrean women in the struggle to ensure and preserve Eritrean identity and values, Ms. Zeineb Amir, student at the Vocational Training Center, said that the backward attitude of the Eritrean society on gender issues has been transformed and that gender equality of Eritrean women has been realized.

Ms. Zeineb also presented the official statement of the National Union of Eritrean Women issued in connection with the International Women’s Day.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea