ADDIS ABABA- Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association said that it is putting efforts to address the issue of battered women who seek legal advice and counseling services during the outbreak.
As to Lensa Biyena Executive Director of the Association, given the fact that courts are entertaining selected urgent cases such as domestic violence, the association would take on cases that are only pressing.
With the aim of making the service accessible to women at grass root level, EWLA has strategically placed 60 legal aid centers across the nation. Of which, 53 centers exist at different zonal and woreda levels across the country, in Amhara, Benishangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa, Gambella, Oromia and SNNPs, she noted.
“A key element in the enjoyment of rights is being aware of those rights and having self-confidence to assert them. Those who are unaware of their rights are unlikely to demand them and most Ethiopian women have often been kept unaware of their basic human rights for so long.”
To this effect, efforts have been carried out to educate the public through different electronic and print media. Berchi Radio Program is one of the known educational radio series that has been going on for years, according to her.
So far, over 80,000 women and men have participated in such workshops directly. It is believed that over 8,000,000 people have been reached indirectly through different educational programs, she added.
EWLA works with national women’s machineries, law enforcement organs, judiciary, human rights’ institutions and different administrative structures as well as civil society organizations.
“EWLA’s legal assistance has helped to provide women access to exercise their legal rights in courts. Likewise, preparation of written litigation as well as representation has played a significant role in the lives of many women.”
EWLA is a non-profit women’s advocacy group founded by Ethiopian women lawyers and began working in 1996. It has been re-registered as a local organization by the Charities and Societies Agency in 2019 as per the Civil Society Organization Proclamation 1113/2019, it was learnt.
The Ethiopian Herald May 27, 2020
BY BETELHEM BEDLU
