A presentation by Dr Guday Emirie and Kiya Gezahegne to 'Gender Rights and Women's Politics in Ethiopian Federalism', Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, November 2020

1. 04/06/2020
September 2019
 GAGE baseline findings: Amhara
Fostering Political Engagement by Strengthening Adolescent Girls and young
Women's Voice and Agency in Ethiopia
Adolescent girls in Oromia, Ethiopia © Nathalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019
Dr Guday Emirie and Kiya Gezahegne
November 11, 2019

2. Order of presentation
1
• GAGE Overview and Research Methodology
2
• Why a focus on adolescent voice and agency is important
3
• GAGE findings on adolescent voice and agency
4
• Implications

3. 1
•GAGE Overview
School
parliament in
Dire Dawa
© Natalie Bertrams
GAGE 2019
Please note that the
following
photographs of
adolescents DO NOT
capture GAGE
research participants
and consent was
gained from their
guardians for the
photographs to be
used for GAGE
communications
purposes.

4. Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE):
A longitudinal research programme in the Global South (2015-2024)
By finding out ‘what works,’ for whom,
where and why, we can better support
adolescent girls and boys to maximise
their capabilities now and in the future

5. GAGE research sample
5
Ethiopia:
6,700
Ethiopia:
220
Ethiopia:
200

6. GAGE Ethiopia research sites
3 regions (Afar, Amhara, Oromia) plus Dire
Dawa City Administration
Research site selection based on:
 Districts with among highest rates of child
marriage as proxy for conservative gender
norms (MOWCA, UNICEF and ODI, 2015)
 Urban and rural sites
 Food insecure and pastoralist sites as a
proxy for economic poverty
 Woreda-based mapping of all kebeles
based on infrastructure and service
availability (vulnerable/ less vulnerable)
 Programming capacities of NGO
implementing partners

7. GAGE 3Cs Conceptual Framework: Voice and agency

8. Conceptualising voice and agency
2
•Conceptualising voice and agency
Adolescent girl in Oromia © Nathalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019

9. Defining adolescent participation
Participation
Right to
express views
and have them
be given due
weight
Right to
information
Freedom of
expression,
association,
or religion
Lansdown (2018) defines adolescent participation as
“Adolescent girls and boys (individually and/or
collectively) form and express their views and influence
matters that concern them directly and indirectly.”
“In seeking to provide an appropriate balance between
the protection and active agency of adolescents, it is
important to have regard to a range of factors that
affect decision-making, including:
•the level of risk involved,
•the potential for exploitation,
•understanding of adolescent development,
•recognition that competence and understanding do
not necessarily develop equally across all fields at
the same pace
•recognition of individual experience and capacity.”
Graphic from: https://www.unicef.org/media/59006/file

10. Literature highlights: links between adolescent voice and adult civic skills:
Ecological model of
adolescent participation
Adult political participation is rooted in the experiences of
childhood and adolescence.
Adolescence is uniquely suited to examining political issues
because adolescents are working to establish their own
identity and ascertain how they fit into the larger world
around them.
Opportunities that let young people be heard, and develop
and practice interpersonal and leadership skills, increase
adult political participation.
• Opportunities can be opened at home, at school, in
adolescent clubs, in the community, and online.

11. The CRC and adolescents' rights to participation
Participation in the context of the CRC
Article 2: All adolescents without
discrimination on any grounds
• The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) recognises children as
members of society with valuable voices, perspectives and
experiences who need to be encouraged to take an active part in their
own lives and communities (§5, 13-15 CRC).
• General comment number 20 (2016 ) clarifies how young people
should be encouraged to express their agency and contribute their
voices:
‘States, through dialogue and engagement with adolescents themselves,
should promote environments that acknowledge the intrinsic value of
adolescence and introduce measures to help them thrive, explore their
emerging identities, beliefs, sexualities, and opportunities, balance risk
and safety, build capacity for making free, informed and positive decisions
and life choices, and successfully navigate the transition into adulthood.’
• The 2030 Agenda explicitly recognizes children and young women and
men as critical agents of change.
• The UN’s World Youth Report highlights that governments must
support youth participation at the grass-roots and national levels in
order to contribute to the 2030 Agenda.
Participation
Right to express
views and have
them be given
due weight
Right to
information
Freedom of
expression,
association,
or religion

12. 3
•GAGE Baseline Findings
Adolescents in Afar, Ethiopia © Nathalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019

13. Mobility restrictions limit girls
• Girls are more likely to need permission than boys (96% vs 89%)
• Afar adolescents have the most freedom.
Over 90% of younger adolescents need permission to go at least once place.
• ‘Girls are prevented from going to Ashewafield, pool house, DSTV house, Jotenihouse; in general they are
prevented from going to all places where the male adolescents are allowed…Either my parents or my older brothers
would beat her if she went…’ (15-year-old boy, Dire Dawa)
Amongst older, urban adolescents, girls are 36% more likely to need permission to leave home than boys.
• ‘When you got married you do not have freedom to go to places. Even when we go to a place, asking permission. We
are not comfortable to stay long there, we afraid of the husband.’ (married 11-year-old girl, Zone 5)
Married girls face the most restrictions of all.
• ‘Parents don’t want to send their older female children (to school) because they might be attacked or become
unexpectedly pregnant.’ (KI, S. Gondar)
Restrictions on girls’ mobility force them out of school.
• Younger girls are 19% less likely than younger boys to be a member of a group.
• Older girls are 35% less likely than older boys to be a member of a group.
• ‘It is not cultural and not common to send female children to sport …’ (KI, S. Gondar)
Restrictions on girls’ mobility leave them with fewer opportunities to participate in clubs and groups.

14. Decision-making within the family is shifting and varied
Voice is still limited by age—even
for boys.
‘They don’t take your idea. They
say you are child and keep quiet.‘
(12-year-old boy, E. Hararghe)
Girls have less input into
household decisions than boys.
‘I do everything she tells me to.’
(12-year-old girl, S Gondar)
There is growing space for
adolescent input.
‘Before, our family would have
made us herd goats without
thinking about our interests ...
Nowadays, if we don’t like it, we
don’t have to. Our parents read
our facial expressions and
understand.’
(older girl, Zone 5)Married girls have the least input
of all.
‘When you are with your family,
you can either take their order or
ignore it … but … it is impossible to
refuse husband’s orders.’
(married 14-year-old girl, E.
Hararghe)
Location matters: young people in
urban areas have the most input,
those in Zone 5 the least.
‘Sometimes my children advise me in
my business especially when I do
business that does not give me good
profit... We discuss issues and I tell
them the reason behind it. They also
try to convince me [to take a
particular decision], we discuss and
learn from each other.’
(mother, Dire Dawa)
‘There is a gap in this regard with
(rural) parents —discussing with
children….It is a gap that results from
having no knowledge. ‘
(KI, E. Hararghe)

15. Girls’ control over their own lives is also limited
‘I had no idea that I was going to
get married. And then the day
approached and they told me... I
said no way. I was even tempted
to flee. But I had nowhere to go.
So I got married not to disobey
my parents.’
(married 12-year-old, S. Gondar)
‘Most of the families arrange and
marry their daughter before
grade 8. This is because after
grade 8, girls also start to refuse
their families.’ marriage
arrangement. (KI, Zone 5)
Most cannot refuse child marriage.
Most cannot refuse FGM.
‘One of the major challenges is
girls’ workload at home, which
results in them arriving late as
well as school absenteeism,
which in turn affects their
educational performance.’
(KI, S. Gondar)
‘I dropped out from grade 6 as
there is no one [at home] who can
do domestic work. She [mother]
said as no one does domestic
work, she told me to drop out.’
(12-year-old girl, E. Hararghe)
Many are not allowed to
invest in their own schooling.
‘She can [say no] but
her mother will never
accept it because she
considers it as a big
shame culturally… to
get married without
undergoing FGM. So
they will not be willing
to spare their girls
from undergoing
FGM.’
(KI, E. Hararghe)

16. However, some resistance is possible
Some girls however do resist these
gendered restrictions especially in
order to attend school
“Even when they tell me not to go to
school, I ask a boy to hold my
exercise book and go to school
without their knowledge. My mother
says “it is good that you go to school
but you have to work at home”.
(Girl, 12, Abena, South Gondar)
In the context of traditional
cultural dances (Shegoye and
Sadah), girls in East Hararghe
and Zone 5 (Afar) also have a
surprising degree of freedom
outside of parental
supervision.
‘Here in the locality, girls practice the
cultural song of ‘Shegoye’ during night
time and come home during dawn early
in the morning while family do not see
her. This is done without consulting
anyone. While the girl is practicing
‘Shegoye’ at night, father and mother
do not oppose because the girl has
already decided to practice it. Once the
girl started practicing the culture of
‘Shegoye’, it is difficult to let her stop….
Since the community is not educated
they do not consider it as bad culture.’
(Girls club coordinator, Anani, East
Hararghe)

17. Adolescent decision-making can have both positive and negative aspects
It facilitates smart decision-making. It may lead to short-term thinking.
‘Even when they tell me not to go to
school, I ask a boy to hold my exercise
book and go to school without their
knowledge.’
(12-year-old girl, S. Gondar)
‘I promised to marry my daughter who
was employed here for the boy when she
was one year old. Now she refused to
marry the boy when she grew up, so I
respected and accepted her interest then
I stopped.’ (Father, S. Gondar)
‘I just dropped out of school. My family
was urging me that I should go home in
order to continue my education. But I
didn’t listen. . . . I am regretful for that.’
(15-year-old girl, Batu)
‘They don’t consult their parents even for
marriage. They get married without
consulting their parents.’
(KI, E. Hararghe)

18. Schools can help enhance engagement
• ‘We usually consult with our teachers and after they consulted with us they will bring
our case to the school director and discuss it there. For instance, previously the blackboard
has white dots in it and while the teacher was writing on it, it was difficult to read and
sometimes we misread things. However, after we commented on this, they refurnished the
blackboard and it’s fine now.’ (17-year-old boy, Dire Dawa)
Classrooms can support adolescents to speak up and solve problems.
• ‘At school, we are given traffic police uniform and we go out on the road and asked the
cars to stop until these students cross the road.’ (adolescent boy, Dire Dawa)
School clubs can allow adolescents to contribute to their school communities.
• ‘This assembly of parliament is concerned with how we make contributions to this
country and on how to solve problems. We recently discussed some problems that harm
children and problems on women and how members of the parliament can solve it.’
(adolescent, Batu)
School parliaments can work for children’s rights.

19. Role models can inspire change
Only 1/3 of rural adolescents have
a role model—where they do,
teachers and other government
employees are common.
‘Recently a woman came from
Women and Children Affairs Office
shared her experience how she
withdraw from “Absuma” [marriage]
and reached her position. She
explained that she had reached this
position due to her education. So she
advised the girls to attend their
education properly and not to miss
or dropout from school.’
(KI, Zone 5)
2/3 of urban adolescents have
a role model.
‘There is a doctor I look up to …
He got medicine for bilharzia
(schistosomiasis) from the fruit
of a plant … I would ask him
how he did his studies, how he
chose that specific fruit, and the
things that initiated his
research. This way I will also be
initiated to do my own
research.’
(17-year-old girl, Batu)
Girls are less likely to have a
role model than boys.
‘I have no one whom I see as a
model or want to be like.’
(10-year-old girl, E. Hararghe)

20. Access to technology is highly variable
Young adolescents are
extremely unlikely to have a
phone for their own use.
3% in rural areas
5% in urban areas
Nearly 50% of older urban
adolescents have a phone.
Adolescents in Dire Dawa have
more access to the internet
and a phone than their peers
in Debre Tabor and Batu.
Technology is a source of
information.
‘I go to the public library … I
download books like the
dictionary, reference books and
religious book.’
(16-year-old boy, Dire Dawa)
Girls’ access to ICT is more limited than
boys.
Of older, urban adolescents, girls are
16% less likely to have a phone.
Of older, urban adolescents, girls are
50% less likely to have internet access.
‘For girls, it is distracting … All they
think about is love, all they do is call
and meet up. Unlike boys, I don’t think
mobile phones are good for girls.’
(mother, S. Gondar)

21. Access to TV and radio can be positive but access is still very uneven
TV and radio can provide good source of empowering information that can help shape
adolescents role models and aspirations.
‘I decided to be a doctor by listening to the radio…Radio enables us to get information related to
health and to have more explanation about education….It transmits education on HIV/AIDS and
how to prevent HIV and about its transmission.’ (Girl, 12, Jeman, South Gondar)
‘We have a radio at home and listen to religious teaching. We also listen to music but since the
radio is transmitted in Amharic language I don’t understand what it says. But I’m not aware of the
presence of radio transmitted in Afar language.’ (Girl, 12, Daleti, Zone 5, Afar)
However, adolescents from remote rural communities have little or no access to radio or TV
‘I have never listened to a radio… I have never watched a television.’
(Boy, 11, Aqashmoch, South Gondar)

22. Mobile phones are an increasingly important information source
Many adolescents are accessing information
from mobile phones
(typically through memory cards rather than
smart phones in rural areas)
However, access is gendered:
girls are 50% likely to own a mobile than boys;
even in urban areas 17% lower
Many key informants, however, see
technology as having a negative impact on
adolescents lives. Particularly increase assess
to pornography and films that show sexual
activity
‘Most families are not knowledgeable
on how to manage those latest
technology devices…. Recently, there are
a lot of applications which are easily
manipulated and misused by
adolescents that in turn expose them to
have familiarity with those unsafe
websites. They can easily chat with
various groups using social media and
share videos having bad content
including pornographic films that affect
their personality.’
(Key informant, Dire Dawa)

23. …But TV and technology is perceived to also have negative spill-over
effects on adolescents
‘The use of Kana TV has a serious negative impact on
adolescents’ behaviour…Because Kana TV
programme have different films which are not
appropriate for adolescents…. It has films about love
relationships and the act of killing a person.’
(Key informant Debre Tabor)
‘At church, if we watch Kana, we are punished. We
kneel down for few minutes. Even at school, teachers
beat you if you watch Kana and forgot to do
homework.’
(Adolescent girls, body mapping, Batu, East Shewa)
‘Media exposure greatly influences
children to be out of their parents’
control. Their mind was abused by
those music in [mobile] memory
and cassette…and it leads them to
reject the advice from their fathers
and mothers. Then they start to
make decisions independently.’
(Religious leader, Bidibora, East
Hararghe)
Parents and key informants voiced a number of concerns about the potential
negative effects of exposure to TV and internet technology in the absence of adult
guidance

24. Civic engagement
Our baseline data found little civic engagement, in part because the majority of adolescents in our
sample were quite young. Our participatory work with older adolescents is finding deeper
engagement with ideas and action.
‘Youth are supporting internally
displaced peoples and they are
working in providing logistics for
the peoples who are in border
conflict. All youths in our kebele
are contributing what they have, it
could be money, it could be cereals
and they give for displaced people.
Plus they are providing food for
the people who are fighting with
Somali at the border.’
(KI, E. Hararghe)
‘When I was an adolescent, I knew nothing about government,
development, rights, education... But now adolescents know
about many things. They talk about what is happening in our
region and in our country.’ (KI, Zone 5)
‘Particularly due to the expansion of internet services and the
social media like Face Book information has reached
adolescents on time. However, some of the information also
misleads the adolescents to involve in the strikes…. They were
played as catalyst in instigating the population to break the
rules of the government…. .One of the major reasons has been
the increasing number of youth unemployment rate in the area.’
(KI, Debre Tabor)

25. The role of organized youth in supporting IDPs
 Host communities provided temporary shelter and in some cases clothes, but these
were not enough for large group of displaced people. Our field research team in East
Hararghe observed that many of the IDPs lived in open shelters and tents.
 Adolescent boys and girls could not enrol in school because it took longer for them to
get relief from the trauma of the violence.
 Organised groups of youth (Qeros) tried to organize fund raising within the
communities and in towns to temporarily support the IDPs.
 The Qeros organized the host communities to construct temporary shelters for IDPs.
 The Qeros also organized food stuffs and drinking water for those people fortified
along the borders to watch any insurgents.

26. 4
•Policy and Programming
Implications
Adolescent girl in Debre Tabor, Ethiopia © Nathalie Bertrams / GAGE 2019

27. Policy and programming implications
1
•Expose adolescents and young women to aspirational yet actionable ideas for their future
pathways
2
•Develop school and district level alumni associations with linkages to local schools to provide role
models and mentors, especially for girls and young women
3
•Support adolescents to gain safe access to online information, including through access to libraries
and computer labs at government schools, with particular attention to the digital gender divide
4
•Expand adolescent clubs and extra curricular activities (e.g. school parliaments) in order for
adolescent girls (married and unmarried) and young women to gain communication and negotiation
skills, as well as opportunities to develop leadership skills
5
•Provide meaningful and safe opportunities for adolescent girls and young women to engage in
voluntary work, collective action and political and civic movements.
6
•Strengthen youth centres : in urban areas strengthen girl friendly youth centres and expand youth
centres to rural areas to provide more social networking and leadership building opportunities

28. Contact Us
WEBSITE
www.gage.odi.org
TWITTER
@GAGE_programme
FACEBOOK
GenderandAdolescence
About GAGE:
 Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence
(GAGE) is a nine-year (2015-2024) mixed-
methods longitudinal research programme
focused on what works to support
adolescent girls’ and boys’ capabilities in
the second decade of life and beyond.
 We are following the lives of 18,000
adolescents in six focal countries in Africa,
Asia and the Middle East.