Report What works to tackle child marriage in Ethiopia A review of good practice Nicola Jones, Bekele Tefera, Elizabeth Presler-Marshall, Taveeshi Gupta, Guday Emirie, Bethelihem Gebre and Kiros Berhanu March 2016 This research was conducted by Overseas Development Institute (ODI), contracted by UNICEF in collaboration with the National Alliance to End Child Marriage and FGM in Ethiopia by 2025. UNICEF and ODI hold joint copyright. The opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the policies or views of UNICEF or ODI. 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ISSN: 2052-7209 2 What works to tackle child marriage in Ethiopia Acknowledgements We would like to thank Meiraf Abebe (UNICEF – Gambela), Leykun Getaneh and Yiey Chuol (Gambela People’s National Regional State Education Bureau), Okogn Obang, James Dha and Anteneh Teklu (Itang Special Woreda of Gambela People’s National Regional State of Ethiopia), Wondmagegn Bekele (Itang Woreda Education Office), Gatchwech Chambang and Fekadu Gebremedehin (Itang Secondary School, Kang Gatwech, Pal Kang and Dagimihret Petros (Kuregeng Secondary School), Bor Rut (UNICEF Girls’ Scholarship Programme in Lare Woreda), Kech Gatkuoth Puk (Teluth Primary School) and Thuok Beil (Lare Woreda Education Office). We would also like to thank Solomon Abadi and Tsehaytu Wondim from Ofla. We extend thanks to Taye Mengist (Care TESFA), Priest Wondim Amare, Tesfa Assefa, Yazachew Tilahun and Tadele Tiruneh (Finote Hiwot), Wubayehu Tolassa (Wolkite University), Tsehay Bekele (Kebele Women Association), Wariso Qarshi Guye (West Arsi Education), Mako Aliyi (Arsi Zone WCA), Hailemariam Kebede (Diksis WCA), Tadelu Tolera (Diksis WCA). Thanks also to Wardi Abdulaziz, Rahma Ahmed Sirad, Abdi Ali, Abdulahi Ahmed, Fuad Ahmed, Tesfakiros Redae and Solomon Abadi for research assistance. What works to tackle child marriage in Ethiopia 3 Contents Acknowledgements 3 Abbreviations 8 Glossary of key terms 9 Key messages 10 1 Introduction 11 2 Methods 15 3 Key lessons 17 4 Policy and programming recommendations 23 5 Tigrayan government intervention 26 6 ActionAid: Combating Violence Against Women and Harmful Traditional Practices 34 7 African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN): Girl Power Programme 49 8 Finote Hiwot: End Child Marriage Programme 65 9 HUNDEE Oromo Grassroots Development Initiative 78 10 CARE Interventions: Towards Improved Economic and Sexual Reproductive Health Outcomes for Adolescent Girls (TESFA) + follow-up programming 88 11 Gambela Educational Materials and Scholarship Support Programme 105 References 119 Annex 1: Good practice programming overview 120 Annex 2: MaxQDA coding scheme 121 Annex 3: Draft data collection instruments 122 4 What works to tackle child marriage in Ethiopia Tables Table 1: Summary of interviews by type 16 Table 3: Percentage of girls married, by age, by residence (Source: 2007 census) 29 Table 4: Kebele school enrolment, by gender, fall 2014 38 Table 5: Percent of girls married, by age, by residence (Source: 2007 census) 38 Table 6: Rates of child marriage, by residence and age (Source: 2007 census) 53 Table 7: Costs per efficiency indicators 68 Table 8: Rates of child marriage, by residence and age (Source: 2007 census) 69 Table 9: Child marriage rates, by age, by residence (Source: 2007 census) 92 Table 10: Gambela Region Gross Enrolment for 2006EC (2013/14) by Grade Level and Sex 106 Table 11: Enrolment figures among two of the largest indigenous communities in the region: Nuer and Anywa 107 Table 12: Child marriage rates in Lare woreda 109 Table 13: Itang special woreda educational participation by year, grade level and sex 109 Table 14: Child marriage rates in Itang special woreda 110 Table 15: Lare woreda’s educational participation by year, grade level and sex 110 Table 16: Itang Secondary School educational participation by year, grade level and sex (Itang special woreda) 115 Table 17 Kuregeng Secondary School educational participation by year, grade level and sex (Lare woreda of Gambela Region) 115 Figures Figure 1: Median age at first marriage, by region, for women aged 25-49 (CSA and ICF International, 2012) 11 Figure 2: Percent of women married by age 15 and by age 18 (CSA and ICF International, 2012) 12 Figure 3: Good practice programme sites 15 Figure 4: Women’s Watch Group pathways to change 35 Figure 5: Has savings of her own? (Edmeades and Hayes, 2013: 13) 91 Figure 6: Difference between BL and EL in current use of modern contraception (Edmeades and Hayes, 2013: 13) 91 What works to tackle child marriage in Ethiopia 5 Boxes Box 1: Community overview 29 Box 2: Choosing one’s own path 31 Box 3: Community overview 38 Box 4: Saved by the Women’s Watch Group 40 Box 5: Prioritising university over marriage 42 Box 6: Choosing to combine tradition and education 43 Box 7: Modalities used by the GPP in different areas by different NGOs 52 Box 8: Community overview 53 Box 9: The emergence of a Development Army 53 Box 10: Left alone to suffer 55 Box 11: Escaping her mother’s plans 59 Box 12: Programme achievements so far as per DFID annual review 68 Box 13: Financial performance of FH 68 Box 14: Community overview 69 Box 15: Finote Hiwot’s baseline survey 71 Box 16: Genat’s struggle against her father’s wishes to marry 72 Box 17: Naya’s perseverance in getting an education for herself 73 Box 18: Community conversations in the Finote Hiwot programme 74 Box 19: Missed opportunity for helping Yidet 76 Box 20: Programme site overview 80 Box 21: Programming efforts in Diksis 86 Box 22: Community overview 92 Box 23: Stronger marriages help save girls 99 Box 24: Priests move from prejudice to pride 101 Box 25: The gender education gap in Gambela 106 Box 25 (continued) 107 6 What works to tackle child marriage in Ethiopia Box 26: Assessment of programme woredas 109 Box 27: Asha’s story: struggling to continue her education 112 Box 28: From hope to despair: Nayah’s story 116 What works to tackle child marriage in Ethiopia 7 Abbreviations AA Action Aid AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ANPCANN African Network for the Prevention and Protection against Child Abuse and Neglect BIAAG Because I Am a Girl BoE Bureau of Education BoWCA Bureau of Women, Child and Youth Affairs CC Community Conversation CM Child marriage CSO Civil Society Organisation DFID Department for International Development DHS Demographic and Health Survey EDHS Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey EPRDF Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front ETB Ethiopian birr FGD Focus Group Discussion FGM/C Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (also FGM) GPP Girl Power Program HAPCO Federal HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus HTP Harmful Traditional Practice ICRW International Centre for Research on Women IDI In-Depth Interview KI Key Informant KII Key Informant Interview MoWCA Ministry of Women, Child and Youth Affairs NGO Non-Governmental Organsation ODI Overseas Development Institute SAAs Social Action and Analyses groups SNNP Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples SRH Sexual and Reproductive Health TESFA Towards Improved Economic and Sexual Reproductive Health Outcomes for Adolescent Girls UN United Nations UNICEF UN Children’s Fund WCYA Women, Children and Youth Affairs WDA Women’s Development Army WWG Women’s Watch Group 8 What works to tackle child marriage in Ethiopia Glossary of key terms Birr: Ethiopian currency Butta: Marriage by abduction. Haftu: Derogatory name given to unmarried girls over the age of 18-25 in Oromia. Idir: An informal social and financial group that helps members save for various life events, including funerals Injera: Traditional Ethiopian flat bread made of teff flour. Jala-deemuu: Similar to waliin deemuu. Understood as marriage through elopement in Oromia. Kebele: An Amharic term referring to local governmental administrative unit at grass-root level and is found below the woreda. Khat/chat: Flowering plant native to Horn of Africa. Chewed as a stimulant. Madrasa: Islamic school Nika: A formal, binding contract practiced in Muslim communities that outlines the responsibilities of the bride and groom. Quran: Islam’s holy book (Koran) Sunna: Milder type of FGM/C where the tip of the clitoris is cut. People in Somali, Oromia and Afar are changing from practicing infibulation to this form. Woreda: Level of government between the kebele and the zone—also known as district. Zone: An administrative division found immediately below the region. It is usually responsible for coordination of the activities of the woreda and the regional executive. What works to tackle child marriage in Ethiopia 9 Key messages • An array of child marriage programming from diverse entry points is emerging in Ethiopia which collectively provide important lessons for future programming • Key features of successful programming include tailoring programmes to their local environment, targeting community and religious leaders; educating parents through existing government interventions; supporting girls’ clubs and involving men and boys to promote alternative masculine norms and behaviours. • Facilitating cross-sectoral cooperation, securing local ownership and helping communities to develop reporting chains for at risk girls are also key.