Policy Brief 2019 Further Analysis of Findings on Violence Against Women From the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey

VAW is recognized as both a cause and consequence of gender inequality, and is a major obstacle to women and girls’ enjoyment of human rights and their full participation in society and the economy.

The findings of the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey show that more than 1 out of 4 (26%) women age 14-59 experienced physical and/or sexual violence since the age of 15 in Ethiopia. This brief addresses women’s experiences with physical, sexual violence and spousal violence, help-seeking behaviors of VAW survivors and lessons to be learned from the 2016 EDHS as it relates to data collection and analysis on VAW, and recommendations for the 2021 EDHS. The brief also presents recommendation for ending violence against women and girls in Ethiopia. The recommendations include creating an enabling legislative and policy environment on EVAW that is aligned with international conventions and standards EVAW, taking effective steps to translate EVAW policy into action, ensuring all VAW survivors have access to a coordinated set of quality essential services, training to improve knowledge, attitudes and skills of frontline service providers to provide gender-responsive and victim-centered responses and essential services to VAW survivors and Strengthen the capacities of the national coordinating body to deliver a coordinated set of quality multi-sectoral essential services to VAW survivors partnership and coordination.