GBV fact sheet of Ethiopia

Gender-based violence (GBV) is violence involving men and women, in which the female is usually the victim; and which is derived from unequal power relationships between men and women. Violence is directed specifically against a woman because she is a woman, or affects women disproportionately. It includes, but is not limited to, physical, sexual, and psychological harm. It includes that violence which is perpetuated or condoned by the state (UNFPA, 1998).

Ethiopia Fast Facts

87.0 Population (millions) 5.3 Total fertility rate 59 Infant deaths per 1,000 live births 470 Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births 41.2 Girls aged 20-24 married by age 18 (%) 1.5 HIV/AIDS prevalence (%) 78 Living below US $2 per day (%) Source (Country statistics from Demographic and Health Surveys, 19872011; UNAIDS and UNICEF websites (accessed 10/22/2012); "World Population Data Sheet" (Population Reference Bureau, 2012))

Common form of GBV in Ethiopia

The most common forms of gender based violence in Ethiopia are rape, abduction, early marriage, spousal battering, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and trafficking of women.

Sexual Violence
According to WHO multi country study survey conducted in meskan wereda shows that 59 % of
women experienced sexual violence. According to CARE Ethiopia status of GBV survey in four wereda 76.5 % women reported to have experienced sexual violence .

Physical Violence
According to WHO multi country study survey conducted in meskan wereda 49 % of women
experienced physical violence. According to CARE Ethiopia status of GBV survey in four wereda 36.6 % women reported to have experienced physical violence .

FGM
The proportions of younger women who have undergone FGM have decreased; yet most Ethiopian women still experience this debilitating and risky practice. Among women ages 15-19, 62 percent have undergone FGM, compared to 73 percent of women ages 20-24, 78 percent of women ages 25-29 and 30-34, and over 80 percent of women ages 35 and older.

Commonly practiced form of GBV in Ethiopia

According to CARE Ethiopia status of GBV survey the most commonly practiced form of GBV

across the survey area was seen to be domestic chore related violence at 92%, followed by sexual violence at 76.5%, physical violence at 36.6% and emotional violence at 26.7%. According to WHO multi country study survey most commonly practiced form of GBV across the survey area was seen to be physical violence 49% and sexual violence 59% combining the data for physical and sexual violence, 71% of ever-partnered women experienced one or the other form of violence, or both, over their lifetime.

CARE Ethiopia status of GBV survey

92 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Domestic chore related violence 76.5 Violence

Percentage

36.6 26.7

Sexual violence

Physical violence

Emotional violence

WHO multi country study survey

59
60 50 Percentage 40 30 20 10 0 Physical violence Sexual violence Combining of physical and sexual violence

49
Violence

3.5

Reference
UNFPA. 1998. Violence Against Girls and Women: A Public Health Priority. UNFPA Gender Theme Group, Interactive Population Center. New York: UNFPA.
Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia and ORC Macro. Ethiopia: Health Survey 2005. Calverton, MD: ORC Macro, 2006. http://www.measuredhs. com/pubs/pdf/FR179/FR179.pdf; last accessed 9/3/2008.