Notable Ethiopian Women

From Tadias - an article on women filmmakers from Ethiopia:

Documentary filmmaking holds a special place in the history of African women’s cinema. In 1972, Senegalese filmmaker Safi Faye became the first sub-Saharan African woman to make a commercially distributed feature film when she directed “Kaddu Beykat”. The film, a mixture of fiction and documentary, depicts the economic problems suffered by Senegalese village farmers because of agriculture policies that Faye says rely on an outdated, colonial system of groundnut monoculture. Faye would go on to direct several documentaries often focused on rural life in her native Senegal.

From Abugida - an article on Empress Taitu:

For the first time African forces had defeated a European power bent on forging an empire in Africa. And once again in the history of Ethiopia, the victory was influenced by a powerful Ethiopian woman, Empress Taitu. Also, the question of racial superiority was beginning to affect western societies, especially post-slavery America. Many were surprised that an African nation could defeat a white colonial power such as Italy.

Ethiopia: Campaign Against Female Circumcision

From Ezega:

In recent months local and national initiatives have shown a clear intensification of the struggle against the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female circumcision.

The ancient practice of removing the outer female genitalia and “sewing” the vaginal opening shut has long existed in the region under the pretext of cleanliness and religious piety.

After years of United Nations and international NGO advocacy, recent “homegrown” campaigns have signaled a local increase in the struggle to eliminate the practice in Ethiopia. For example, recent Ethiopian Television programs have targeted the practice by assembling both religious scholars and traditional leaders to advocate against FGM.

Ethiopian Women

From All Africa:

Birtukan Midekssa, Ethiopia's foremost political prisoner and first woman political party leader in Ethiopian history, enjoyed talking about an allegorical 'future country of Ethiopia' that would become an African oasis of democracy and a bastion of human rights and the rule of law in the continent.

In Birtukan's 'future Ethiopia' women and men would live not only as equals under the law, but also work together to create a progressive and compassionate society in which women are free from domestic violence and sexual exploitation, have access to adequate health and maternal care and are provided education to free them from culturally-enforced ignorance, submissiveness and subjugation. But if the situation of women in the 'present country of Ethiopia' is any indication, Birtukan's 'future country' is in deep, deep trouble.

More on Birtukan Mideksa

Following on from my June post on Birtukan Mideksa, and an email from Jerry in the US, here are some links of interest:

• Free Birtukan - website dedicated to her release
• Ethio Sun - a small biography
• EthioBlog - her testimony to US House Sub-Committee
• EthioMedia - Birtukan and the law
• IEWO - International Ethiopian Women's Organisation

Birtukan Mideksa

Article by Mintesinot Haile in Nazret.com:

Ethiopia's next national election is a year away, but tensions are already increasing as Birtukan Mideksa, one of the key opposition politicians has been jailed, possibly facing life in prison; and security forces have arrested several others, accusing them of plotting against the government on behalf of Geembot-7 conspiring with EPLF from Diaspora. With the recent election episodes taking place in Iran as a reminder, both the TPLF-regime and opposition leaders are seriously expressing their respective concerns about the potential for election-related violence in the 2010 election time within and outside Ethiopia.

Incidentally, in her long-standing history, Ethiopia is blessed in having women leaders coming to power from time to time. Since the time of Queen Sheba/Saba of the Old Testament few women of leadership caliber have happen to suddenly appear from no where and held power at times when Ethiopia faces critical danger and grave difficulties. Birtukan is one of those Ethiopian heroines in contemporary history without any parallel to draw in our time. I strongly inclined to have faith in that it is God's wisdom to have brought someone born in 1974 from an Oromo-Ethiopian humble household to lead this war-prickle country of ours to a peaceful transition and stability. That person is no one else but our Lady Liberty Birtukan Mideksa, who is charged not because she has done any criminal wrong but for telling nothing but the absolute truth to the whole world.