Advocacy Workshop on GBV, SRH, Family Planning, and Social

September 30, 2024 – Hawassa, Ethiopia
Population Media Center-Ethiopia (PMC-E), in collaboration with the United
Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), conducted a vital advocacy workshop in
the Sidama region, focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), Sexual and
Reproductive Health (SRH), Family Planning (FP), and Social Cohesion.
This event brought together key stakeholders from both regional and
woreda levels to tackle pressing social and health issues.

The workshop was designed to empower stakeholders with knowledge and strategies to address the interrelated issues of GBV, SRH, FP, and social cohesion. The specific objectives were:

• Raising Awareness: Increase understanding among stakeholders about the importance of addressing GBV, SRH, and FP, and how they impact social cohesion.
• Providing Evidence: Share data on the prevalence and effects of GBV and emphasize the role of SRH and FP services.
• Building Communication Skills: Equip participants with the tools to effectively communicate these topics to diverse audiences.
• Fostering Collaboration: Encourage partnerships among government agencies, NGOs, and community organizations to enhance collective action.
• Sharing Best Practices: Create a platform for stakeholders to exchange experiences and successful approaches to addressing GBV and promoting SRH and FP.
• Identifying Needs: Facilitate discussions to identify specific community needs regarding GBV, SRH, FP, and social cohesion.
• Setting Goals: Establish clear objectives and timelines for implementing pilot project activities at the woreda level.
• Promoting Cross-Sector Collaboration: Strengthen collaboration among sectors such as health, education, law enforcement, and community-based organizations to ensure a holistic approach.

The event aimed to equip stakeholders with the knowledge, skills, and networks required to implement projects that improve community well-being in relation to GBV, SRH, FP, and social cohesion.

Remarks from Key Figures:

Remarks from Key Figures:

Mr. Misganaw Hailu, Gender Director at the Sidama Region’s Bureau of Women, Youth, and Social Affairs, praised PMC-E’s longstanding

 contributions to the region, particularly in the fight against harmful practices. He noted that PMC’s experience in creating impactful radio programs has been instrumental in raising awareness. He also highlighted the government’s commitment to tackling these issues and expressed his bureau’s full support for the project in collaboration with UNFPA.

Mr. Tadesse Hailemariam, Program Coordinator for UNFPA’s Hawassa Hub field Office Program Coordinator for Sidama, Central Ethiopia and South Ethiopia Regional States, echoed these sentiments. He highlighted PMC-E’s success in using multimedia to create life-changing programs, particularly for women and girls. Mr. Tadesse emphasized UNFPA’s excitement about partnering with PMC-E, as both organizations strive to inspire communities to embrace healthier, more equitable futures.

Mrs. Tigist Moges, Program Manager at PMC-Ethiopia, warmly welcomed the participants and outlined the purpose of the workshop. She announced the launch of a new, research-based multimedia project in two selected woredas of Sidama. This pilot project, which will expand to larger areas in 2025, aims to address GBV and harmful practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage. Mrs. Tigist highlighted PMC-E’s

successful track record in fostering community engagement and creating change agents, including religious leaders, elders, youth, and women leaders, who are expected to play a crucial role in eradicating GBV and harmful practices in their communities.

Finally, she encouraged all participants, as well as regional and woreda offices, to actively engage with PMC-E to ensure the successful execution of the project.

The workshop was attended by representatives from various regional and woreda-level offices, including:

• Women, Youth and Social Affairs Bureau
• Government Communication Affairs
• Plan and Development Bureau
• Health Bureau
• Education Bureau
• Security
• Religious organizations
• School directors from selected woredas
• Community elders, role models, and survivors of GBV and harmful practices

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