Poor state of equality
"Only if we improve the social standing of women will Ethiopia be able to beat poverty in the long term!" says Karlheinz Böhm and in virtually every public address he enjoins people to fight for the equality of men and women. Although the Ethiopian constitution women accords them more or less the same rights as the men, in everyday life women and girls are still strongly disadvantaged and have to bear the brunt of poverty – in the truest sense of the word, when one sees them carrying bundles of wood or heavy water jars over distances of many kilometres. Against a background of ancient traditions, this type of time-consuming and labour-intensive household tasks prevents them from taking a school education or vocational training, which would enable them to achieve a better standard of living.
Menschen für Menschen for women
One of the main objectives of Menschen für Menschen is to improve the social situation of women and give them a perspective. The programme embraces educational campaigns, vocational training and instruction on how to improve housekeeping routines, family planning and hygiene. Further measures are loan programmes, which enable poor farmer’s wives and single mothers to earn their own money and thus the opportunity to take their lives into their own hands.
