Meron Aragaw Erkihun, former Executive Director of the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA), has been recognized in the 2026 Courtroom Mail 100 list of top legal professionals, highlighting her contributions to women’s rights advocacy and human rights in Ethiopia.
During her tenure at EWLA from 2017, Meron led efforts to promote and protect women’s economic, political, social, and legal rights through free legal aid, public education, capacity building, research, and policy advocacy. The organization, founded in 1995 by women lawyers, envisions a society where Ethiopian women enjoy equal rights with men under the constitution and international standards.
Meron, now Gender, Youth, and Inclusion Advisor at Engender Health, has been active in addressing online gender-based violence and legal gaps affecting women’s safety. She has participated in national dialogues with organizations like the Ethiopian Women’s Development Organization (EWDO) and the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA) to push for reforms.
Her inclusion in the Courtroom Mail 100 – a prestigious annual ranking of influential lawyers – underscores her impact on legal reform, women’s empowerment, and human rights amid Ethiopia’s evolving judicial landscape.
