HE President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Sahle-Work Zewde received the credentials of HE Saad bin Mubarak Al Nuaimi as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

HE the Ambassador conveyed the greetings of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to HE the President of Ethiopia, wishing Her Excellency the best of health and happiness, and the government and people of Ethiopia further progress and prosperity.

For her part, HE the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia entrusted HE the Ambassador to convey her greetings to HH the Amir, wishing His Highness the best of health and happiness, and the State of Qatar further development and progress.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The State of Qatar.

Morocco’s Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, and Spain’s Ambassador to Morocco, Enrique Ojeda, examined, here Friday, the ways to promote bilateral cooperation in youth, culture and communication.

During this meeting, both parties hailed the strong historical ties and the strategic relations between the Kingdoms of Morocco and Spain, welcoming the new momentum experienced by these relations, following the meeting between His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez in April 2022, and the adoption, on this occasion, of the Joint Declaration between the two countries, the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication said in a press release.

They also underlined the importance of cultural rapprochement between Moroccan and Spanish peoples, particularly in view of Morocco’s organization, alongside Spain and Portugal, of the 2030 World Cup.

In this context, the two officials agreed to devise a joint action plan in youth, communication and culture, calling for promoting women’s presence in the sports press as well as strengthening ties between Moroccan sports journalists and their Spanish peers in the run-up to the 2030 World Cup.

They also underlined the importance of promoting institutional collaboration between the Higher Institute of Information and Communication (ISIC) and the University of Madrid.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Communication – Kingdom of Morocco.

“We began our life together from scratch. I was full of life, passion and blind love,” says mother-of-three Mwaka*. “Then, later, you find out who the person truly is.”

At 22, Mwaka married a man she met through her mother. He had been hired to work as a science and English teacher at her mother’s private school. 

Young and love-struck, Mwaka could not see the ways her partner was manipulating and abusing her. “He pinched me, made me feel insecure and irrational,” she told UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. “In the end, I was the one to apologize for all the mistakes I didn’t make.” 

Across Zambia, more than one third of women reported in 2018 that they had experienced physical violence since the age of 15. Meanwhile, nearly half of all ever-married women aged 15 to 49 said they had survived emotional, physical or sexual violence by a husband or partner.

During Mwaka’s 11-year marriage, her husband became increasingly violent; he refused to let her leave the house alone and attacked her, leaving bruises all over her face and body. He threatened to kill her and her children, once even putting a knife to Mwaka’s neck.

“As I see now, he wanted to have full control over me,” Mwaka said. 

Fortunately, she was able to break free. With help from relatives, she and her children escaped her husband and were escorted by police to a nearby refuge: The Laweni shelter. 

A safe haven

In the Chewa language, Laweni can mean “rest” or “safe haven”. And that’s what many of the women and girls who come to stay at the shelter seek.

Run by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YMCA) of Zambia, the UNFPA-supported shelter mainly serves survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking, as well as those facing early or adolescent pregnancy. It provides women and girls with access to food, clothing, medical treatment, antenatal care, legal assistance and psychosocial counselling.

“When coming to the shelter, women carry a heavy burden,” Grace, a counsellor, told UNFPA. “But here, we create a safe space for them to open up and speak about their true feelings and struggles.” 

When Mwaka first arrived at the Laweni shelter, she felt relieved that her experience of abuse was over. But other emotions also swept in: Fear. A deep sense of loss. The shattering of her self-esteem and confidence.

She questioned her decision to leave her husband and worried about her children’s futures. But as she worked through the trauma she had experienced, she began to emotionally recover.

“My mind opened up to see new perspectives,” Mwaka said. “I started feeling hopeful, and I was able to process my feelings and pain and to regain strength and perseverance.” 

It’s a transformation Grace has witnessed before in other women. “They free themselves from the fear, shame, guilt, anger, resentment and self-loathing,” she said. “Most importantly, they know they are not alone.” 

Counsellors are available for the women and girls at the shelter day and night. Legal services are also accessible; Mwaka had a lawyer assigned to her case and a protection order granted against her husband. 

“I feel very happy to be here and be part of these women’s journey,” Grace said. “I have seen how women suffer; I just want to help them speak up and to know what they can do despite the past.” 

“I see them as sisters and daughters,” she continued. “I believe in them.”

A new normal

After spending a few months at the YMCA-run shelter, Mwaka was able to move out with her children to her mother’s house. 

Women’s stays at the Laweni shelter vary widely, with some living there for two weeks – others for up to a year or longer.

With her fresh start, Mwaka enrolled her children in a new school and began working part-time as an office clerk. Sitting in her kitchen in July 2023, the avid painter reflected on her experiences and how they’ve shaped her while surrounded by her own colourful creations.

“I learned invaluable lessons from what happened,” Keiza said. “When you detach yourself from an abuser, you can see the value of who you are. And once you realize the value of who you are, you will thrive.”

* Names have been changed. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The United States launched a new program that will engage Ethiopian communities in health-related decision-making, to improve knowledge and understanding of their rights, available services, and fee structures, so that they can manage their own health.  The $35 million dollar project is designed to ensure that all community members, including the most marginalized, have access to Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent services by enhancing services in private and independent health facilities.

It will be implemented over four years and is called the USAID Empowered Communities Activity.  It will work with the Ministry of Health to build the capacity of civil society organizations, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and private sector actors for more transparent, responsive, and accountable health services.

The new activity was launched in Addis Ababa, and was attended by USAID/Ethiopia’s Deputy Mission Director Tim Stein, Dr Ruth Nigatu, Chief of Staff to Minister of Health, Executive Vice President of Project Hope Chris Skopec, regional health bureaus, donor agencies, development partners, UN and civil society organizations, and academia and the private sector, among others.

Over the past decades, USAID has worked with partners to strengthen Primary Health Care in Ethiopia.  For 120 years, the United States and Ethiopia have partnered in health and education, agriculture and food security, science and the environment, and many other areas to improve the lives of all Ethiopians.

To learn more about the #US-Ethiopia120Years of partnership, visit: U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia and follow U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa | Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia.