Ethiopia

Ethiopia, one of the oldest countries in the world and the oldest independent nation in Africa, is a land-locked country located in the horn of Africa. With a population of approximately 60 million, Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa. Ethiopia is a country characterized by diversity in landscape, ethnicity, religion, and language, with the country being home to at least 80 different ethnic groups. Each group has its own culture, language, and traditions, infusing elements of both African and Middle Eastern customs, yet only nine so-called nationalities are formally recognized in the Constitution of the country.

This child progressed tremendously after being brought to a stabilization and therapeutic center near Konso, Ethiopia.

Ethiopia has a largely rural population, and accordingly has the largest livestock population on the continent. Despite the fact that the country is overwhelmingly rural, recent decades have seen mass influx to the urban centers, with the capital city Addis Ababa becoming a melting pot of cultures.

Ethiopia's recent history has been characterized by decades of political turmoil, civil war, economic recession, [Page 500]and famine, that was particularly pronounced in the 1980s, when impoverished children from Ethiopia becoming recognized at the “face of Africa,” and approximately 1 million people lost their lives due to war and starvation. Recently, Ethiopia has made strong headway in building its economy, and is currently recognized as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, with the largest economy in East Africa and a growth rate from $9 billion in the 1990s to an estimated $33.9 billion in 2009. This phenomenal growth rate is based primarily on its honey, cut flower, and coffee production and exports. Despite the economic growth rate, the majority of Ethiopians remain exceptionally poor, with many surviving on less than $1 per day.

Ethiopia has historically had very clearly defined, specific gender roles for males and females, with males being entrusted as providers, while females have largely been relegated to the home sphere, engaging in domestic chores and childcare.

Parents have also traditionally raised boys with more leeway than their female counterparts, and girls have, from an early age, assumed domestic responsibilities. With the patrilineal extended family being the core structure in terms of family and social life, girl children have historically assisted their elders on the domestic front, largely with cooking, cleaning, and childcare but have been prohibited from inheriting unless a girl's father has died prior to her marriage or there are no sons eligible to inherent. Marriage is legally only permissible in Ethiopian law at the age of 18, yet approximately 30 percent of females in Ethiopia between the ages of 15 and 19 are either married, divorced, or widowed and female abduction for the purpose of marriage remains high despite contravening Ethiopian law. In addition, Ethiopia has one of the highest partner abuse statistics in the world, with 59 percent of Ethiopian women reporting that they have been raped by a partner. Eighty percent of the female population is also subject to female genital mutilation, although this cultural practice is punishable by incarceration or a hefty fine.

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