Factors Affecting Women’s Participation in Leadership Position: The Case of Yeka Sub City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

International, continental, and national policies and laws recognize the equality rights of women and take affirmative measures to fill the participation gaps between women and men. However, the actual practice remains untouched so there many factors hinder them from participating in decision-making on various issues concerning their interests in particular and national level at large. Accordingly, this study investigated Factors affecting Women’s Participation in Leadership Positions: The Case of Yeka Sub City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The study applied a qualitative research approach to collect and analyze data from primary and secondary sources. Purposely selected government officials were interviewed; focus group discussions were conducted. Furthermore, various secondary sources of information were referred to. And data were analyzed qualitatively. The findings show that though there are efforts to design legal and policy frameworks like FDRE Constitution and National Women Policy, there are still many factors like attitudes that undermine women’s leadership participation, women’s withdrawal from leadership assignments due to fear of geographical mobility, and separation from, family and patriarchal culture are the major factors that hinder women from participation in decision-making levels. Therefore, the concerned organs should work to make calculated interventions as required and to bring about practical and attitudinal changes to respect the equality rights of women in participation at decision-making levels.