The Continuum of Violence Against Women in Eritrea

Abstract

Rachel Odede and Eden Asghedom write on the National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students (NUEYS) and National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW) that are working together with the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) unit of UNICEF and Safe Motherhood Initiative (SMI) of the Ministry of Health to prevent female genital mutilation. They highlight a gradual shift in awareness of and concern about violence against women (VAW) in Eritrea, traced to the days of the liberation movement and sustained through development projects of the government of Eritrea and UNICEF, in collaboration with NUEW and NUEYS in the post-independence period. The article discusses efforts in Eritrea to eliminate the practice of FGM as a form of VAW. Mention is made of other forms of VAW, with particular reference to reproductive health and the recent border conflict with Ethiopia.