A Study on Violence Against Girls in Primary Schools and its Impacts on Girls’ Education in Ethiopia

Despite the legal provisions and efforts to reduce and eliminate violence against children, particularly girls, violence and abuse seem to be widespread in Ethiopia - taking place at home, in schools, and in the community at large. This 110-page paper identifies and analyses the types, prevalence, major causes, and effects of violence against girls in schools in Ethiopia. It also aims to assess the availability and effectiveness of policies, rules, and regulations and offers recommendations on ways to reduce violence against school girls. The study was commissioned by Save the Children Denmark (SCD) - Ethiopia, in collaboration with the Federal Ministries of Education and Women’s Affairs and involved key stakeholders of the education sector (students, teachers, parents, and others) living in diverse geographical and cultural settings.

Findings show that school girls in all areas of Ethiopia are subjected to various types of abuse and violence in their homes, on their way to and from school, as well as in the schools. The types of violence and abuse vary in prevalence across the country, and there are urban and rural variations as well.

According to the report, the types of violence and abuse can roughly be divided into traditional forms of violence, such as abductions, early and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation (FGM), and acts of violence that are not based on traditional norms and values. These types of violence include corporal punishment, beating, sexual harassment, snatching of property, and insults and degradation. According to the report, even though these types of violence are not founded in traditions, they do reflect a patriarchal society in which girls are considered to have a lower status than men.

The analysis of the causes of the different types of violence against school girls showed that violence and abuse, particularly those that occur in the school and on the way to and from school, are a result of clashes between traditional roles, along with expectations of adolescent girls (such as early marriage), and the modern lifestyle which encourages access to education for girls. The analysis concludes that the success of increasing the numbers of girls being enrolled and retained in the education system has, therefore, led to other problems such as exposure to the various types of violence and abuse identified in this study.

According to the study, the majority of the girls said that the various types of violence and abuse against school girls negatively affected their regular school attendance, leading to an increased rate of absenteeism. A girl who has been verbally abused or sexually harassed by her teacher is more likely to skip the teacher’s class in order to avoid further abuse or harassment. A girl who has been sexually assaulted on the way to and from school is discouraged from going to school. Also, excessive workload at home often leads to late arrival at school. Consequently, school girls may be forced to miss one or two lessons or even a whole school day if the school has a closed-school-gate policy. The study also shows that the various types of violence and abuse have a negative impact on school girls’ ability to concentrate in class, which in turn has an impact on their class participation and performance.

In addition, traditional types of violence have a severe effect on girls’ access to education. Early and forced marriage either prevent girls from being enrolled or may cause them to drop out. Abduction is a major threat to girls’ education, in particular, because it is a threat faced by girls on their way to and from school. Female genital mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), which affects many girls of schooling age, will also interrupt their school attendance.

Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, the following are some of the recommendations put forward in the report:

• Train all teachers in non-violent methods of disciplining students.
• Include in the civic and ethical education curriculum topics such as children’s rights and gender equality, effects of harmful traditional practices (HTPs), effects of violence against/among girls and boys, and methods on how to create harmonious and equal relationships between boys and girls.
• Strengthen the gender component of the curriculum, and continuously educate and create awareness among school communities to stop physical, psychological, and sexual violence and abuses.
• Establish and strengthen girls’ and boys’ clubs in higher primary as well as secondary schools, and build up their capacity to report and follow-up on violence and abuse against school girls in and around schools.
• Establish and strengthen school children’s protection committees with representatives from school children and school communities, including female teachers, which will be responsible for monitoring violence and abuse against school girls within the school, on the way to and from school, and in the home/community.
• Raise awareness among parents/communities and children about children’s rights in general and school rules and regulations in particular.
• Raise awareness about the negative effects of HTPs within the local communities through effective mobilisation of religious and community leaders, including health professionals, educators, and Iddirs (traditional associations, sometimes associated with the informal "social insurance" of a community safety net, associated with community decision-making, and with local burial practices).
• Involve non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) in efforts to mobilise communities and create child protection structures, which can address violence on the way to and from school.