(July 26/2017) A training of trainers was provided to stakeholders from regional and city administrations to help the community and stakeholders understand, prevent and respond to sexual violence in and around schools.

Speaking at the launch of the training platform, Ms. Mehrete Kristo Tamiru, Executive Director of the Women and Social Affairs Unit at the Ministry of Education, said that a coordinated effort is being made to ensure that schools and their environments are free from any sexual violence so that parents can send their children to school without fear and students can learn freely and be effective.

He also pointed out that the main objective of the training is to create the capacity of the school and the surrounding community to identify and prevent sexual violence, regardless of its causes and types, and to respond appropriately when it occurs.

Ato Ketema Legesse, Executive Director of the Monitoring, Support and Supervision of the Implementation of the Gender Equality Act at the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, stressed that key stakeholders, especially from the federal to the lower levels, should work in coordination and cooperation to increase the educational participation of women and children.

On the other hand, Ato Eskinder Lakewe, Head of the Women, Children and Youth Group at the Ministry of Education, stated that increasing the role of women in leadership at all levels of education will contribute significantly to reducing the number of absenteeism, repetition and dropout of female and child students and increasing their effectiveness and benefits.