OSSREA

Emerging Regions in Ethiopia: Are they catching up with the rest of Ethiopia?

Tegegn Gebre-Egziabhere

This paper examines the performance of emerging regions in Ethiopia with a view of understand whether they are catching up with the rest of Ethiopia. Data showing regional performance in different indicators was collected from relevant ministries and institutions engaged in assisting the emerging regions and from the Central Statistical Agency in order to depict trends of regional development. A regression model was also estimated in order to test the existence of convergence in the Ethiopian regional inequality. The result showed that the emerging regions have improved their human development dimension in the form of education, health and water provision. On the other hand, they lag behind in infrastructural development, poverty reduction and private investment. Though regional development measured in terms of consumption per capita tends to converge in Ethiopia, the convergence is not due to the emerging regions. With this, it is suggested that there is a need to speed up the catching up process through the promotion of endogenous development, private sector attraction, poverty reduction and regional integration.

The Urban Informal Economy in Ethiopia: Theory and Empirical Evidence

Chalachew Getahun

Despite availability of ample empirical evidence regarding the role the urban informal sector plays in the economy of low income households in developing countries in general, development programmes and plans have failed to integrate the sector into the overall development effort. In addition, evidence is limited in the Ethiopian context. This study used national household survey data to explore the roles and characteristics of the informal sector in urban centers of Ethiopia, in light of existing theory. Data was analyzed using simple descriptive statistics such as means and frequencies, and results were discussed using relevant literature, document review and observation. Results show that 1) informal sector employment substantially increased, 2) some production activities such as manufacturing; services; and trade, hotels and restaurant activities decreased while construction and related activities increased, 3) shortage of capital was found to be the major factor limiting work participation in the sector, and the financing of the sector mainly came from informal sources, 4) the level of income per person varied sharply among the various sectors. Finally, the role and characteristics of the Ethiopian urban informal sector is not fully explained by any single theory since all the three theoretical perspectives discussed in the literature review appear to be working in combination.

The Impact of Irrigation on Poverty Reduction and Food Security at The Household Level in South Wollo, Ethiopia

Hassen Beshir

The study was conducted to examine impact of irrigation on poverty alleviation and its determinants on the use of water resources in South Wollo. Gerado small-scale irrigation canal was purposively selected in two Kebele Administrations. Data was collected from 150 farmers and a Propensity score matching econometric model analysis was carried out. The outcome variables were household consumption expenditure and asset building mainly livestock. A logistic robust regression model was fitted to analyze the potential variables affecting household participation in the programme in the study area. Among 10 explanatory variables included in the logistic model, 6 of them were significant. The result indicated that programme participation and the daily calorie intake of the households in the area were significantly influenced by farm size, labor availability; access to extension service, age and size of the household. The programme intervention resulted in a positive and statically significant mean difference between two groups in terms of the outcomes variables daily calorie intake in terms of consumption expenditure and livestock holding. The logit result revealed that the food security of the household was improved by irrigation programme intervention in the study area. The multiple linear regression model estimated results revealed that households who had a larger farm size, frequently contacted office of agricultural extension agents, and had some labor available in farming were less likely to be food in-secure. However, the older the age of the household and the larger the household sizes were, the more likely to be food in-secure. Accordingly, access to irrigation through small and large scale irrigation must be ensured to increase productivity and hence reduce and alleviate poverty in the region. This would help to adapt to the increasing hostile climate change the country is facing. People are poor due to shortage of resources or inability to use them. Therefore, farm household asset formation and provision of extension and credit services should be given priority. Such actions may, in turn, alleviate the current problem of food insecurity and lead in the long run to economic development. Population planning intervention along with holistic approach to improve the education level is needed to overcome the poverty problem.

The Role of Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) in Improving Female-Headed Households’ Food Security: The Case of Enebsie Sar Midir District of The Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Arega Bazezew Berlie

Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) run by the government of Ethiopia since 2005, has been serving millions of the poor in smoothening consumption and preventing asset depletion. Nevertheless, chronic food insecure households have increased from time to time partly associated with unpredictable weather conditions. The problem is more severe for female-headed households residing in drought prone areas of Ethiopia. The study investigated the contribution of PSNP in improving food security by surveying proportionately sampled 200 female-headed rural households in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. Quantitative and qualitative data analyses were used; the former employed multiple linear regression modeling. The study identified that 43% of the sampled households were graduands of the safety nets programme; however, there was no significance difference in terms of food availability between graduated and non-graduated households. From the study it was learnt that PSNP has brought empowerment and community recognition of women; yet, premature graduation, lack transparency in targeting and delay transfer of safety nets were the major challenges encountered by the beneficiary female-headed households. Hence, monitoring and evaluation systems currently prevailing by programme implementers need to be strengthened gender sensitive indicators for the reason that gender is relevant in all dimensions of food and nutritional security. Besides, to attain the anticipated results of the safety nets, female-headed households need to be trained on gender mainstreaming and be clear to the criteria used in targeting and graduation from safety nets.

Pathways of Livelihood Transformation Among Borana of Southern Ethiopia

Degefa Tolossa

Whether pastoral communities should sustain through pure pastoral way of life or diversify their sources of livelihoods by growing some crops and engaging in non-pastoral activities has become a contested issue. This article discusses how the livelihood system of the Borana people shifts from pure pastoralism to agro pastoralism as well as to non-pastoral activities in response to various natural disasters and human factors. The paper is drawn on an exploratory qualitative study conducted at the two selected sites in Yabello Woreda of the Borana Zone. Data was generated by conducting Key Informants Interviews, Focus Group Discussions, Individual Case Studies and Direct Observations.The Borana’s livestock resource has declined and hence impoverishment expanded over years. Milk yield per cow per day has fallen, and the breeding time of cows increased. Some pastoralists have decided to settle down and engage in crop production and non-pastoral activities. They have diversified their sources of income by integrating livestock rearing with crop production and non-farm activities, which require sedentrization either in rural or urban settings. Their main food stuff has shifted from livestock products - milk and milk products dominant to grain – Badala (maize) dominant. Relying on Badala Tumma as sole food stuff has adversely affected their balanced diet. It is suggested that the Borana people should seriously think about diversifying sources of their food stuffs. The crop production and non-farm livelihood activities among the Borana deserve concrete back up related to institutional capacity development, technical and knowledge, financial and infrastructural development.

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in Ethiopia: Developments, Research, and Implications

Belay Tefera

Early childhood care and education has been for many years in Ethiopia. However, these experiences were not systematized, reflected up on and, hence, efforts were not made to extract lessons and delineate future directions. This paper has made a modest attempt to bring to light developments registered, gaps noted and future areas of focus both in intervention and research. It examined the past and present of ECCE developments focusing on policies, programmes and curricula as well as implementation (modalities, government and parent involvement, coordination, monitoring) practices. Almost all available and accessible government documents, secondary data, and research reports in the field up until 2016 were consulted. Findings seem to suggest that although early years’ education had longer presence and was, in due course, able to make significant strides in terms of design, implementation, as well as outcomes, it had, however, been noted to making little progress in terms of, for example, access, equity, quality, and relevance. ECCE in Ethiopia has still been noted to attracting tremendous research but critical, relevant, novel, and comprehensive investigations are yet to come. The paper outlined future directions of programmematic design, intervention and research to enhancing a more professional ECCE delivery in Ethiopia.

Students’ Experience and Attitude towards Corporal Punishment in The Elementary Schools of the Central Zone of Tigray Region in Ethiopia

R. Sreevalsa Kumar and Fiseha Teklu

Children in Ethiopia are legally protected against all forms of cruel and inhuman treatment including corporal punishment (CP) at school as well as other childcare institutions. They, indeed, enjoy a constitutional right in this regard. However, in reality, they are indiscriminately subjected to CP in schools. Their experience with CP in schools through their own voice is hardly heard. Aiming to obtain descriptive information concerning the nature and consequences of CP from students, this study was conducted in the second cycle elementary schools of the Central Zone of Tigray Region, Ethiopia. Further, this study also assessed students’ attitude towards CP and its association with some of their demographics. A group administered instrument pack with three sections was used to collect data from 670 students drawn using multistage cluster sampling procedure. The results indicated that a quarter of students are subjected to CP. More male students are punished with CP than female students. A wide range of students’ behaviours attract CP. For the majority, CP did not lead to any psychological aftereffects. However, significant portions of students experienced various psychological effects of which some are of serious nature. CP resulted in different physical effects too. The attitude of students towards CP is predominantly negative. While student demographics such as grade level, fathers’ education, mothers’ education and their status of being corporally punished influence their attitude, gender does not influence it. Implications for further research, teacher training and reforms in policy implementation are explored.

Teacher Gender Preferences of All-boys, All-girls, and Mixed-Sex School Students in Addis Ababa

Enguday Ademe

The main objective of this study was to examine the teacher gender preferences of students in all-boys and all-girls schools in Addis Ababa. It also assessed preferences along school types (single-sex and mixed-sex) and gender (boys and girls) lines. Quantitative data was collected from a total of 751 randomly selected students (312 all-girls school, 250 all-boys school, and 189 mixed-gender school students). Documents were reviewed and informal discussions were held. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of frequency counts and percentage distributions. Some quantitative analyses were also supported by qualitative descriptions. The findings revealed that all-boys and all-girls schools students did not have teacher gender preferences, except for mathematics and physical science subjects – fields that are stereotyped as masculine territories. Preferences were not school type or gender dependent. The ‘like is good for like’ teacher recruitment approach was rejected.

Cultural Capital and Students’ Academic Performance: The Case of Ethiopian Higher Educational Institutions

Mikyas Abera and Padmanaban Murugan

Since its origin in early 1950s, the Ethiopian higher education system has progressively undergone modest expansion. Its age-old challenges of inequality of opportunity and inefficiency have not withered. This study focuses on one of these challenges i.e. inequality and assesses the effectiveness of the post-1990s governmental interventions to bring the equalization of higher educational opportunity. Specifically, it assesses the relationship between parental cultural capital and students’ entry to and academic performance at three public universities. The authors employed a mixed methods approach to gather and discuss data relevant to students’ higher educational experience. The study found strong associations between parental cultural capital and students’ probability of entry to and success in higher education. The findings attest to the development of a scenario that could easily feed into the reproduction of structural disadvantages of students from low income households at the larger societal canvas. It concludes with a discussion on a few modest, pragmatic and policy-relevant recommendations.

Cultural Capital and Students’ Academic Performance: The Case of Ethiopian Higher Educational Institutions

Mikyas Abera and Padmanaban Murugan

Experiences of Gender Based Violence among Refugee Populations in Uganda: Evidence from Four Refugee Camps

Japheth Kwiringira, Marion Mutabazi, Firminus Mugumya, Edward Kaweesi, Deogratias Munube, Joseph Rujumba

In refugee generating situations, flight conditions and actual refugee circumstances, Gender Based Violence take different forms like rape, female genital mutilation, physical, psychological and emotional abuse, defilement and bride kidnapping in the name of ‘early marriage’ and sexual harassment among others. These forms are heightened by the adverse conditions of lack of basic needs, unequal power relations, breakdown of institutions of social control and order, exposure to the dangers of group violence and low capacity of protection agencies both local and international, and the host governments. This study intended to detail refugee experiences of Gender Based Violence among refugees in Uganda as well as the associated factors. We conducted a qualitative study and used content-thematic approach analysis. While there was high GBV awareness; this did not translate into reduced susceptibility. Detection, prevention and response to GBV were curtailed by an intersectionality of unequal power relations, poverty, and a multiplicity of cultures that concealed the nature, extent and reality of GBV. Effective GBV prevention requires an array of interventions and ‘capacities’ especially access to basic needs for individuals and households. Our findings aver that, gender based violence is endemic in peripheral hard to reach, conflict and post-conflict settings than in more stable communities due to under-reporting and concealment that are associated with numerous capacity challenges in access and utilisation of the available services. The extreme conditions that refugees go through during displacement, flight and resettlement tend to exacerbate and sustain GBV.