The Impacts of Harmful Traditional Practices on Women’s Socio-Economic and Political Activities: The Case of Pastoral Women in Hamer Woreda, South Omo Zone, SNNPRS

Abstract

Harmful Traditional Practices are quite common among the pastoralist community where people are substantially livestock producers moving from place to place in search of water and grazing lands. The practice of harmful traditions and prejudices hence cause adverse effects on the lives of women and girls than other community groups in the study area. Pastoral women are therefore socially isolated and have low status, are economically poor and dependent on men for their survival, and the survival of their children. In political leadership pastoral women also do not have as equal rights as men; rather they are dominated by men. In fact, this is the cumulative effect of the prevailing gender ideology. Thus, this research work attempts to identify major Harmful Traditional Practices, which cause life hazards to pastoral women and impair their social, economic and political activities. Furthermore, existing efforts made by the government and Non Governmental Organizations have been critically assessed and possible ways of bringing all the stakeholders including grassroots level community participations to a collaborative effort have been suggested.