Traditional Practices that Affect Women in Gumuz Community and Efforts Made in Mitigating Them in Dibate Woreda, Benishangul Gumuz National Regional State.

Abstract

This study assesses traditional practices (HTPs) that affect women in Gumuz community of the Dibate Woreda of Benishangul Gumuz National Regional State. In order to have a clear understanding of this issue, the researcher focused on how these HTPs in these communities were deep-rooted in terms of their culture and beliefs, as they probably are the major causes for subordinate position of women population in the area. This being the case the general objective of the study is to assess major traditional practices that affect status of women/girls and partners effort in alleviating the problem in the study area. In order to achieve this objective descriptive statistics such as tables, percentages, etc were used to investigate the problem. Both primary and secondary data were used along with key information obtained from local authorities through key informant interview and focus group discussions. Out 12 Gumuz kebeles in the Woreda, four were purposely selected due to access problem. In this study process men & women farmers, community elders and NGO & Government officials were involved in in-depth interview and focus group discussion so as to ensure diversity in the content of information. Based on this about 55 women and 36 men were randomly selected from four sample kebeles for in-depth interview and focus group discussion. The result of the study revealed that there are different traditional practices that contribute for subordinate position of women in the Gumuz community. Some of the major once are exchange marriage, abduction, pride wealth price marriage, polygamy, menstruation taboo, birth giving outside the home, food taboo, rape, early marriage, etc. There are also other practices like son preferences at birth, domestic violence, lack of awareness about girls’ education, lack of women’s right to inherit property and insignificant decision making power of women at both household & community level, which could indirectly affecting status of women through exposing women/girls’ under threat in many aspects of life. Moreover, different organizations (NGO & GO) have been putting their efforts toward reducing these problems in Gumuz community through creating community awareness and providing social services in order to bring social change. On the other hand, the findings revealed that there are also some beneficial practices like absence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), conflict resolution, respecting elders and working together (“Debo”) are some of the major positive practices identified in Gumuz community. In conclusion, harmful traditional practices (HTPs) are largely contributed for lower status of women/girls in the Gumuz community by putting them under discrimination. Despite partners (GO & NGO) effort toward mitigating the problem, these practices are still persisting in the community and needs further interventions.