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Illegal migration has recently become a huge talking point on the world stage. From nationalist leaders railing against illegal migrants, to news reports of people dying while trying to make the treacherous sea crossing from North Africa to Europe, the plight of those trying to escape to other countries to make better lives for themselves is a controversial issue. Ethiopia, with one of the largest refugee populations in the world, is also one of the biggest points of outflow for migrants. But different bodies are trying to protect these vulnerable migrants from the traffickers and smugglers who are trading them like commodities. EBR’s Menna Asrat reports.



The Rising Popularity of Physiotherapy and Chiropractic Clinics

As people in urban areas such as Addis Ababa find themselves grappling with changing lifestyles and income levels, they are also becoming aware of the benefits of physiotherapy clinics. Once the domain of clinics and hospitals providing limited services to people with disabilities or those involved in accidents, physiotherapy education and services are spreading throughout the country. As the demand increases, the number of clinics is also steadily increasing, although insiders say there is a long way to go. EBR’s Menna Asrat reports.


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Bringing Begena Back to Life

Begena, a traditional ten stringed instrument mainly used in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, has long been a trademark of Ethiopia’s  liturgical music and traditional services. However, over the past few decades, there has been a decline in the number of students learning the art, leading to a decrease in the number of teachers and masters of the instruments. But a few individuals are now trying to bring back the art of Begena, on their own, as EBR’s Menna Asrat found.


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Bineta Diop is the Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security to the African Union (AU). The first woman to hold the position of special envoy, Diop is also the founder of Femmes Africa Solidarite (FAS), a non-governmental organisation that promotes women’s rights and interests in Africa. As the daughter of a feminist mother, she managed to complete school in her home country of Senegal, at a time and place where not many women were able to. She studied business in Paris, where she accompanied her husband, a career diplomat, over various countries and events, including to Ethiopia for three years during Emperor Haile Selassie. Having joined the International Commission of Jurists, human rights NGO in Geneva in 1981, she then started FAS in 1996. Diop was also involved in in the development of the African Charter on Human and People’s rights (also known as the Banjul Charter), as well as the Protocol to African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women In Africa (the Maputo Protocol), alongside a group of African lawyers. In her position as Special Envoy, she was instrumental in the development of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda for the AU, and the subsequent Continental Results Framework. She sat down with EBR’s Menna Asrat on the sidelines of the recent African Union Summit, to discuss the developments in the position of women on the continent in light of International Women’s Day 2019. Diop stressed that the AU will continue working on the grassroots level by putting federations of women’s groups, which she calls them ‘the army without guns’ together all over Africa to amplify women voices.


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Women with Disabilities Facing Indescribable Danger

In Ethiopia, the plight of people with disabilities has long been ignored or pushed aside. Various myths and misconceptions face people with disabilities in their quest for recognition and inclusion. But for women living with disabilities, this is not the only hurdle they have to face. As in many developing countries, women in Ethiopia who live with disabilities face the added challenge of sexual and gender based violence. Although there is no clear consensus on the number of victims, many women with disabilities in developing countries face the same problem. EBR’s Menna Asrat reports.


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The #MeToo campaign has increased the confidence of women, mainly Western women, to report sexual and gender-based violence. A year after the Harvey Weinstein story broke; the conversation has extended well into Hollywood and beyond. Countless other powerful and famous men have been felled by accusations, victims and advocates have bonded together in hopes of evolution and healing, and the entertainment industry has attempted to keep up with seismic change. But in developing countries like Ethiopia, the shame and blame on the victims has largely kept them silent. In fiercely patriarchal societies, where religion and tradition define the role of women, simply reporting abuse against women in the entertainment industry is so difficult that it is not even considered to bring down men of power, as #MeToo has allowed. EBR’s Menna Asrat reports.


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A Rising Star on The Horizon

Behailu Wase is one of the popular stars in the Ethiopian television and film industry. As a writer, director and producer, Behailu is the mind behind one of the most popular sitcoms on Ethiopian television: Min Litazez. The young writer has also produced some of the country’s most well received films, such as Ayrak and YeLidete Qen. Having been involved in the film and television industry for almost a decade, Behailu has seen all the ins and outs of the business. He sat down with EBR’s Menna Asrat to discuss the challenges facing the creative and dramatic arts in Ethiopia, as well the inspirations behind his own work.


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Modelling has been an established career in much of the world for a long time. Involved in advertising, runway shows, and everything in between, models have cultivated a reputation as being well paid and respected in many parts of the world. However, in Ethiopia, modelling was not seen as a career with a future, as was the case with many creative careers. In fact, it is only within the past decade or so that modelling has started to come into the mainstream, with televised competitions, and schools dedicated to the subject. EBR’s Menna Asrat spoke with industry insiders to understand how modelling is developing.


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Ambulances are an everyday sight in Addis, zipping from one side of the city to the other, carrying patients to hospitals around the city. However, even as they carry out their life saving work, they are faced with many obstacles, including Addis’ notorious traffic problem, which delays them from reaching their destinations in a timely manner. EBR’s Menna Asrat explores the problem and what is being done to lessen it.


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Reflecting on Drama

Alemayehu Tadesse is one of Ethiopia’s most accomplished actors and playwright. Having worked in television, film and theatre, as well as being a producer and writer, Alemayehu has seen the ups and downs of Ethiopia’s arts scene for two decades. Through his involvement in plays like Babylon beSalon, and radio stories like Efoyta, Alemayehu has become one of the most popular actors and producers in the country. In addition, as one of the members of the committee that reviews new plays submitted to the National Theatre, he is well positioned to reflect on the development of the dramatic arts in Ethiopia. EBR’s Menna Asrat spoke with him about the roadblocks dramatic arts is facing and what the future holds for Ethiopia’s acting industry.




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