Ethiopia’s Flirtation With Hard Drugs

Issues with drug abuse are not new to developing countries. Often affecting the poorest and youngest members of society, hard drugs are starting to become a risk to public health. In Ethiopia, hard drug use was almost unheard of until the past few years. Nowadays, it is more common to see young teenagers on the street drinking or abusing solvents out in the open. However, the ‘traditional’ drugs such as khat and alcohol are not the only substances being abused by young people anymore. Foreign drugs, such as cocaine and ketamine are becoming more widely consumed, especially amongst young people. EBR’s Menna Asrat reports

A Problem Ignored in Ethiopia

Child labour has long been discussed as an issue in many parts of the world. In particular, families in developing countries have long relied on all members, even the youngest, to help shoulder the load of providing for the family. Although some experts have contended that there are ways for children to help with families’ livelihoods without being affected themselves, many children sent out to work are exposed to violations of their rights through physical and even sexual abuse, labour abuse and human trafficking. EBR’s Menna Asrat reports.

Ethiopia’s Hidden Victims

Sexual abuse against children is a surprisingly frequent, but unreported issue. To make it worse, most cases go unreported because of the accompanying stigma. While the level of psycho-social assistance for victims is quite low, the abused children can also suffer from depression to substance abuse issues. The names of the victims and their families have been changed to protect their identities. EBR’s Menna Asrat reports.

Zuriel Oduwole, the 16-year old documentary film maker and girls’ education activist, recently made a trip to Ethiopia to premiere her new documentary, “Follow the Ball for Education” to a group of female students and young professionals. The trip was part of a four-country tour around the world with the film, where Oduwole also spoke about the importance of educating girls. EBR’s Menna Asrat was on hand at the Radisson Blu Hotel to watch the documentary and speak with Oduwole about her work.

The Fate of Arada Hangs in the Balance

Piassa, at the heart of Addis Ababa is representative of the city’s old face. It was long known for being the go to place for commerce, and leisure. But in the past few years, urban development has been changing the face of the area. As the older parts of the city are being demolished residents feel that Piassa has lost some of its unique character. EBR’s Menna Asrat went to Piassa to find out what makes Piassa tick and what residents think the future holds for Addis’ old city.