FY04 DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ANNUAL SUMMARY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ADDIS ABABA 003855

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/RSA AND AF/E FOR MGONZALES
DEPT PASS TO USAID/AFR/DP/PAB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PHUM KDEM SOCI PREL ET
SUBJECT: FY04 DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ANNUAL SUMMARY
REPORT - ETHIOPIA



1. SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION. In FY04, post provided
funding for six (6) Democracy and Human Rights projects
totaling USD 74,783.00. Post selected these projects in
accordance with the Mission Performance Plan. FY04 projects
improved the quality of life for approximately 155,125
Ethiopians in five of the country's eleven administrative
regions. Thanks to USG support, disadvantaged persons in
Dire Dawa are receiving free legal assistance; women and
children in Oromia Region are less likely to undergo Female
Genital Mutilation and other Harmful Traditional Practices;
and the human rights of disabled and homeless Addis Ababa
residents are being protected through the provision of
overnight shelter, wheelchairs, prosthetics, and orthopedic
shoes. All of the FY04 projects have been completed.
Paragraphs 2-12 provide project descriptions and statuses.
END SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION.

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PRIOR FISCAL YEAR FUNDS
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FY 2002


2. Project number: DHR-02-663-3
Project Holder: Addis Ababa University Faculty of Law
Project Name: Printing of Civil and Criminal Codes
Location: Addis Ababa
Project Description: To print 1,000 paperback sets of three
volumes of civil and criminal cases for distribution to
defense lawyers and legal institutions.
Estimated Number of Beneficiaries: Not indicated in the
proposal
U.S. Contribution: USD 6,000.00
Dollar Amount Disbursed: USD 3,000.00
Unliquidated Balance: USD 6,000.00 (USD 148.60 in advance
and USD 2851.40 refunded to USAID in cash, but total amount
not deobligated due to the unliquidated advance)
Local Contribution: None
Date Obligated: 09/10/02
Project Status: Incomplete.


3. Project Number: DHR-02-663-04
Project Holder: Addis Ababa University Faculty of Political
Science and International Relations
Project Name: Incorporating Human Rights Education in the
Curricula of Higher Education in Ethiopia
Location: Addis Ababa
Project Description: To study the framework and mechanism of
incorporating human rights education in the curricula of
Ethiopian higher education so as to make relevant
recommendations.
Estimated Number of Beneficiaries: Not indicated in the
proposal
U.S. Contribution: USD 8,000.00
Dollar amount Disbursed: USD 8,000.00
Unliquidated Balance: USD 4,502.10 (NOTE: Process is
underway to extend grant ending date in order to allow
expenses incurred after original end date.)
Local Contribution: None
Date obligated: 09/24/2002
Project Status: Completed.



4. Project Number: DHR-02-663-05
Project Holder: Ethiopian Bar Association
Project Name: Establishment of Legal Network
Location: Addis Ababa
Project Description: To establish a legal aid network that
will provide pro-bono legal services to the urban poor and
women and children.
Estimated Number of Beneficiaries: Not indicated in the
proposal
U.S. Contribution: USD 10,000.00
Dollar Amount Disbursed: USD 10,000.00
Unliquidated Balance: USD 433.42
Local Contribution: None
Date Obligated: 9/19/2002
Project Status: Completed

FY 2003


5. Project Number: DHR-03-663-07
Project Holder: Yordanos Development and Rehabilitation
Organization
Project Name: Construction of Feeding Center
Location: Dilla Town, Gedeo Zone, Southern Nations,
Nationalities and Peoples Region
Project Description: To construct a feeding center for
destitute children in Dilla town.
Estimated Number of Beneficiaries: 100 orphans
U.S. Contribution: USD 8657.00
Dollar Amount Disbursed: USD 7936.34
Unliquidated balance: USD 5.07 (to be written off)
Local contribution: USD 2,235.00
Date obligated: 09/08/2003
Project status: Incomplete and abandoned; USAID is
currently in the process of writing off the entire grant
amount.



6. Project Number: DHR-03-663-09
Project Holder: Association of the Promotion of Indigenous
Knowledge
Project Name: Empowering Early Marriage Victims
Location: Borena Saynt Town, Southern Wollo Zone, Amhara
Region
Project Description: To empower women and girls on the
effects of early marriage through awareness creation.
Estimated Number of Beneficiaries: 100
U.S. Contribution: USD 4,979.00
Dollar Amount Disbursed: USD 4978.89
Unliquidated Balance: USD 0.11
Local Contribution: USD 1,846.00
Date Obligated: 09/08/2003
Project status: Completed.


CURRENT FISCAL YEAR (FY04) FUNDS
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7. Project Number: DHR-04-663-01
Project Holder: Bright Legal Support Association
Project Name: Free Legal Aid To The Disadvantaged
Location: Dire Dawa Town, Dire Dawa City Administration
Project Description: To pay office rent and utilities for
one year; pay transportation allowance for 4 persons, 2 of
whom are lawyers; and provide free legal consulting for
disadvantaged persons and present their cases to the court.
Estimated number of Beneficiaries: 500
U.S. Contribution: USD 4,441.00
Dollar Amount Disbursed: USD 3,799.10
Unliquidated Balance: USD 641.90 (deobligated)
Local Contribution: None
Date Obligated: 09/01/2004
Project Status: Completed.


8. Project Number: DHR-04-663-02
Project Holder: Centro Caritativo S. Giusepe, Ethiopian
Catholic Church
Project Name: Care for Those Living in the Streets
Location: Kirkos Sub-city, Addis Ababa City Administration
Project Description: To give care and support for the urban
poor by purchasing and distributing wheelchairs/tricycles,
prosthetics and orthopedic shoes, and by purchasing beds and
providing accommodation for the homeless.
Estimated Number of Beneficiaries: 270
U.S. Contribution: USD 21,916.00
Dollar Amount Disbursed: USD 21,916.00
Unliquidated Balance: None
Local contribution: USD 197.00
Date obligated: 09/01/2004
Project status: Completed.


9. Project Number: DHR-04-663-03
Project Holder: Association of Development and Aid in
Worehimeno Area (ADAW)
Project Name: Awareness Raising to Fight Female Sex Abuse in
Legambo Woreda, South Wollo
Location: Akesta Town, Legambo Woreda, South Wollo Zone,
Amhara Region
Project Description: To undertake rapid pre-intervention
assessment, prepare educational materials, conduct training
of trainers and training campaigns, sensitize community, and
conduct post intervention assessment.
Estimated Number of Beneficiaries: 150,175
U.S. Contribution: USD 7,077.00
Dollar Amount Disbursed: USD 7,064.20
Unliquidated Balance: USD 12.80 (deobligated)
Local Contribution: USD 2,204.00
Date Obligated: 09/01/2004
Project Status: Completed.


10. Project Number: DHR-04-663-04
Project Holder: Ethiopian Catholic Church Social and
Development Commission
Project Name: Awareness Creation for Mobilization Against
Harmful Tradition Practices in Meki Town
Location: Meki Town, East Shoa Zone, Oromia Region
Project Description: To conduct training of trainers and
change agents on female sexual abuse, organize mass
mobilization and sensitization campaign, conduct pre- and
post-intervention assessments, and develop educational
materials.
Estimated Number of Beneficiaries: 4,000
U.S. Contribution: USD 21,626.00
Dollar Amount Disbursed: USD 20,867.59
Unliquidated Balance: USD 758.41
Local Contribution: None
Date Obligated: 09/01/2004
Project Status: Completed.


11. Project Number: DHR-04-663-05
Project Holder: Kembata Women's Self Help Center
Project Name: Material Support for Women's Self-Help Group
in Durame Town
Location: Durame Town, Hadiya Zone, Southern Nations,
Nationalities and Peoples Region
Project Description: To strengthen the capacity of women by
educating them about their rights; equipping a women's
business center with machinery for tailoring, embroidery and
knitting; and procuring furniture for the center.
Estimated Number of Beneficiaries: 100
U.S. Contribution: USD 10,023.00
Dollar Amount Disbursed: USD 10,023.00
Unliquidated Balance: None
Local Contribution: USD 289.00, labor and materials
Date Obligated: 09/01/2004
Project Status: Completed.


12. Project Number: DHR-04-663-07
Project Holder: Good Samaritan Training Center
Project Name: Vocational Training Center for Poor Street
Girls
Location: Mekanissa, Addis Ababa City Administration
Project Description: To purchase various tools and equipment
such as weaving and mat-making machines.
Estimated Number of Beneficiaries: Approximately 80 girls
each year
U.S. Contribution: USD 9,700.00
Dollar Amount Disbursed: USD 9,700.00
Unliquidated Balance: None
Local Contribution: USD 14,470.00
Date obligated: 09/01/2004
Project status: Completed.


SUCCESS STORY
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13. Project Number: DHR-04-663-04
Amount Expended: 21,626 USD
Project Name: Awareness Creation for Mobilization Against
Harmful Traditional Practices


14. Ethnically diverse Ethiopia boasts cultural and
traditional practices that are rich and varied. Many of
these practices are beneficial to the maintenance and
perpetuation of society, but others - labeled Harmful
Traditional Practices - pose serious threats to people's
health and well-being. Women and children suffer
disproportionately from these practices.


15. With support from the Democracy and Human Rights Fund
administered by the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, the
Ethiopian Catholic Church Social and Development Commission
launched a community awareness and mobilization campaign
against Harmful Traditional Practices (HTPs). The project
tackled Female Genital Mutilation (FGM),early marriage, and
abduction, which affect women and girls, and milk teeth
extraction, uvulectomy and tonsillectomy, which are
performed on children. Ten villages in the Dugda Bora
district of the East Shoa Zone in Ethiopia's Oromia Region
were the focus of the activities.


16. Project coordinators employed various strategies to
sensitize 4,000 community members to the detrimental effects
of HTPs and erode social and cultural support for continuing
the practices. The strategies included "change agent"
workshops to engage religious leaders, elders and other
influential community members in combating HTPs; village
awareness campaigns to foster dialogue through "idirs",
"baltenas" and other traditional associations; school
awareness campaigns to educate and mobilize students,
parents and teachers through anti-HTP clubs and dramatic
presentations; and community-wide dissemination of t-shirts
and caps declaring the wearers' commitment to stopping FGM
and other HTPs.


17. According to the project's quantitative and qualitative
research findings, community members are significantly more
informed about HTPs, more community members consider the
practices harmful and understand their negative health
effects and legal implications, and an increased number
support eradication of these HTPs.


18. Attitudes toward FGM changed most dramatically, due
mostly to a multi-pronged approach to tackling the deeply
entrenched and widespread practice. Project organizers held
sensitization workshops for practitioners on the harmful
effects and illegality of their actions, and provided the
women with oxen and cows to encourage the adoption of an
alternative livelihood.


19. As a result, the number of parents who promised not to
circumcise their daughters has increased, more girls are
resisting the practice, and more boys are committed to
marrying uncircumcised girls.


20. Without a doubt, the project on "Awareness Creation for
Mobilization Against Harmful Traditional Practices" has made
significant inroads into protecting the rights and dignity
of women and children.
HUDDLESTON