Dr Genet Zewdie came; saw and conquered all with disarming charm! A ‘Joan of Arc,’ and a true trailblazer, shattered barriers and devastated impenatrable walls in her way to victory. The first female minister then, fired the first salvo at Glass Ceiling that paved the way for women’s emancipation in Ethiopia!
A pioneer, who opened the floodgates of education and as an envoy to India for 10 long years, strengthened diplomatic and business ties. A doctorate in education, her first book talks about ‘female struggle’ and second will be on status of education, she revealed in an interview.
On present scenario on female education, she said, ‘‘it’s phenomenal, in primary education parity is achieved, on secondary, ratio is 40:60 and in higher education, 35% of them are ahead. Now every kebele has primary and secondary schools and every zone will have university.’’
Relating past, she said, ‘‘When I was education minister (1991-2006), for female, education was non-existent; the old tradition would say female should be a housewife and rear children.’’
She further adds, ‘‘But, things got to change,’’ appreciating Indian media for aggressively highlighting atrocities against women, she says, ‘‘I was delighted to see men joining movement in New Delhi and I hope Ethiopian media to follow the suit.’’
On her success, she said, ‘‘I had support from all across; as student my mother backed me; but I had smoldering fire within that made me a fighter and I grabbed success after success.’’
Students’ movement of 60’s and 70’s literally redefined her persona and she found herself fighting for farmers, rights of nations and nationalities, free education, democratic and women’s rights and equality during Haile Selassei and Derg that made her multi-dimensional.
On Glass Ceiling, ‘‘We were entrapped in traditional stronghold that looked down upon us; walls are still there, but it’s pregnable, cracks are already there and soon it will be razed for which every one of us need to be strategically organized,’’ she exhorted.
As a minister, changing medium of instruction into 50 different local languages, changing educational structure from 1-to-10 and putting affirmative action in place were the biggest impediments, she had ever faced.
On hurdles faced by women today, she said, ‘‘Women are educated and working but, household chorus bogs them down; cooperation from men can change the scenario,’’ she stressed.
Inspired by Ethiopia’s first woman Parliamentarian, Sinidu Gebru, she still feels that there is an unfinished business of making democracy vibrant and taking development to reach every nook and corners of Ethiopia.
What made her tough, pat came the answer, ‘‘I am not a quitter; every hurdle I faced, left me toughened. You know, amid adversities we launched education policy and implemented it as old guards were against it, but we went ahead and now people are harvesting its fruits.’’
Don’t look for short-cut, work hard and face challenges; know your subject, be well informed and stand up against injustice. Don’t be timid but intrepid in asking how, why, and what can I do, was the strong piece of advice to the present generation, females in particular.
A go-getter, though retired, she has recently launched a non-governmental organization, ‘Women Strategic Development Centre,’ she says is mandated to economically, socially and politically empower women to bring parity in the society.
Her two daughters are married; one is a clinical psychologist and other a manager in firm.
(Corporate Communication Directorate)