The Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA) is a non-profit women’s advocacy group founded by Ethiopian women lawyers.
EWLA’s Vision – Aspire to see a society where all women and girls in Ethiopia fully exercise their human rights, achieve substantive equality and live in a just and equitable nation.
We drive gender-responsive legal reform by leveraging evidence-based research to advocate for the amendment of discriminatory laws and the ratification of international instruments. As a civil society partner, we influence policy development to uphold the rights of women and girls and ensure state accountability through active participation in international and regional periodic reporting.
Learn MoreAcross both humanitarian and development contexts, we provide rights literacy to all women, girls, and the broader community, including men and religious/traditional leaders. We facilitate access to justice and peer-to-peer networks to ensure survivors are connected to essential resources. Simultaneously, we strengthen the capacity of service providers to deliver gender sensitive and survivor-centered care, ensuring their mandates are carried out in a way that is safe and accessible for all women and girls in all settings.
Learn MoreWe provide free legal advice and representation to all women and girls, ensuring equitable access to justice across both development and crisis-affected environments. By integrating legal services with robust referral linkages to multi-sectoral providers, we ensure that all clients, especially those in difficult circumstances, receive the immediate protection, health, and psychosocial support necessary for their holistic empowerment and long-term resilience
Learn MoreWe empower young female legal professionals and young girls aspiring to the legal profession through structured mentorship, networking, and experience-sharing. By fostering these connections across all stages of development, we motivate the next generation of women to pursue legal careers and build a robust, supportive community of advocates dedicated to leadership and the advancement of women’s rights.
Learn MoreWe uphold the highest standards of professional ethics and service quality to ensure the delivery of compliant, reliable, and high-impact legal assistance. By fostering a collaborative environment and promoting continuous learning, we drive systemic improvement in legal standards and ensure our members provide the highest quality of service to the community.
Learn MoreWomen with no or limited financial capability to access legal services; mothers with the burden of taking care of children while having no money to buy bread, to provide roof over their head, to buy medicine, to send the children to school and to buy clothes; women who have been beaten, bitten, burnt, cut and degraded; girls who have been raped and sexually molested, wedded in childhood, abducted, beaten and burnt; women who have been denied of their property, their jobs and their means of income; children denied of parents, denied of support crucial for their upbringing, and denied of succession.
EWLA legal aid service is provided by 16 employees and 300 hundred volunteers with high commitment and expertise which capacities them to pinpoint the right solutions for cases handled by them. Those volunteers from disciplines other than law are intensively trained in law and serve as paralegals in areas where legal professionals are non-existent. The service the volunteers provide under the EWLA hub is priceless to the Association but it can also be expressed in monetary as well as time terms which come up to 30,000 hours of free service per year.
considering that justice will be jeopardized for women who cannot access justice sector organs due to lack of finance and information EWLA prepares all litigation papers (suits, responses, appeals, cross-appeals, affidavits) for the women to file at the court. This requires expertise in the legal field as well as other procedural and managerial skills. The types of remedies sought for the clients are various.
There have been instances where EWLA’s members or staff members go to administrative bodies when clearly stated laws are infringed. EWLA has maintained good relationship with the police and the public prosecutors in its working years.
EWLA assists women, particularly disadvantaged women, who are victims of gender-based violence free of charge. The service includes legal advice/counseling, writing court briefs (court charges and affidavits) as well as representing clients in courts.
Legal aid service is a crucial step in helping women and girls start to climb the steps to get access to legal response mechanisms and to demand their rights. Mothers and girls with pain of injustice come seeking legal aid and EWLA is the place where they get relief.
Dear EWLA Community,
It is a profound honor to serve as Executive Director of EWLA, an association that I hold dear to my heart and am proud to be a member of. As a former board member during challenging times, I have witnessed our resilience in navigating difficult circumstances. Our journey of advocacy has significantly impacted policy and legal frameworks, and our pioneering provision of free legal aid through volunteers has played a vital role in fostering a powerful feminist movement within our country. This rich history provides a robust foundation for our future endeavors.
As we honor our past achievements, we must embrace the future with renewed purpose. Together, we will build upon our successes, innovate our programs, and adapt to the changing needs of women today. I am confident that our collective efforts will drive meaningful change and create a more equitable nation for all.
I am eager to work with our dedicated team and collaborate with members, partners, and supporters. Your insights and passion are invaluable as we amplify the voices of women across the nation and expand our effort.
Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our vision and mission. Together, let’s create a powerful future that continues to uplift and empower every woman, including those in the legal profession.
Warm regards,
