The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Coordination Platform on Human Rights in collaboration with other Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), marked International Human Rights Day in Hawassa on December 17, 2024.
The event brought together organizations such as the Network of Ethiopian Women Association (NEWA), Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), TIMRAN, Ethiopian Lawyers with Disabilities Association (ELDA), Ethiopian Women’s Rights Advocate (EWRA), Sara-Justice for All Women Association, and the Ethiopian Human Rights Defenders Center (EHRDC), alongside over 30 CSO representatives from the Sidama region and other stakeholders. The event marked the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, which is commemorated annually on December 10, and reaffirmed a collective commitment to equality, dignity, and freedom for all.
Representatives of the EHRC-CSO Coordination Platform’s four thematic sub-groups presented updates on their respective areas: women’s and children’s rights, transitional justice, the rights of persons with disabilities and older persons and human rights monitoring and investigations. The presentations addressed opportunities and challenges in these areas and identified issues that could be tackled through collective action. In addition, the discussion emphasized the need for collaborative advocacy to group Ethiopia’s 4th Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations into thematic areas and encouraged the use of platforms like EHRC-CSO to actively push for government adoption and implementation of these recommendations.
Saba Gebremedhin, Executive Director of NEWA, in her opening remarks, highlighted human rights challenges in Ethiopia and called for active engagement from all stakeholders. She further stated the importance of the EHRC-CSO Coordination Platform and encouraged CSOs to join its thematic sub-groups to enhance collaboration and avoid duplication of efforts, ultimately creating a unified mechanism for meaningful change.
Yemserach Legesse, EHRC’s Director of Partnerships Department, emphasized the mission of the EHRC-CSO Coordination Platform to foster a collaborative space for civil society organizations. She highlighted the platform’s role in enabling EHRC and other stakeholders to address human rights concerns, strengthen advocacy capacities, and develop joint responses to emerging issues. She also encouraged all CSOs to actively engage with the platform to advance human rights initiatives across Ethiopia.
