This thesis is a critical review of educated women’s leadership in their emancipation in Ethiopia. Did they provide leadership and to what extent? It is to be noted that educated women’s leadership has been of great importance to women’s emancipation worldwide. Strong leadership was also the driving force behind women’s movements and feminism everywhere. However, the role of educated women in Ethiopia is hard to discern and their leadership efforts are largely invisible. On the other hand, many among the educated also lack the passion and desire to commit themselves in the fight for women’s emancipation. In this thesis I researched the settings and frameworks of women’s leadership and discussed the factors that function as limitations and/or opportunities. Overall there were more limitations than opportunities. These limitations are often historically rooted in the country’s religious, cultural, economic, political and traditional systems. And, as much as history and religion can be a source of strength and pride for many, they can also be a serious obstacle. The political regime of the Derg also scarred an entire population to the extent that despite the currently proclaimed ‘freedom’ of the EPRDF ruling party, women remain reluctant to step forward and claim their rights. The ruling party appears to appropriate women’s emancipation as a “private” interest and to use it for political gain, in the same manner as the Derg regime had done before it. Nowhere is there any sign of genuine freedom and equality for women in practice. Rhetoric reigns supreme through laws and policy documents, but they are not matched by genuine actions and concrete strategies. The traditional religious base of society is also making it more difficult to challenge autocratic tendencies of the ruling elite. The effect is that civil society is slowly being pushed to extinction, leaving the ruling party in charge as the main actor in all public services. This has serious consequences for the genuine emancipation of women in the country. The thesis finds that women’s leadership is not a luxury or personal demand, but a crucial step for the development of the country at large. It is encouraging to note that there are different sections of active women in the country waiting for strong leadership, leadership that can unite them into a movement and guide them on their unique emancipation paths. After all, it is only women themselves who, with their existing epistemic advantage, can transform their situation and change their status. / Sociology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Sociology)

This thesis is a critical review of educated women’s leadership in their emancipation in Ethiopia. Did they provide leadership and to what extent? It is to be noted that educated women’s leadership has been of great importance to women’s emancipation worldwide. Strong leadership was also the driving force behind women’s movements and feminism everywhere. However, the role of educated women in Ethiopia is hard to discern and their leadership efforts are largely invisible. On the other hand, many among the educated also lack the passion and desire to commit themselves in the fight for women’s emancipation. In this thesis I researched the settings and frameworks of women’s leadership and discussed the factors that function as limitations and/or opportunities. Overall there were more limitations than opportunities. These limitations are often historically rooted in the country’s religious, cultural, economic, political and traditional systems. And, as much as history and religion can be a source of strength and pride for many, they can also be a serious obstacle. The political regime of the Derg also scarred an entire population to the extent that despite the currently proclaimed ‘freedom’ of the EPRDF ruling party, women remain reluctant to step forward and claim their rights. The ruling party appears to appropriate women’s emancipation as a “private” interest and to use it for political gain, in the same manner as the Derg regime had done before it. Nowhere is there any sign of genuine freedom and equality for women in practice. Rhetoric reigns supreme through laws and policy documents, but they are not matched by genuine actions and concrete strategies. The traditional religious base of society is also making it more difficult to challenge autocratic tendencies of the ruling elite. The effect is that civil society is slowly being pushed to extinction, leaving the ruling party in charge as the main actor in all public services. This has serious consequences for the genuine emancipation of women in the country. The thesis finds that women’s leadership is not a luxury or personal demand, but a crucial step for the development of the country at large. It is encouraging to note that there are different sections of active women in the country waiting for strong leadership, leadership that can unite them into a movement and guide them on their unique emancipation paths. After all, it is only women themselves who, with their existing epistemic advantage, can transform their situation and change their status. / Sociology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Sociology)

Text in English, with Annexures in English and Amharic / Annexure 5 and Annexure 7 "Questionnaire for qualitative study" in English and Amharic / The Ministry of Health (MOH) and its partners are determined to prevent and manage preventable causes of morbidity and mortality in mothers, neonates and children. In the last decade, special emphasis has been given to increasing the number of health facilities that provide maternal and child health services (MNCH), huge production of skilled birth attendants (SBAs), and equipping the health facilities to improve the utilisation of quality services. This study investigated the community perspectives of health service utilisation and proposes a framework for improving the utilisation of the available SBA and postnatal care (PNC). PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to develop a framework for the utilisation of skilled care for delivery and postnatal care by women of childbearing age (15-45). METHODOLOGY The study used a Sequential explanatory Mixed Methods Approach to investigate the utilisation of SBA and PNC in a district in Ethiopia. The Delphi Technique helped to solicit input from maternal health care experts on the development of a Framework for utilisation of SBA and PNC. This study utilised the Anderson Health Utilisation Model. RESULTS In the study, 79.8% of the women who delivered within 12 months prior to this study received ANC from SBA. Baby care and PNC for the mother and baby received from SBA were at 248 (71.5%), 55 (15.8%), and 131 (38%) respectively. The study further found that women who can read and write and were educated are more likely to utilise SBA and receive quality health care services. The study showed that certain factors such as disrespecting service users, abusing service users’ lack of trust on the SBA by service users, religion and superstition contribute negatively to the use of SBAs. None of the predisposing, enabling and need factors predicted the use of SBA for PNC by the mothers. Nevertheless, through the focus group discussions (FGDs) and individual interviews (IDI), it was revealed that there was a widespread knowledge and perception gaps in the community related to the importance of postnatal period and PNC. Religious sanctification also have imperative role in hampering PNC service use by the mothers. The Health care workers (HCWs) also lacked the keenness and orientation to provide the service. Babies born from families with monthly income equal to 500 or above USD were more likely to use PNC within 45 days. There was a widespread misconception in the community that Babies do not need PNC before 45 days of birth except for vaccination purpose. CONCLUSION To examine their role in health service utilisation for SBA and PNC, researches can integrate social support and social network to the Andersen’s health-service utilisation model. A framework for utilisation of SBA and PNC is proposed. The researcher recommends developing an utilisation tool kit that specifies the detail operationalisation of the framework. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)