The FDRE policy invests in keeping women and the youth away from pastoral activities, turning them to crop farming and other income-generating activities in settlements (4.2). Envisaged change is limited to providing income-generating activities and training/practice-oriented education.

The AU Policy Framework acknowledges the economic role women play in pastoralism as a livestock-based production system, while not enjoying rights (to property, education, decision making and resource management) on an equal basis with men. On this premise, the framework recommends to change the institutional context, introducing equality in all these aspects of life, and especially concerning women’s rights to inheritance and land ownership. The AU wants to further strengthen the pastoral activities of women and the role they play in pastoralist communities by increasing women’s and youth’s ownership and participation in policy development (Strategy 1.5; Strategy 5.3.3).

Strategy 1.5 Strengthening the role and rights of women in pastoralist communities. In practically all the African pastoralist communities, women traditionally play an important role in livestock rearing, processing milk, selling dairy products and maintaining households. Yet, they do not own valuable property, are the least educated, and are excluded from decision-making processes and resource management and allocation. As a consequence, they benefit the least from pastoralism. Policy measures and interventions have not specifically addressed this imbalance by creating gender equality and empowering women and youths in decision making. As policies are developed, gender considerations must be taken into account while ensuring that women have equal rights with respect to education, access and ownership of property and resources and active participation in development activities including peace building. Equal rights for women to inheritance should be particularly enforced. Measures concerning women’s rights to inheritance and land ownership contained in AU Framework and Guidelines for Land Policy in Africa should be fully applied in this case.

Strategy 5.3.3 Consultation with pastoralist communities and engagement with civil society organizations. … All categories of pastoralist stakeholders, especially women and the youth, should be involved and there should be a look out for the dominance of established institution and interest groups and eliminate tendencies of intimidation of pastoralists during consultation meetings. Deep engagement with CSOs will be necessary in the pastoral policy development, as these organizations can provide necessary checks and balances on government decision-making during the development and implementation of pastoral policies…

NEP — Navigating Ethiopia’s Pastoral Development Policy »