Communication and Girls' Education: The Case of the Sidama Ethnic Group
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Date
2006-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The study was carried out in an effort to assess the communication strategies in the
promotion of primary girls' education that targeted at the Sidama people. Data were
collected using focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews with key informants,
informal interviews and observations were held. Data were collected from Gemeto
Sawala, Abaye and Haramfama Kebeles. The outcome of the findings illustrated
that coffee ceremonies, Idir, social gatherings, market places, weddings, mourning rituals
and churches were found to be the major places for verbal means of information
exchange for the Sidama people. Though the study area has traditional ways of
information exchange mechanisms, both the society and the organizations working in the
area do not seem to have benefited from the existing traditional ways of sharing
information to promote girls' education. The most dominantly used existing medium is
the community radio. The other major phenomena that began recently to be used by
partners as modern means of communication operational in the area towards the
enhancement of girls' education is the community dialogue though this practice is not
very widely used as it is still at its infant stage. The target communities did not fully
participate in the girls' education campaigns and were not actively involved. in this
regard, it is unlikely that the participatory development communication aspect has
worked as much as expected. The advocacy campaigns conducted in the schools were
found to be much better than the activities of the community. Even though the
community claimed to have developed awareness, there still existed lack of
understanding of the value of girls' education especially among parents. The Sidama
people were hardly getting messages in their own language. It is less likely that the target
audience would identify themselves with the content of the posters and pictures that were
posted to pass messages. It would, therefore, be advisable if wide-spread community
sensitization programs are enhanced. These programs also need to strongly address the
harmful nature of traditional practices such as abduction and early marriage.
Sensitization programs also need to increase not only parental but also societal awareness
of the value and benefits of girls' education.
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Keywords
Communication and Girls' Education