Tag Archives: Ethiopian women

BBC Uncovers Untold People-Trafficking, Torture of Ethiopians in Yemen (Video)

July 16, 2013 Tadias Magazine

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Updated: Saturday, July 20th, 2013

New York (TADIAS) – In a major program that is airing this weekend on BBC’s World News, international correspondent Yalda Hakim uncovers abuse and exploitation on a massive scale as BBC investigates one of the most dangerous journeys on earth, and the plight of thousands of Ethiopian migrants attempting to reach Saudi Arabia in search of employment.

In a statement BBC said its World News documentary “traces the steps of the 80,000 Ethiopians who attempt to reach Saudi Arabia every year, but first they must cross the Red Sea, trek 500 kilometres through the desert and then evade Saudi border guards.”

BBC added the biggest danger the migrants face, however, is from Yemeni criminal gangs who kidnap and sell them to so called “torture camps,” where they are held and tortured for ransom.

The program travels to Bab Al Mandab on the south-eastern tip of Yemen, where the migrants come ashore, and then onto to Haradh, a Yemeni town on the Saudi border where the torture camps are located.

“With access to victims, the smugglers themselves and the torture camps, Yalda hears stories of unimaginable cruelty and uncovers evidence to suggest that the Yemeni military may also be involved in the trafficking and sexual abuse,” BBC said.

Below are links to the program and photos.

Watch: Ethiopian migrants tell of torture and rape in Yemen
Watch: Inside Yemen’s ‘torture camps’
BBC News: Ethiopians trapped in Yemen are being evacuated

The following photographs are courtesy of BBC World News

BBC World News journalist Yalda Hakim at a camp in Yemen housing Ethiopian migrants. (Courtesy photo)

Yalda Hakim at a Migrant camp in Haradh run by The International Organization for Migration. (BBC News)
—
If You Tune In:
Our World: Yemen: The Most Dangerous Journey on Earth
On BBC World News (all times GMT):
Friday July 19th 2013 at 23:30,
Saturday 20th 2013 at 11.30 and 16.30
Sun 21st 2013 at 17.30 and 22.30
www.bbc.com

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Celebrating Women’s History Month 2012: Tadias Q&A with Dr. Mehret Mandefro

March 8, 2012 Tadias Magazine 13 Comments

Tadias Magazine
By Tseday Alehegn

Published: Thursday, March 8, 2012

New York (TADIAS) – In celebration of Women’s History Month, Tadias is interviewing extraordinary Ethiopian women who are blazing trails in various fields including science, art, philanthropy, and business. We launch our series with a Q&A with Dr. Mehret Mandefro, physician, film producer, anthropologist and social change activist. She is a former White House Fellow, Fulbright Scholar, and currently teaches at the Department of Health Policy at George Washington School of Public Health & Health Services.

Mehret is also the co-founder of Truth Aid, an organization that produces visual ethnographies of health and social issues. Their current film project entitled Oblivion is based on a true story about a legal precedent-setting case that outlawed abduction for marriage in Ethiopia.

Below is our Q&A with Dr. Mehret Mandefro:

TADIAS: What do you most enjoy about your work?

Mehret Mandefro: I love teaching and working with students. I find the next generation to be very inspiring. I also like having the time to think, write, and create new forms of knowledge that will challenge audiences to think different about health and human rights.

TADIAS: Who are your female role models?

Mehret: My mother, Tsedale K. Mandefro, Abebech Gobena, Sister Zebider, Meaza Ashenafi.

Tadias: What challenges have you faced as a leader and how did you overcome those hurdles at work or life in general?

Mehret: In some work environments where I have been the youngest and happen to be the only woman sometimes it was a challenge to have my voice heard. So I went to great lengths to be very clear about what I thought. Learning to express your opinions in forums that are not necessarily friendly is an important skill for women to develop.

TADIAS: What are some practical tips you can give for young women who want to follow in your footsteps?

Mehret: You have to believe in your vision above all and be willing to put in hard work to execute. You also have to surround yourself with a support network that can nurture your growth. That’s very important.

TADIAS: Please tell us more about yourself (where you were born, grew up, school and how you developed your passion for your work?)

Mehret: I was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and I grew up in Alexandria, VA. I attended Harvard for college and medical school. I also received a Masters in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. My passion for public health and medicine emerged out of a study abroad trip I took to Kenya as a junior in college.

TADIAS: What would like to share on Women’s History Month with Tadias readers that we have not asked you about?

Mehret: Dream big. Work hard. But most of all never be afraid to do something different.

Thank you Dr. Mehret and best wishes with your endeavors.

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P2P Conference Explores the Role of Ethiopian Diaspora in Empowering Women

May 20, 2011 Tadias Magazine

Above: Empowering Women conference, hosted by the non
profit organization People to People is set for May 21 in VA.

Tadias Magazine
Events News

Published: Friday, May 20, 2011

New York (Tadias) – People to People, a U.S. based non-profit organization comprised of Ethiopian Diaspora professionals, will hold its second annual conference this weekend in Arlington, Virginia. The conference theme is “Empowering Women is Empowering a Nation.”

The program, which aims to bring together professionals from various sectors, explores the role of the Ethiopian Diaspora in empowering women. According to the event’s website, the conference will also honor three inspiring women: Captain Amsale Gualu, whom last year became the first female captain at Ethiopian Airlines; W/o Assegedech Assefa, one the first Ethiopian female pilots, as well as artist Alemtsehay Wodajo.

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Musimbi Kanyaro, Director of Population and Reproductive Health Programs at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

Other presenters include CNN hero Alfa Demmellash, Co-founder and CEO of Rising Tide Capital, Meskerem Tadesse, President & CEO of the Optimize Group, Judge Mahdere Paulos, Former Director of Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association, and Melat Tekletsadik, Former National General Secretary for the YWCA, among others.

If You Go:
“Empowering Women is Empowering a Nation”
The Role of the Ethiopian Diaspora
Sheraton National Hotel
900 S. Orme St. Arlington, VA 22204
Saturday May 21, 2011
8:00am – 6:00pm
Registration begins at 8:00 a.m.
Entrance: $20.
More info at www.peoplepeople.org/conference

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