- Examining Gender Realities in the Reformed
   Penal Law

• Everyday, Ethiopian women are getting more and  more vulnerable to abuses, such as sexual and physical violence. These crimes plague our society. Therefore, addressing gender inequalities must be a priority within our community and among our citizens. we need to be vigilant about monitoring the  government’s progress, ensuring that policies protecting women are adopted and that the commitments expressed in already existing policies are actually implemented. In the context of high-frequency sexual and gender based violence, the Ethiopian justice system has often failed women. The Ministry of Justice has recognized the critical importance of these issues and taken steps towards addressing them, such as, raising the punishment of rape in the reformed Penal Law. The Previous Penal Law (in effect since 1957) was outrageously insensitive towards women. Its  was reform in July 2004 came into effect in May 2005. EWLA has wedged persistent battle against unjust and gender bias laws, like that of pervious Penal Law Achievement in the reform such laws demonstrate that our contribution  can bring about significant improvements, but there is still quite a long way to go. EWLA still believes the reformed penal Law to be flawed because of the fact that  it excludes of sexual harassment and marital rap as a crime.
   

• Aside from the traumatic psychological effects that sexual harassment causes for its victims, this type of abuse hinders the social and economic development on our society, as a  whole. The same can be said in regards to the, all too common, act of marital rape, especially considering the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS. By failing to penalize sexual Harassment and marital Rape, the new Penal law falls short of the standard set by the FDRE Constitution and other ethical conversations that Ethiopia has ratified.