Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s parliament on Thursday swore in the country’s first female supreme court president, building on efforts by reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to achieve gender parity in government.

The appointment of Meaza Ashenafi comes two weeks after Abiy named 10 female ministers to make Ethiopia the third country in Africa - after Rwanda and Seychelles - to have its cabinet split equally between men and women.

Ethiopian members of parliament have elected Sahle-Work Zewde as the country's first female president.

Ms Sahle-Work is an experienced diplomat who has now become Africa's only female head of state.

Her election to the ceremonial position comes a week after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appointed a cabinet with half the posts taken up by women.

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Ethiopia's new Cabinet is now a record 50 percent female, including the country's first woman defense minister, after lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously approved the nominations put forward by reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

"Our women ministers will disprove the old adage that women can't lead," Abiy said while presenting his choices. "This decision is the first in the history of Ethiopia and probably in Africa."

Ethiopia’s parliament, the House of Peoples’ Representatives, has chosen a former Minister of Women’s Affairs, as its new speaker, state-affiliated FANA Broadcasting Corporate reports.

The report confirms earlier rumours that Muferiat Kamil was set to be named speaker. She replaces Abadula Gemeda who has been in the role since 2010.

I recently met with Siiqqee in Ethiopia, visiting projects that promote women’s economic rights and ending violence against women. Siiqqee enables hundreds of women in a community to escape domestic violence, support themselves and their children independently and plan for their future.