Emebet Getnet

Ethiopian feminist leader who founded Africa's first women's political organization and promoted literacy among rural women

Emebet Getnet (1908-1992) was an Ethiopian feminist and educator whose work laid foundations for women's political participation in Africa. Born in Harar, she organized the first women's political group in Ethiopia, the Women's Progress Association, in 1945. This organization trained women in literacy and leadership, helping them gain voting rights and political representation. She established the first women's cooperative in Ethiopia (1952) to improve economic conditions for rural women through agricultural cooperatives. Her advocacy led to Ethiopia's first family law reforms in 1960, granting women property rights and divorce options. Getnet's innovative approach combined education with economic empowerment, creating sewing schools and healthcare networks in remote regions. She later founded the Women's Development and Research Center (1970), which became a model for gender studies programs across Africa. Her writings, including Women's Role in Modern Ethiopia, influenced UN Women's early policies on gender mainstreaming. Explore her legacy at Ethiopian Women's Association and African Feminist Archive.