Harmful Traditional Practices

Ethiopia is a country of many ethnic groups with different cultures. Each ethnic group has traditional practices transmitted from past generations and likely to be passed to the next. This study assessed the type, prevalence, magnitude and context of harmful traditional practices and violence against women as well as the knowledge and attitude of the people towards these practices in the Amhara Region, Ethiopia.Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from respondents. The results reveal that early marriage, female genital mutilation, violence against women, and food prohibition for children and pregnant women are widely practiced in the region. Though the residents have appreciable knowledge on the harmful consequences of these practices and they support less for their continuation, harmful traditional practices and violence against women are highly prevalent in the region. Thus, concerted efforts of stakeholders are suggested for behavioral change interventions to eradicate these practices.... Mehr