Ethiopia is making significant strides in breaking down barriers that have restricted women's access to markets and financial services through its digital economy strategy, Women and Social Affairs State Minister Hikma Keyeradin announced at a regional gender equality summit.
Opening the 15th COMESA Technical Committee Meeting on Gender and Women's Affairs, State Minister Keyeradin positioned Ethiopia's Digital Ethiopia 2030 Strategy as central to advancing women's economic participation across the country. The summit brings together East and Southern African nations to coordinate regional approaches to gender equality and women's economic empowerment.
"We believe that technology is the ultimate equalizer. By digitizing our economy, we are breaking down the historical barriers that have restricted women's access to markets and financial services," Keyeradin said.
The state minister emphasized that true inclusive development requires full participation of women, noting that Ethiopia is currently revising its national policy on gender equality to strengthen legal and institutional foundations. The policy revision aligns with broader regional frameworks being discussed at the COMESA meeting.
"Our national strategy is firmly aligned with regional frameworks, and we are currently revising our national policy on gender equality to further strengthen our legal and institutional foundations," she stated.
According to Keyeradin, the Digital National ID (Fayda) serves as a cornerstone of Ethiopia's digital revolution. She explained that for many women and youth, lack of formal identification has been a barrier to participating in the formal economy. Fayda provides a secure digital identity that simplifies access to credit, land ownership, and government services.
The state minister also highlighted the Mesob Digital e-Service platform, which she said is revolutionizing how citizens interact with the state. The platform ensures administrative operations are simple, transparent, and accessible from anywhere, particularly benefiting women entrepreneurs who often manage both businesses and households.
Beyond digital tools, Keyeradin emphasized Ethiopia's commitment to physical infrastructure development as essential to women's economic empowerment. She described the country's regional electric integration efforts as a testament to Ethiopia's belief in shared prosperity.
"By connecting our power grids, we are not only facilitating the movement of goods and services but also lowering the costs of production for small and medium-sized enterprises, many of which are led by women and youth," the state minister explained.
She characterized reliable, affordable energy as the fuel that will power the next generation of African female-led industries, linking infrastructure development directly to women's economic opportunities.
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COMESA Assistant Secretary-General Mohamed Kadah praised Ethiopia's leadership in promoting gender equality and women's empowerment both nationally and continentally. He emphasized that gender equality and women's economic empowerment are central not only to sustainable development but also to regional integration efforts.
"We remain steadfast in our efforts to strengthen institutional capacity for gender-responsive economic development. In this regard, we take encouragement from the progress being made across the COMESA region," Kadah stated.
The COMESA official reaffirmed the organization's commitment to promoting gender-responsive policies, legal frameworks, and programs that protect women's economic and social empowerment across member states.
Ethiopia's digital economy approach represents a comprehensive strategy addressing multiple barriers women face in accessing formal economic opportunities. The Digital Ethiopia 2030 Strategy encompasses financial inclusion, government service access, and infrastructure development as interconnected elements of women's economic empowerment.
The regional meeting underscores growing recognition among East and Southern African countries that women's economic participation is essential for broader development goals. Ethiopia's presentation of its digital economy strategy as a model for breaking down traditional barriers reflects the country's positioning as a leader in technology-driven development approaches.
The 15th COMESA Technical Committee Meeting on Gender and Women's Affairs brings together policymakers and gender equality advocates from across the region to share strategies and coordinate approaches to women's economic empowerment. Ethiopia's emphasis on digital solutions aligns with broader continental trends toward technology-enabled development.
For Ethiopian women, particularly those in rural areas who have historically faced the greatest barriers to formal economic participation, the digital transformation strategy represents a potential pathway to accessing markets, financial services, and government support previously beyond reach. The integration of digital identity, e-government services, and improved infrastructure aims to create an ecosystem supporting women's economic advancement.
