African Rights Monitor invites you to join us as we recognize the month of April as Genocide Prevention Month. Genocide, one of the most horrific crimes against humanity, is a tragically repetitive theme in human history. Atrocities such as the Holocaust and the Rwandan, Darfur and Congo genocides act as potent reminders of mankind's capacity for evil. Yet as much as they horrify us, these events must also inspire us toward action. Genocide can be prevented by increasing education and spreading awareness, and by supporting a free and independent press.

Who is Dr. Hawa Abdi?

Dr. Hawa Abdi is a living hero before the eyes of hundreds of thousands of IDPs, a mother, a leader of hope and peace, an inspiration and courageous woman, the founder of the Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation, and the first woman to run and operate a private hospital in Somalia. Abdi received her medical training in Kiev, Ukraine. After completing her studies, Abdi returned home and opened her clinic; soon the practice drew clients from all over the country. She was one of Somalia's first female gynecologists. She married, raised three children, invested in hundreds of acres of farmland where she opened a private clinic for women and children in 1983.When the Somali government collapsed eight years later, she opened her doors to all, treating victims of shootings, malnutrition and a string of epidemics. As word of her generosity spread, the needy flocked to her clinic. More than 15,000 Families currently live on her land. She offers medical treatment, clean water and what- ever food she can spare. Nowadays, few can pay, but no one is turned away. Abdi acknowledges that after 25 years, she dreams of escaping this place, “I’m tired," she says, sighing. "Sometimes you lose hope, you feel depressed. I've been here so long." Dr Hawa is the mother Teresa of Somalia.

With one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, limited political and legal resources for women, and elevated rates of forced marriage and female genital mutilation, the overall situation for women in Ethiopia is one of the most precarious in the world. While Ethiopia has adopted the provisions of CEDAW into its national Constitution and legal codes, gross violations of the Convention’s principles occur unchecked throughout the country. There remains a critical lack of de facto implementation of the de jure measures Ethiopia has made to ensure gender equality. Further violations to the rights of minority and rural women run rampant throughout the nation, compounding the already discriminatory environment.

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