As Eritrea celebrates its 27th independence anniversary, it is important that we highlight the contribution of the many Eritreans that contributed to the independence struggle and helped build the nation in the post-independence years. In the past, EDN has highlighted the work of many individuals and groups in this regard. Today, we highlight the role of women.
Women were not mere contributors to the Eritrean struggle, but fundamental to it. 30 percent of the EPLF was comprised of women, and many served on the frontlines in combat roles. Others were in administrative positions, logistics, or intelligence. The same was true of the ELF. There was scarcely a single aspect of the liberation movement that was not shaped by the contributions and experiences of Eritrean women. Many scholars view the Eritrean struggle as one of the more successful cases of women’s political mobilization in Africa during the Cold War.
Outside of the liberation fronts, in occupied parts of Eritrea and in the diaspora, women also played major roles in supporting the armed struggle: they raised money, disseminated the Eritrean message, and cared for families bearing the brunt of war. As such, the contributions of these women should be recognized as well.
The liberation fronts also played a role in creating an environment that could elevate the status of Eritrean women. In the liberated areas, the fronts promoted gender equity by revising marriage and divorce laws, promoting girls education, and innovating in the areas of women’s healthcare. Within the fronts, codes of conduct sought to protect women from gender based violence, while promotion structures sought to provide women opportunities for growth and advancement.
After independence, women have continued to play a central role in the nation building process, both in the economic and political domains. In the diaspora, Eritrean women have also put the country on the map in the post-independence years, with big accomplishments across multiple fields: law, business, medicine, education, entertainment, etc.
In an era of the global #metoo movement, it is important we use independence day as an opportunity to highlight the contributions of Eritrean women. Given the special status of Eritrean women in the liberation struggle and up until the present day, we think the world has much to learn from the Eritrean case. Finally, we think independence day is an important moment to recognize how much work must be done to insure full gender equality in Eritrea and around Africa.