Ethiopia's minister of women resigns

By Mohammed Dhaysane

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AA) - Ethiopia's minister of women, children and youth announced her resignation Monday, over a year after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed appointed her to the post.

Filsan Abdullahi said her ministry has developed a 10-year plan to build new institutions, mechanisms and policies to make a difference in the lives of Ethiopia's women, children and youth, which "has been long overdue, and now more than ever, it is even more crucial at this critical juncture in our country.”

Abdullahi said that taking the helm of a barely functioning ministry which had limited human resources and without an adequate budget to deliver tangible results felt like a setup for failure.

During her term at the ministry, she said they had made great strides, despite the odds and challenges.

"Any situation that compromises my ethics is contrary to my convictions and values, and betraying those beliefs is a breach of trust to myself and our citizens. For reasons of a personal nature that weigh heavily on my conscience, I regretfully submit my letter of resignation effective immediately,” she added.

Abdullahi was among the bright young men and women included in Abiy's government and is from the Somali region of the country.

Her resignation comes as human rights organizations claim that violence and atrocities against women, including rape, have been committed during the Tigray war between government forces and rebels.