Gender exploitative and gender transformative aspects of employing Health Extension Workers under Ethiopia's Health Extension Program.

Objectives: To apply a gender lens to Ethiopia's Health Extension Program and the role of Health Extension Workers (HEWs).

Methods: Interviews with 45 HEWs and four focus group discussions with 14 of the same HEWS from three regions in rural Ethiopia: Afar Region; Tigray Region (Adwa Woreda); and two locations in Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region (Aleta Wondo Woreda and Kafa Zone). Two focus group discussions were conducted in Afar Region with 17 Women Extension Workers employed by Afar Pastoralist Development Association.

The Role of Health Extension Workers in Linking Pregnant Women With Health Facilities for Delivery in Rural and Pastoralist Areas of Ethiopia.

Background: Women's preference to give birth at home is deeply embedded in Ethiopian culture. Many women only go to health facilities if they have complications during birth. Health Extension Workers (HEWs) have been deployed to improve the utilization of maternal health services by bridging the gap between communities and health facilities.

Factors affecting unmet need for family planning in southern nations, nationalities and peoples region, ethiopia.

Background: High fertility and low contraceptive prevalence characterize Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region. In such populations, unmet needs for contraception have a tendency to be high, mainly due to the effect of socio-economic and demographic variables. However, there has not been any study examining the relationship between these variables and unmet need in the region.

SUPPORT FOR THE CONTINUATION OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN JIMMA ZONE, SOUTHWEST ETHIOPIA.

Background: Female genital mutilation/cutting is a harmful practice which has effect on female's wellbeing. However, the practice has continued to prevail in many cultures. Research on the social determinants of the practice and its continuation are scarce.