What are the key success factors in bringing awareness and behavior change among the Hammer community againts the practice of harmful traditional pacticies within the context of “Mingi”?

This report covers Save the Children’s project “Promote the Survival and Development of Pastoralist Children in South Omo”. The project covers three (Hammer, Dassenech and Gnyangathom) woredas in South Omo zone of South Nations, Nationalist and People (SNNP) region of Ethiopia. However, this specific study is focused on Hammer woreda only where the “Mingi” practice is prevalent. “Mingi” is an infanticide practice. Children who have their top upper teeth first, children born out of wed lock, twins, babies conceived before the traditional ceremony or blessing of elders are considered “Mingi” and will be killed. Communities believe that if these children grow up in the community they will bring curse to them. The study identifies key success factors in bringing the awareness and behavioral change on the “Mingi” practice.

This study used mixed research design that is competent to respond to the research objective and questions. The respondents for this particular research were influential community leaders, Community Conversation and Radio Listening Group participants, kinship and foster care providers, positive deviant parents and government officials from health, education, justice and police sectors. The study was conducted in five kebeles of Hammer woreda. The qualitative survey covered three kebeles and the quantitative survey covered five kebeles.