During the past 10 years Ethiopia has faced economic, social and political challenges, due to years of civil war and the transition to democracy. This has led to the existence of urban/rural disparities between regions, in particular with regard to the availability of resources and infrastructure. The problems are reflected on the failure or ineffective functioning of social services such as health, protection and education on children. This publication aims to serve as a basis for further discussions with the government and civil society representatives on how to take stronger collective action to implement the provisions in the UN convention of the Rights of the Child, strengthen protection and fulfil the promises made to the children of Ethiopia.

The overall objective of this situational analysis is to provide information and analysis of the complex child rights situation in Ethiopia and identify priority needs and existing capacities in the country. Specific objectives of the analysis include: (i) Gather information and present a situation of child rights and implications for programming; (ii) Assess and provide information related to the development priorities of the Government of Ethiopia and the donor community; (iii) Based on findings, provide a broad roadmap of programming options and strategies for development of Save the Children Sweden programming in Ethiopia; and (iv) Identify areas for further mapping and research.