Who run the world?

This past weekend I was lucky enough to participate in a Women First 5k run here in Addis... and by run I mean walk... Lets be honest...

The walk was completed by more than 10,000 women both Ethiopian and foreigners who hope to create more awareness about the problems women face in Ethiopian society.

Can you imagine 10,000 excited and energetic young girls and women all joining together for this great cause?
How could you not feel inspired walking/ running with all these incredible females?
Well let me tell you how....
Here in Ethiopia, as is in much of the developing world men seem to be feed with a silver spoon... meaning they think they can talk and treat women however they please.
Now mind you this is not all men here. I have met some amazingly kind men in this country.
The problem is the assholes are louder than the good guys.
Street harassment is a huge problem that women face here in Ethiopia.
I guess calling it street harassment makes it sounds like in only happens on the street which is not the case.
Mini buses,
compounds,
schools,
work,
stores
really anywhere you can think of women are facing harassment.
So here, as we banded together to show our pride and strength as women men were lined up along the way... you guessed it harassing us.
If you aren't used to dealing with people yelling comments about your body at you daily you might not understand what this can do to your self esteem and how you see your self worth.
Living in the city the harassment is greatly increased as compared to my village.
But as difficult as it is for me I can only think about the women here who don't speak out against it, who can't simply leave if it gets to be to much, and who don't have anyone they can talk about it with.


So now many NGOs are working to empower women, which is great don't get me wrong but when will start looking at the root of the problem?
The boys who think it is okay to treat girls this way. We need to begin to also educate and empower them to think of woman as more than just an object.

Please take the time to watch this short video that highlights the day in a life of a woman here in Addis. Mind you this is EVERYDAY life here.

https://www.facebook.com/504654676354438/videos/576572762495962/

That being said. Thank you to all the amazing men I have meet here who give me hope for the future. Who have showed me that there is so much good here.

Also a thank you the ladies I know who keep fighting for their rights and their dignity.