In Ethiopia, Policy LINK Facilitates Leadership Training for Senior Policy System Actors

Participants in the September 1-3, 2023 leadership training.

Policy LINK's Champions for Food Security (C4FS) Activity in Ethiopia continued to deliver leadership skills training, this time solely targeting women leaders. The Leadership for Change (L4C) training was offered to 37 participants of Oromia Region from September 1-3, 2023. The training was aimed at enhancing women’s leadership capacity in the inclusive and participatory policymaking process as well as inspiring them to lead and influence policy dialogues.   

The training is also useful for policy leadership buy-in and follow-up with the high-profile regional women leaders. They are due to provide leadership in the implementation of action projects derived from systemic policy bottlenecks that were identified and prioritized by participants in three previous rounds of L4C regional training. Those rounds were held in Oromia, Amhara, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ (SNNP), and Sidama regions,

H.E. Se’ada Abdurehman, Chief Speaker of the Regional House of Representatives (Caffee Oromia) of the Regional State Council.

"I am pleased that USAID assistance has evolved in such policy and leadership agendas, in addition to the broader range of sectoral services it has provided in the Oromia region and at the national level," she said.  She vowed to collaborate with USAID and C4FS to take ownership of such an inclusive policymaking process in the region.   

USAID Activity Manager for C4FS Semachew Kassahun remarked on the importance of the training as he kicked off the training program. "Policy is a framework that can be put into action through programs, projects, or activities," Semachew said. “Policy also requires leadership capacity at all levels. No development project will be successful without women’s participation, who make up half of Ethiopia’s population. That is why USAID is investing in this type of program. And you, as women leaders, should be active in policymaking despite the cultural and other barriers,” he added.

Representatives from the public and private sectors, academia, community-based organizations, and media attended the three-day training.

Kokobe Hida (L), Head of Bureau of Public Service, Oromia Region, completed the training.

H.E. Se’ada Abdurehman, Chief Speaker of the Regional House of Representatives (Caffee Oromia) of the Regional State Council, appreciated the focus given to Oromia women leaders and the selection of the training topics of policy leadership.

“I have attended various training courses in the past, but I found this one unique in that it will be valuable to both my personal and professional life,” Kokobe Hida, Head of Bureau of Public Service, Oromia Region, said. “The training on mindset, in particular, has impressed me, and I believe it will assist me in understanding and distinguishing various personalities and mindsets. It would also help me to prepare different management styles,” Kokobe said after the training.She noted that while working in the public service, she has encountered different requests, complaints, or concerns linked with poor decision-making and uncertainty. "For example, there have been times when I have doubted myself or had difficulty making decisions. This training helped me comprehend that other people's practices or behaviors are issues of mindset and emotional intelligence. I am now more aware of how I can improve my work in a productive manner," Kokobe added.

L4C training in Amhara region

Similarly, C4FS facilitated the leadership skills development training for 45 participants, of whom 13 were women, in Bahir Dar, Amhara Region from July 26 to 29, 2023. The participants were selected mainly from the regional House of Representatives, advisors of the president, as well as the management of the Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute and the Regional Industrial Parks.

One training participant said, “This leadership training is unlike any other I have ever attended. That is why, despite the pressing office tasks, I stayed till the end of the training. It has given me a better understanding of how I should approach problems and communicate with my coworkers.”

C4FS conducted a rapid assessment in 2022, which revealed that lack of leadership skills is among the immediate capacity gaps of policy actors. The L4C training program is thus designed to address these gaps and improve stakeholders’ ability and confidence in influencing the policymaking process in the agriculture and food security sector.

To date, the C4FS team has trained a total of 380 individuals across Ethiopia’s three regions. 

Resources

With More than 250 Participants, Demand Grows for Policy LINK Leadership Training in Ethiopia