Upcoming groundbreaking research on the socio-economic importance of working equids in central Ethiopia, conducted by Addis Ababa University and the global working animal charity SPANA, suggest that when donkeys are unwell, women and girls’ health suffers. For example, some households reported that women and girls often experience back pain due to carrying heavy loads when a donkey is not available.
With the help of donkeys, women are pursuing livelihood opportunities and girls are staying in school. Donkeys are undoubtedly valuable allies to women, but their contribution to gender equality has limits. Gender inequality remains pervasive and entrenched, often silencing women on issues that affect the very animals that support them.
In rural areas in particular, women are often excluded from decisions about broader household finances, including those related to donkeys. The research also highlighted that in Ethiopia, over 93 per cent of women are involved in the care and management of equines (horses, donkeys and mules), yet only 41 per cent participate in financial decisions and 28 per cent in decisions regarding their purchase.
In rural Ethiopia, women can also lack access to training about working animals and other livestock that would benefit both them and their animals. In partnership with SPANA, Addis Ababa University has run animal welfare and management training specifically for women, covering topics such as wound prevention and feeding management.
This is part of the university’s broader work with SPANA, which includes running PAWS (Promoting Animal Welfare in Schools) clubs to encourage the next generation to care for working animals. The university also operates a centre and mobile clinics that visit rural communities, offering veterinary care for working animals and guidance for their owners.
Respondents in the study brought up the parallels between the discrimination faced by donkeys and women. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that donkeys are seen as ‘women’s animals’ and, like women, they are often stigmatised. Ethiopian proverbs often align the roles of women and donkeys, portraying both as undervalued and overburdened. Donkeys provide women with much needed transport and support yet are considered ‘transport for the poor’.
