ILO programme prepares Ethiopian women for leadership roles

The programme prepares trainers to guide women workers towards career advancement while encouraging factories to build more inclusive workplaces where talent is recognised regardless of gender.

More women working in Ethiopia's leather, textile and garment industries are expected to move into supervisory and management positions through a new International Labour Organization (ILO) initiative that strengthens leadership skills and expands workplace mentoring. The programme prepares trainers to guide women workers towards career advancement while encouraging factories to build more inclusive workplaces where talent is recognised regardless of gender.

The Training of Trainers (ToT) on the Women Leadership Development Programme (WLDP) was held from 7 to 10 July 2026 under the ONEILO Siraye programme as part of the Strengthening Climate-Resilient Leather, Textile and Garment Industry in Ethiopia Project, funded by the Government of Japan.

Leadership training targets workplace barriers

Women account for more than 80 per cent of Ethiopia's leather, textile and garment workforce, yet relatively few hold supervisory or leadership positions. Many continue to face obstacles such as limited access to professional development, unequal promotion opportunities, workplace discrimination, cultural stereotypes, family caregiving responsibilities and a shortage of female role models.

The training equipped SCORE trainers and industry experts with practical coaching, mentoring and facilitation skills so they can help women workers strengthen their confidence, improve decision-making abilities and prepare for leadership responsibilities within their factories.

Participants also learned interactive training methods that will allow them to support women workers more effectively while encouraging employers to adopt inclusive workplace practices.

Trainers ready to support women's career growth

Participants said the programme provided practical tools that can help remove barriers preventing women from progressing into management roles.

Helen Gebremariam, Project Coordinator at the Kaizen Excellence Center, said many women continue to carry a double burden by balancing demanding factory jobs with family and caregiving responsibilities. She explained that the training introduced structured approaches for delivering gender-inclusive coaching and mentoring programmes that can support lasting workplace change.

Daniel Alemayehu, a researcher at the Leather and Leather Products Industry Research and Development Center, said women workers often miss out on leadership opportunities because of limited training, workplace discrimination and a lack of networking opportunities. He added that the programme strengthened his ability to coach women in leadership, communication, problem-solving and labour rights while preparing them for supervisory positions.

Other participants said they gained practical mentoring, communication and planning skills that will help women workers become more confident and better prepared to take on management responsibilities.

Programme expands to factories across Ethiopia

The Women Leadership Development Programme will now be introduced across 12 leather, textile and garment factories. It is expected to directly support at least 100 women workers and 75 senior supervisors while creating learning opportunities for another 200 employees.

The initiative builds on previous rounds of the programme, which have already reached 234 women workers and 178 senior supervisors across 18 factories. According to the ILO, an average of 57 per cent of trained women participants were promoted into leadership positions, receiving salary increases alongside their new responsibilities.

By preparing a new group of trainers, the ILO hopes the programme will continue creating opportunities for women to move into decision-making roles while helping factories strengthen productivity through a more skilled and inclusive workforce.