Sida's work in Ethiopia
In Ethiopia, Sida contributes to economic development that benefits people living in poverty and vulnerable situations, to peacebuilding, and to greater respect for human rights. Sida also provides extensive humanitarian aid to Ethiopia.
Why does Sida work in Ethiopia?
Increased violence and armed conflicts
Several armed conflicts are ongoing in the country. This is leading to a rise in both violence and people’s vulnerability. Many people are displaced within the country’s borders and humanitarian needs are significant.
Economic instability and rising unemployment
Ethiopia’s economy continues to grow, and has one of Africa’s highest growth rates. However, inflation remains high, driving up the cost of living and hitting people living in poverty particularly hard. Unemployment is particularly high among young people and women in urban areas. Corruption, as well as a lack of funding and skilled labour, is hindering sustainable development.
Examples of what Sida has contributed to
Mitigating the effects of climate change
Through the programme ‘Nature-based solutions for sustainable and inclusive development’, Sida contributes to a more sustainable environment and forest management, as well as increased resilience to climate-related crises. The programme creates job opportunities for people living in poverty, particularly women and young people in rural areas.
Strengthening women’s rights and participation in peace processes
In conflict-affected areas, Sida contributes to increased access to healthcare and services for women, thereby strengthening their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Sida also supports Ethiopia’s efforts to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1325 – on women, peace and security.
Supporting civil society
Sida strengthens civil society’s ability to work towards responsible political governance that includes everyone, thereby strengthening human rights in Ethiopia. Sida also helps to protect human rights defenders and strengthens free and independent media.
Sida's work in Ethiopia
Sida supports projects that strengthen civil society, promote democracy, uphold human rights and advance gender equality. Here are some examples of projects Sida supports:
Sida helps to combat female genital mutilation and ensures that women and girls who have survived sexual violence have access to safe accommodation and healthcare through its support for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The organisation Engender Health (EH) provides survivors of gender-based violence with medical care, psychosocial support and legal assistance. Sida’s partner organisations also work preventively through education on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), including ensuring that SRHR is included in national curricula, and to change discriminatory norms and attitudes. The involvement of men and boys as agents of change is a key part of this.
Conflict-related sexual violence was wide-spread in the context of the civil war in Tigray. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), along with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, produced a report highlighting the abuses during the war as well as recommendations on how to address them. Sida was the largest donor to the report.
Sida supports the FOJO Media Institute and the Media Reform in the Time of Change – Promoting Journalism and Democracy programme, which is carried out in collaboration with the organisation International Media Support (IMS).
The programme contributes, among other things, to strengthening the safety of journalists and increasing access to digital communication, including strengthening girls’ and women’s digital skills. FOJO also runs training programmes for journalists on independent and investigative journalism.
Sida bidrar till att stärka miljöskyddet i landet, främja klimatsmart jordbruk och omställningen till förnybar energi. Här är exempel på projekt som Sida stödjer:
Sida supports Farm Africa and the Growth for Future project, which work to strengthen communities socially, environmentally and economically. Through climate-friendly agriculture, improved natural-resource management and greater access to markets, people are earning higher incomes.
The project works to reduce land degradation by restoring land, protecting water resources, improving soil and planting fruit trees. The work gives people increased access to public services and stimulates entrepreneurship in rural areas. It has also contributed to more women participating in society and gaining leadership positions.
Through Farm Africa, Sida is supporting a pilot project that demonstrate the potential of urban farming to provide people with access to home-grown, organic vegetables and additional income. The project is mainly aimed at women, who often find it more difficult to compete in the labour market.
Among other things, they are building raised beds, which work well on small plots, and constructing ponds for fish farming. The project also includes training in organic composting and the cultivation of various vegetables. Participants also learn about sales and how markets work. They join small savings-and-loan cooperatives to save collectively, which strengthens them both socially and financially.
Just over 60 per cent of Ethiopians have access to electricity. Sida supports the Renewable Energy and Adaptation to Climate Technology (REACT) fund, which stimulates small and medium-sized enterprises in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency. The fund contributes to increasing production and give people access to renewable energy, such as solar energy.
Sida strengthens the opportunities for women, young people and marginalised groups to earn a living under decent conditions and improves their access to social safety nets.
Sida supports development of the private sector and improvement of the business climate. Here are some of the projects Sida supports:
Sida supports Ethiopia’s social protection system. The system provides 8 million people living in extreme poverty with a cash grant that enables them to buy food. In years of extreme drought and crop failure, Sida contributes by increasing the cash grant and enabling more people to benefit from it. Sida is supporting improvements to the system through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Integrated Safety Net Programme (ISNP), which includes support for social workers who work with the most vulnerable families, educating them on nutritious diets and the importance of sending girls to school. As a result, more children go to school and women who receive cash benefits no longer have to work when they are pregnant or breastfeeding.
The number of internally displaced Ethiopians is still large. UNICEF and Sida are working on new solutions to integrate them into the cash assistance programme.
Sida supports the development of the private sector and helps improve the business climate in Ethiopia. Through the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Sida contributes to increasing access to loans for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Through the Dutch global development organisation SNV, Sida supports the Livelihoods Improvement for Women and Youth (LIWAY) programme, which creates jobs for women and youth in the capital Addis Ababa. The support includes improving job matching and increasing access to childcare services for vulnerable families. It also provides knowledge and skills development, which assists people running micro and small businesses to access capital and markets, thereby increasing their income. The support also promotes economic development for larger manufacturing companies.
Development cooperation should help to prevent conflicts and promote peace and reconciliation. Sida supports projects that promote dialogue between parties in conflict and make it easier to hold those responsible to account.
Sida supports projects that work towards long-term and sustainable solutions for people who have been forced to flee, and for the communities that take in Ethiopian refugees within their own country. Young people and women play a vital role in peace processes, which is why Sida works to increase women’s participation.
Here are some examples of programmes and projects supported by Sida:
Through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Sida supports the Durable Solutions Initiative (DSI), which works on sustainable solutions for people fleeing armed conflict. The programme works closely with local communities to ensure that people who have been forced to flee within the country have permanent housing, are able to earn a living and have access to basic social services. It targets displaced people and host communities in the regions of Somalia and Oromia.
In a project implemented in cooperation between the Swedish Pentecostal Mission for Development Cooperation (PMU) and the Evangelical Alliance in Ethiopia (ECFE), Sida supports peacebuilding in Ethiopia. The initiative reaches 25 million people. The initiative promotes peace and coexistence through dialogue and training in peacebuilding and trauma management for young people, pastors and women leaders, among others.
Millions of Ethiopians are in need of humanitarian support. The country is facing one of the world’s largest and most complex crises, caused by armed conflict and climate-related natural disasters. Sida’s humanitarian support provides people with access to clean water, nutrition and food, health care and protection.
Sida works with international humanitarian and civil society organisations and prioritises the people most in need of support. Ethiopia is one of the countries receiving the most humanitarian support from Sida in 2026.
Sida’s humanitarian support in Ethiopia saves lives and alleviates suffering.
In the humanitarian crisis analysis, you can read about the crisis and see which partner organisations are working there in 2026.
Updated: May 6, 2026