Authorities in Abobo woreda of the Gambella region have imposed restrictions on women’s clothing, with those wearing short skirts facing fines of up to 3,000 birr.

The measure targets women and girls who already face harassment or violence over clothing deemed too revealing. While social norms in some parts of Ethiopia encourage modest dress, formal prohibitions of this kind are rare.

The Abobo Woreda women’s and children’s affairs office said the restrictions are intended to prevent sexual violence against women, according to Bisrat FM. The office said the measures were introduced in response to requests from parents who said they were having difficulty controlling their children.

Residents interviewed by DW Amharic said the ban on short skirts has already been implemented in Abobo woreda. Sources from the area also said women have been prohibited from wearing trousers in the Tierkidi refugee camp.

Critics say the focus should be on prosecuting offenders, not regulating women’s dress, arguing that such policies wrongly shift blame onto potential victims instead of holding perpetrators accountable.

A few months ago, in Wondo Genet town in the Sidama region, groups of children and youths attempted to forcibly undress women in the street, claiming that “elders had decided women should not wear trousers.” After footage of the incident circulated widely and sparked public outrage, authorities arrested six individuals in connection with the attacks.