Meet Hanna Lemma—a passionate women’s rights advocate and feminist researcher

As a young woman growing up in Ethiopia’s patriarchal society, Hanna witnessed the prevalent injustices faced by girls and young women. From everyday harassment to horrific acts of violence and femicide, it was clear to her that many abuses were overlooked, their roots embedded in a culture that devalues women. This would later inspire her successful campaign “From Catcalling to Femicide,” which shed lights on abuses that are often ignored but stem from the same damaging culture.

The violence, systemic oppression, and killings of women in the society she grew up in filled Hanna with anger and frustration. But instead of letting this fuel hate, she decided to join the feminist movement, believing that by being part of it, she could channel her anger into something positive and bring about change.

However, upon entering the feminist movement, Hanna quickly realized that young women were often silenced or marginalized. In youth spaces, it was predominantly young men who took up the space and dominated the conversation, leaving little room for women’s voices. In feminist spaces, young women were frequently dismissed as lacking experience or tokenized as a checkbox to show "youth participation." There was little room for them to meaningfully contribute or lead.

For Hanna and her peers, the absence of their voices meant their issues were ignored. Topics like gender-based violence (GBV), online harassment, teenage pregnancy, abduction, and catcalling—issues that directly impacted young women—were left unaddressed. This marginalization also meant that young women’s activism and campaigns often fell by the wayside, sidelined by the very spaces that were meant to amplify them.

This frustration became the driving force behind Addis Power House (APH). Hanna envisioned an organization that would center young women’s voices and place them in the leadership roles they deserved. Her goal was simple: to ensure young women have a real seat at the table in social, economic, and political decision-making processes so they can become part of the solution and help strategize alongside key stakeholders.

But to do this, young women needed the right tools: Access to knowledge and information, having the rights skills became a key focus.  APH also works to create work environments that are free from sexual harassment, GBV and improve working conditions for women in Ethiopia. They advocate for Ethiopia to recognize unpaid care work as it has significant impact on women’s economic empowerment.

Ultimately, Hanna and Addis Power House envision a future where young women are empowered to self-advocate, lead their own campaigns, and push for long-term change.

Addis Power House is more than just an organization; it’s a movement dedicated to ensuring that young women don’t just participate but make their voice heard in Ethiopian society.