Inclusive human development in Awura Amba community: A post-Development perspective Yilikal M. Engida, Ethiopia

Inclusive human development in Awura Amba community: A post-Development perspective

By Yilikal M. Engida, Ethiopia

Introduction

The Awura Amba community was founded in 1972 by Zumra Nuru Mohammad with 17 people from a neighboring community and now has a population of over 465 people (Chuffa et al., 2015). "Zumra was born on August 21, 1947 [Ethiopian calendar]" (Joumard, 2021) in a rural place called Awura Amba in Amhara regional state, Ethiopia. He grew up watching his mother and father working outside equally. When they came home, his mother's work continued, but his father was able to rest. He wondered why women were expected to do extra chores. So, at the age of four, he began asking his family about gender equality and religious differences. Because of his unexpected questioning, he was classified as deviant from the norm and considered him mentally ill. His mother was searching for traditional healers to find medicine for Zumra's illness (Sniewski, 2015). The male-centered and patriarchal nature of the community, the question goes, considered him a deviant and he was therefore excluded from the community. When he was 13 years old, his family was kicked out of the house because of his unacceptable questions. As a result, he was exiled for five years. Despite these challenges, he founded the community (Joumard, 2010). He was given the title of ambassador and the community was awarded two gold medals by the United Nations (ibid). The golden guiding principles of the Awura Amba community are respect for the rights of women to equality, the rights of children, support for people who can no longer work due to illness or retirement, the elimination of evil words and deeds, and the acceptance of all as brothers and sisters. According to its principles and practices, the community is free from any outside influence. According to Shiva (1993); Rahnema and Bawtree (1997); Rist (1997); Esteva and Prakash (1999), cited in Escobar (2007), post-development is the genuine mobilisation at the social and local level that respects people, sustains the environment, and relies less on the import of knowledge. Taking into account the principles of the community, this essay will be divided into four themes: Gender Equality, Race and Religion, Children's Rights, and a Social Security System. Finally, this essay will attempt to connect to the theory of how the Awura Amba community has been transformative with unique approaches to economic, political, and sociocultural changes.

Gender equality

There is a gendered society in Ethiopia where women are not considered as capable as men, especially in productive activities. Gender segregation is common in everyday activities. According to Nkenkana, “Gender relations permeate the whole of society; they are structures as well as daily practices” (2015, p. 77). What distinguishes Awura Amba from other parts of Ethiopia is that women and men are treated equally. No one is superior, no one is inferior. Children grow up observing what the power relations are in their families. Since the beginning of the community, thoughts and practices are passed from family to family to their children. For example, roles are not assigned based on sex, but on their skills and specialisations. Men and women play equally important roles in the production, reproduction, and management of the community. Women have full autonomy to do what they want as long as they can. However, their freedom is limited within the community. Since communities surrounding them still subordinate and discriminate against women, both ideologically and practically. Apart from the gender division of labour, women and men have an equal share in decision101

making at home and in the community. In terms of gender equality, the Awura Amba community has been more inclusive compared to surrounding communities since its inception. Moreover, at the household level, men and women have equal rights when it comes to matters of marriage and family planning. Marriage, for example, is a private matter between a man and a woman, entered without family involvement. A woman has full autonomy to choose her spouse without interference from the family. After marriage, a woman has the inalienable right to decide when and how to use resources and when and how to use contraceptive methods for family planning. If necessary, she can use any contraceptive method she chooses without consulting her husband. In terms of reproductive justice, Harcourt (2019) asserts that women and other genders are given autonomy over their own bodies when deciding whether to have children. The freedom to do what people want makes the community an intriguing place to live and adopt into other places. The practice of the Awura Amba community goes beyond the metaphor that it was done in a way that is consistent with post-development theory. Harcourt (2019) stated as:

“Post [-] development aims to go beyond the metaphors, ideologies, and premises of development in its analysis of development as a contested set of cultural, political, economic, and historical processes and relations.” Community members do not only preach but also live out what they have told us to do. Regarding the question of who is superior, a man or a woman? Zumra believes that if superiority is based on physical power, let’s use that energy for work; why do we use it inhumanely for hurting others?

Race and religion

Zumeras's new way of thinking has been done in the community, and his approach to race and religion is unique. According to Escobar (1995; 2008), quoted in Harcourt (2019), “postdevelopment is the unmaking of development through the intervention of new narratives, new ways of thinking and doing”. The community believes that all people belong to one race. For them, all people are created equal. No one is superior or inferior because of their gender, race, ethnicity, or other status in the community. However, if we compare how ethnicity is treated in the surrounding community, there is a big difference. People lose their lives because of the constant ethnic conflicts. In Ethiopia, for example, women are the biggest victims due to religious and ethnic conflicts. To give a concrete example: The ethnic-based war in the northern parts of Ethiopia forced women to be raped by organised groups. As far as religion is concerned, the members of the community do not believe in a divine power, but in the existence of a creator who created the sky, the earth, the night, the day, the woman and the man, the air, the sun and all the creatures that live on the planet, and they express their faith through good deeds. As a result of compatibility, members of the community live by doing good deeds for others while avoiding negative deeds toward others (Yirga, 2007, cited in Ekimie, 2021). The community lives by the motto, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (ibid, 2021). Doing good and avoiding bad speech can create a peaceful world by creating brotherhood and sisterhood among religious, ethnic, and non-believers. Even if they believe in only one God, no one is prevented from being a member of the community if he or she accepts the basic principles.

Children’s rights

As one of the principles of the community, children have equal rights as adults; they are allowed to express their ideas in the family and in the community. They are free, regardless of

their sex. But if we observe the surrounding community, their labour is exploited by their own families. In addition to the exploitation, they are also prevented from expressing their ideas. In Awura Amba, however, both girls and boys have the same right to argue or express ideas in front of their families and others. Not only that, but there is no gender preference in the community: Girls and boys are seen in the same lens. Equality for children is a milestone for the life chances of the next generations in democracy and progress. Compared to the neighbouring communities, it is exactly the opposite. Here, patriarchal thoughts are passed on, preventing women from benefiting from development. “...the backlash against 'women's issues' is a backlash against democracy and progressive change” (Tamale, 2006, p. 39).

Social protection

The community attaches great importance to helping people who are no longer able to work because of their age or health problems. They believe that people should come first and only then materials, because you can throw away materials after you have used them up, but people should not be thrown away, they should be respected. This is one of the most important principles they follow, and they have been doing this practically since 1972. The community has built a centre for these services for the elderly. Another important point that makes them unique is the fact that the centre is open to outsiders, without differences in religion, race, or gender. Moreover, the members of the community do not worry about the fate of their children when death occurs, because everything is shared, including the risks. Due to family risk, no one is left behind. Both wealth and challenges are shared within the community. According to Ultra et al. (2012), quoted in Gerber and Raina (2018), the fourth king of Bhutan replied to a journalist, “We are not concerned about Gross National Product; we care about Gross National Happiness”. Accordingly, while material possessions are important to the people, they do a lot for the people. There are similarities between the king and the Awura Amba community's idea of being humane and caring more about happiness than money. Many aspects of post-development theory are reflected in the ideological thoughts and practices of the Awura Amba community. As Pieterse (2000) noted about post-development theory, it differs from existing critical development approaches in its strong opposition to development, rather than modifying some aspects. Similarly, Harcourt (2019) defines, “postdevelopment is a new way of thinking and narratives in which it unmakes development” Thus, since they have been practically living their golden guiding principles and sharing the ideas of Piererse and Harcourt, the community seems to be connected to the newly developed postdevelopment theory.

Conclusion

The community’s milestone is the guiding principles: respect for women's rights to equality, children's rights, and support for people who can no longer work due to illness or retirement. The ideas were not imported from elsewhere but learned from the experiences he (Zumra) had in his family and community. According to the golden principles, his importance raised questions about the patriarchal society of the time, which considered him a deviant rather than a visionary. The community has been living in peace and equality since its inception, regardless of gender, age group, colour or religion. Moreover, anyone who has retired due to old age, physical or mental illness is entitled to social welfare. When we examine the connection between ideologies and practices in the community, we see a direct connection to the long-term desire for women, children, and the elderly to be heard and to have the opportunity to express their needs and priorities. Not only they are practicing this principle today, but they are also preparing their children for a successful future. Therefore, based on

their golden guiding principles and daily life, the community seems to share the postdevelopment theory and it can be an alternative to a new mainstream development.

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