Last week, The Duchess of Edinburgh was in Ethiopia, where she has been raising awareness of two key causes of her royal work – tackling blindness and raising awareness around conflict-related sexual violence.
Sophie visited Ethiopia last week. (UNICEF Ethiopia).
The Duchess began her visit in Tigray at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office. In this conflict-affected region, she observed the work of UNICEF, which is addressing the devastating impact of conflict-related sexual violence and gender-based violence.
A long-standing advocate for the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, the Duchess has championed the rights of survivors worldwide. Earlier this year, she visited the Netherlands on her first overseas engagement of 2023 to hear their stories and raise awareness.
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In Tigray, Sophie visited the Sabacare IDP Camp, home to over 16,000 internally displaced persons, the majority of whom are women and children. She listened to their experiences, learned about the challenges they face, and observed the support provided by UNICEF-trained workers.
While at the camp, the Duchess participated in skilled sewing activities with the women and visited a child-friendly space designed to help children play, learn, and thrive despite the hardships they face.
The Duchess of Edinburgh visited Sabacare IDP Camp. (UNICEF Ethiopia).
At Ayder Hospital’s One Stop Centre for survivors of gender-based violence, Sophie heard about the medical and psychological support provided to women affected by the humanitarian crisis. She later visited the Women’s Development Centre, a charity that empowers survivors by teaching them skills to secure independent employment and rebuild their lives.
HRH continued her work in raising awareness around conflict-related sexual violence. (UK in Ethiopia).
On Tuesday, the Duchess traveled to Hawassa to focus on her role as Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. Her visit emphasised efforts to eliminate blinding trachoma, a disease that disproportionately affects women and can lead to severe complications, including eyelids turning inwards, causing damage to the eye. Women account for 70% of cases in Ethiopia.
Sophie met with health workers who screen and treat individuals for trachoma and learned about the challenges faced by those affected. At a local school, she observed how teachers screen children for eye conditions and educate them on protecting themselves from trachoma.
Later, the Duchess visited the Hawassa Tertiary Eye Care Unit, where she explored the simulation training opportunities established by the charity Orbis. The training aims to equip healthcare professionals with the skills needed to combat preventable blindness.
Sophie at Hawassa Tertiary Eye Care. (Hawassa University).
On Wednesday, Sophie participated in a historic trachoma elimination conference in Addis Ababa, which brought together over 40 organizations and more than 100 participants to discuss challenges, achievements, and future plans for eradicating the disease.
Delivering the keynote speech, the Duchess of Edinburgh highlighted the profound impact of trachoma on women, children, education, and livelihoods. She urged global leaders to intensify efforts to meet the goal of eliminating trachoma by 2030.
‘So much has been achieved both here in Ethiopia and around the world,” Sophie said. “But now is the time that we must all redouble our efforts if we are to achieve our aim of eliminating trachoma by the year 2030, which is a mere six years away. We must not let ourselves become defocused or complacent. Every person involved in this vital work has reason to be proud of each and every accomplishment. We are creeping closer to our incredible goal, and I urge you all to keep your eyes on the prize, making this disease—a disease so awful it is worthy of mention in the Bible—a thing of the past, giving our communities the gift of sight’
🇪🇹 To mark #WorldSightDay 2023, The Duchess of Edinburgh, as Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (@IAPB1), is visiting Ethiopia to celebrate the work of @ukOrbis and to reaffirm the call to eliminate trachoma for all by 2030. pic.twitter.com/fvKIacbQug
— The Crown Chronicles (@crownchronicles) October 12, 2023
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The Duchess of Edinburgh concluded her visit on Thursday by attending World Sight Day events in Addis Ababa. This year’s theme emphasised the importance of eye care in the workplace and encouraged employers to implement standard eye health initiatives.
During the event, over 900 staff received free eye tests, attended presentations on protecting their vision, and enjoyed performances by the Police Marching Band and the Addis Ababa Children and Youth Club.
Yesterday HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh spent the morning at a conference organised by @ukorbis.@ukorbis with partners and the government of 🇪🇹 are all working together to eliminate Neglected tropical diseases including Trachoma. pic.twitter.com/DI5uscv3cX
— UK in Ethiopia 🇬🇧 (@UKinEthiopia) October 13, 2023
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The Duchess of Edinburgh’s visit to Ethiopia continues her decade-long dedication to combating blindness. In 2013, she traveled to India to experience Orbis’s Flying Eye Hospital program, witnessing the sight-saving services offered to communities in Kolkata.
In 2021, she celebrated the elimination of blinding trachoma in The Gambia, where she praised the collaborative efforts that made the achievement possible. “In our lifetime, to see something that has destroyed so many lives actually being beaten is wonderful,” she said. “Each success is a home-grown success from each individual country. Yes, the international community came together, but it had to rely on each country to make it their own. Without commitment from the top down and the bottom up, none of this would have come about.”
