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Haset Summit

June 26, 2025 @ 8:30 am – 5:30 pm

Haset Summit

Highlighting the transformative journeys of the First Cohort of Haset Women Leadership program

Haset Summit is a one-day event dedicated to amplifying the visibility, celebrating the achievements, and highlighting the transformative journeys of women leaders. These women leaders have completed a rigorous one-year program, Haset Women Leadership, and the summit marks their graduation which will take place at the Hilton Addis on Thursday, June 26, 2025.

Haset is a one-year project developed for Ethiopian women leaders in CSO. Women remain underrepresented in senior leadership roles within CSOs, holding just 29% of top positions. The Haset Leadership Program funded by the Packard Foundation, developed by Emerge PLC, and implemented by Association of Women in Boldness (AWiB), was created to address this gap by equipping a cohort of visionary women with the tools, networks, and confidence to lead meaningful change.

The Haset Summit is designed to:

  • Spotlight the diverse talents and contributions of Haset women leaders.
  • Commemorate their significant achievements across various fields.
  • Showcase their individual growth and evolution throughout the Haset program.

The program includes several engaging sessions, such as a panel discussion and dialogue. The impact of future women leaders of Ethiopia will also be highlighted through an interactive dialogue and showcasing their volunteer projects during an exhibition. See the event’s program below.

Opening Remarks

Saba Gebremedhin, Executive Director of NEWA

Saba Gebremedhin is a women’s rights advocate and one of the active civil society leaders working for equality, peace, and development in Ethiopia. She holds an LLB and an MA in Globalization, Gender, and Rights, combining legal expertise with NGO experience. Originally from the field of legal practice, she served as a special prosecutor and assistant chief prosecutor in the Special Prosecutor’s Office.

For the past 19 years, Saba has been serving as the Executive Director of the Network of Ethiopian Women Associations (NEWA), leading a national network of women’s organizations that promote development and rights for women and girls across the country.

She is also a board and advisory member of various institutions, including the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, UN Women, local and sub-regional women’s networks, international civil society organizations, and UN humanitarian clusters. Saba has played a pivotal role in creating advocacy platforms on diverse issues such as women’s access to social services and influencing policy—particularly national development plans—to ensure women’s equal benefit and participation in the economy. She has also led and implemented projects focused on girls’ education and young women’s involvement in decision-making.

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Meseret Kassahun, Researcher

Dr. Meseret specializes in social development and governance, with extensive work on gender equality and social inclusion in the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania). Under IGAD, she evaluated the implementation of UNSCR 1325 on women, peace, and security. For UNECA, she assessed conflict’s impact on women and youth in the region. She led a national study on women’s leadership barriers in Ethiopia for the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and served as Lead Researcher for UN Women on women in leadership and decision-making. She also contributed to Stanford University’s gender equality landscape assessment and led UNICEF’s research on national child protection systems in Ethiopia.

She directed the State of Addis Ababa Report for UN Habitat, focusing on urban governance and social service delivery, including housing affordability, displacement, and compensation from a human rights lens. Dr. Meseret holds a PhD from the Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago. Before relocating to Kenya, she was Assistant Professor of Social Work at Addis Ababa University (2012–2017), teaching master’s courses and serving on PhD panels. Her publications cover urban governance, child protection, conflict’s impact on women, and gender-based violence’s effects on society.

Speaker – Male Partnerships

Sisay Sirgu, MD, MPH, Associate Professor, Provost, St. Paul’s Hospital MMC

Dr. Sisay Sirgu studied medicine at Jimma University and worked as a general practitioner at Gambella Hospital and assistant lecturer at Dilla College of Health Sciences. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Addis Ababa University and earned a Master’s in Public Health from Mekelle University. He specialized in Diabetes and Endocrinology at Apollo Hospitals, India. He served as an assistant professor at Hawassa University and worked with WHO Ethiopia and WHO Geneva on normative guidelines, training materials, and M&E tools. He is currently associate professor and subspecialist at St Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC), providing clinical care, teaching, and engaging in research.

He served as Vice-Provost for Academic and Research for three years and has been Provost since January 2023. Dr. Sisay was secretary (3 years) and president (2 years) of the Ethiopian Society of Internal Medicine. He is also a board member of Ethiopian Prosthetic and Orthotic Service and Women’s Health and Lifestyle Education Inc. He has led or participated in numerous research projects and has several publications. His interests include infectious diseases, diabetes and endocrinology, and healthcare quality.

Closing Remarks

Ambassador Tadelech Hailemikael

Ambassador Tadelech Hailemikael is a trailblazing leader whose dedication to women’s empowerment has institutionalized top-tier women’s leadership in Ethiopia. Born in Addis Ababa’s Piassa district, she studied at Lycée Guébré Mariam, Princess Zenebework School, and Etege Menen before earning a History and Journalism degree from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland. While abroad, she became editor of Tagey, the Ethiopian Female Student Association of Europe’s journal, and was later imprisoned for nearly 13 years by the Derg regime for her opposition activities—teaching 12th-grade students in jail and giving birth behind bars.

Upon release, Ambassador Tadelech became Ethiopia’s first Minister of Women’s Affairs, where she forged partnerships with UN agencies and spearheaded the 1995 National Women’s Policy—the country’s first—mandating gender mainstreaming across government programs. She championed the appointment of women leaders in ministerial women’s offices and secured women’s representation in the constitution (Articles 35–36).

As Ambassador to West Africa and later to France, Morocco, Tunisia, Spain, and UNESCO (2006–2010), she advanced peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and inter-African trade. She also founded and directed the grassroots Women’s Development Fund, empowering women and girls nationwide. Ambassador Tadelech is celebrated for her unwavering resilience, generosity, and belief in human potential—whether educating prisoners or rescuing vulnerable women from the streets. Her life epitomizes the transformative power of principled leadership.