Abstract:
This study aimed at investigating socio-cultural factors affecting girls’ education in a pugnido
refugee camp, Gambella region, Ethiopia. Primary data were collected through a structured
interview schedule, FGD, and Key informant interview and secondary data were collected from
books, articles, journals, maps, and reports were collected from relevant organizations and
institutions. The quantitative data tool employed was an interview schedule with 380 respondents’
selected using availability sampling. The qualitative data were collected using a key-informant
interview with 19 informants and 10 FGD participants. Quantitative data were analyzed using
descriptive statistics like percentages and frequency distributions while the qualitative data was
analyzed manually through careful interpretation of meanings and pattern matching. The findings
of the study indicated that the girls’ low participation in education was affected by social and
cultural factors. Gender inequality, early marriage, forced marriage, fear of rape, low level of
parent education and loss of their parents were the identified social factors that hindered the girls’
education and from a cultural point of view, the reproduction role of the girls’, looks the girls as
sources of income, looks the girls’ as dependent person and restrictions for the girls’. As a result of
the research findings, the following recommendations are forwarded: First, ARRA and other
stakeholders responsible for education should create viable awareness among refugee on the
benefits of girl’s education. Secondarily, Training should be organized by the UNHCR and other
agencies on major factors hindering girl’s excess to education such as forced marriage, early
marriage and engaging girls on domestic works. The ARRA and RCC should establish safety
measures so that girls can excess their education without any target threat such as rape and abuses.
Finally, the organizations funding the education in Pugnido Refugee Camp should provide facilities
that can encourage girls to pursue their studies.
