Regional Reports - the European External Action Service

the active age population is highly affected by the epidemic of HIV/aids. The number of
orphans with aids is also increasing over the years. The number of orphans due to AIDS
is expected to be 7120 and 249 in urban and rural areas respectively;
• The administration has faced multidimensional problems of implementation capacity at
all levels which can be manifested in its manpower, organization and overall operational
systems. Among these the following are the major ones: a) Wide span of Institutional
structure; b) Very poor working systems; c) Lack of proclamation, regulation &
directives; d) Lack of Administrative Policies & Strategies; e) Lack of commitment at all
level; f) Inadequate man Power in skill, qualification & number; g) No integration among
the development programs; h) Absence of vision and strategic thinking; i) Lack of
community participation; l)Lack of an enabling environment & Institutional capacity for
CSOs & Private Sector;
• According to the gender specific base line survey result, it was identified that women in
Dire Dawa spend on average 11.05 hours on work each day. Regarding employment
opportunity, unemployed urban female accounts for 71 %, this implies women have less
access for employment opportunities than their male counterparts. Resources accessed by
women at household level are largely homestead lands, small animals (sheep, goats, and
hens), milk and egg, and small farm implements. Again, from those women with access
to the above mentioned resources those who had controlling power over the resources
were found to be only 21 %. Beyond the level of household economy, access to resources
and opportunities to improve working conditions, productivity level (existing and scaled-
up) and equal participation of women in development practices is lacking to a
tremendous level;
• The total revenue of Dire Dawa is highly dominated by external sources that cover on
average about 65%, in which 52%, 8% and 5% is contributed by central government
grant, borrowing and assistance from foreign sources in their order. The local sources of
revenue on average contribute only 35%, in which municipal revenues share is only 10%
while non-municipal revenue cover 25%. These indicate that the city is highly dependent
on external sources. Moreover, out of the total amount of revenue, the recurrent
expenditure accounts for the lion share of the administration’s expenditure. It is also
observed that the wage bill as percentage of own revenue is becoming higher in recent
years;
• The recharge in the hillsides and mountainous areas of the southern, south-eastern and
south-western part of the administration is highly degraded in mainly due to expansion of
farmland, population pressure, cutting of trees, shrubs and bushes, fuel wood
consumption, poorly managed catchments rehabilitation work, and naturally low level of
moisture and vegetation cover. This aggravates the problem of soil erosion and
subsequent sever reduction of soil thickness in the escarpment zone. This in turn
influence recharge condition of the administration to be minimal with very high runoff.
As a result there is high seasonal fluctuation of groundwater level and hence decrease in
springs discharge, yield of shallow wells and moderately deep boreholes, and even drying
of many springs and boreholes;
• Refuse and liquid waste disposal sites in Dire Dawa is inappropriate and unorganized.
The waste in the city is not properly stored, collected, transported and disposed off, but
accumulated on open lands and open drainage ditches thus providing breeding areas for
disease vectors and create un-aesthetic view for the city;
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