Leading fast food restaurant chain and international franchise, Pizza Hut has launched its first women-operated restaurant in Ethiopia.

Situated at the Century mall in Addis Ababa, it was launched on the 31st of January 2019, marking the first time Pizza Hut is embarking on such a milestone. The launch was attended by leading individuals in the food and beverage industry, government officials and media personnel in Ethiopia.

Over the years, women across Africa have continued to suffer economic and social discrimination. Thus, this latest development will go a long way in empowering both women and youth in Ethiopia, while highlighting the progress of Gender Equality in Ethiopia’s corporate sector.

“We are proud to be the first to have this kind of restaurant and we want to showcase the uniqueness of this Pizza Hut, particularly for being the first to have a women-centred theme,” said Michael Ghebru, C.E.O/ Shareholder of the Belayab Foods and Pizza Hut franchise in Ethiopia.

“This portrays the growth and progress we have made as a society to promote gender equality in Ethiopia,” Ghebru added.

The idea of this restaurant was inspired by the reforms recently made by Abiy Ahmed, the prime minister of Ethiopia. Ahmed, upon assuming office, has appointed women to make up half of his cabinet. He also appointed a woman as the Head of the Supreme court. In October 2018, Ethiopia also welcomed its first-ever female president, Sahle-Work Zewde.

Many have pointed out the role of women in economic development. And so far, Ethiopia has joined the world to acknowledge the fact that empowering women as equal citizens can promote long term growth and advancement.

It is hoped that this reform by Pizza Hut serves as a standard for other formal bodies towards the promotion of equal opportunities.

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