“Wondo Genet: When a Paradise of Hot Springs Boiled Over Into a Battle for Women’s Freedom”

By Dagmawit Zerihun
Published on 10/06/25

Wondo Genet, Ethiopia — Long celebrated for its lush forests, steaming hot springs, and the forestry college that turned the town into a green classroom, Wondo Genet was this week thrust into the national spotlight for a very different reason. A place once synonymous with relaxation became the backdrop of a heated clash between tradition, identity, and women’s right to exist freely in public spaces.

On Monday, videos swept across Ethiopian social media showing groups of men and even children shouting at, chasing, and harassing women for the “offense” of wearing trousers. In a town known for its peaceful resorts, the footage looked almost surreal — women who came out to walk freely suddenly reduced to targets of public hostility.

Local authorities say six individuals have been arrested, but the deeper story runs beyond arrests. Wondo Genet’s tension is Ethiopia’s tension: a tug-of-war between conservative interpretations of social norms and a younger generation demanding the space to define themselves without fear.

The Significance Beyond Wondo Genet

The harassment wasn’t just about clothing. It was about control. About who gets to dictate how Ethiopian women live, dress, and express themselves. Activists argue that Wondo Genet is only the most visible eruption of a problem simmering nationwide. In Addis Ababa, Hawassa, and Bahir Dar, women report similar intimidation — from public shaming to online threats.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission has warned repeatedly that schools, markets, and public spaces are becoming unsafe for women. Studies also reveal that technology-facilitated gender-based violence — from doxxing to online harassment — is spreading fast.

What makes the Wondo Genet case striking is the symbolism: a resort town known as a retreat from stress becoming a stage for policing women’s bodies.

A Town Between Past and Future

Wondo Genet’s identity has always been layered — a tourist town, a scientific hub, and increasingly, an agricultural hotspot. But now, the town faces a new layer: the question of whether it can stand as a symbol of progress and equality, or whether it will be remembered as a cautionary tale of regression.

Many locals condemned the harassment, with community leaders insisting “this is not who we are.” But for young women in Sidama and across Ethiopia, the event served as a reminder that safety in public spaces is never guaranteed.

Why This Moment Matters

The six arrests may cool tensions for now, but the real issue is larger: how Ethiopia balances respect for cultural values with protecting personal freedoms. Wondo Genet is now at the crossroads — a literal hot spring where the heat of tradition meets the steam of change.

In conclusion, the choice is clear: Wondo Genet can either be remembered as the place where women were silenced, or as the place where Ethiopia finally began to listen.