Date of publication:
02/03/2026
Ethiopia
How do domestic laws and policies define "family"?
Assessment by population
Analysis
Domestic laws and policies do define "family" for the purpose of family reunification. Article 2(9) of the Refugees Proclamation outlines who is considered as a family member for the purpose of family reunification, including spouses, unmarried children under the age of eighteen, and individuals whom the Refugees and Returnees Services (RRS) may consider as part of the family based on an assessment of the meaning of family in the laws of their country of origin and the existence of dependency among them.
Related provisions of domestic law or policy
Refugees Proclamation No.1110/2019
- Year: 2019
- Type: Domestic law
- Rights Category: Asylum, Freedom of movement, Liberty & security of person, Nationality & facilitated naturalization, Social protection, Family life, Documentation
- Link to external source: https://www.refworld.org/legal/decreees/natlegbod/2019/en/30352
Legal provision
Article 2(9) - Definitions
"The Family Members" means a) any spouse of the recognized refugee or asylum-seeker; b) any unmarried child of the recognized refugee or asylum-seeker under the age of eighteen years; or c) any person the Agency may consider, upon assessment, as member of a family taking into account the meaning of family in the laws of their country of origin and existence of dependency among them.