Rural Women in Ethiopia

• Photographer
  Yan Li, United States
• Website
  https://www.yliphotos.com/
• Instagram
  https://www.instagram.com/yli.photos/

Ethiopia remains one of the least urbanized countries in the world.
Over 85 percent of Ethiopian women reside in rural areas, where
peasant families are engaged primarily in subsistence agriculture.
Traditionally, women in Ethiopia have suffered sociocultural and
economic discrimination and have had fewer opportunities than men
for personal growth, education, and employment. Although massive
economic development is underway in Ethiopia, it has had little impact
on the lives of rural women. Breaking deep-rooted traditional values
and beliefs regarding women is needed in order to bring real
improvements.

Yan Li is a documentary photographer whose work explores the fragility and richness of human experience. With a focus on long-term, narrative-driven projects, he aims to capture fleeting moments, reveal personal stories, and preserve the intangible heritage of cultures facing rapid transformation. His photographs often center on communities at the margins — workers, elders, artisans — whose lives echo broader human truths. Yan's commitment to visual storytelling has earned him international recognition, including awards from the Sony WPA, TPOTY, IPA, and Px3.

Awards - Winner, Travel Category, Sony World Photography Awards (Open Competition), 2024
- 4th Place (Commended), Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY), 2024
- 1st Place, People and Lifestyle Category, International Photography Awards (IPA), 2017
- 1st Place, Editorial, General News Category, International Photography Awards (IPA), 2017
- 2nd Place, Press, People/Personality Category, Prix de la Photographie, Paris (Px3), 2017