This paper explores the interrelationship between gender, ethnicity, migration/mobility and livelihood opportunities in the urban area of Shashemene in Southern Ethiopia in the period immediately prior to the end of the Ethiopian Empire in 1974. The major finding is that gender is a determining social factor in the mobility and livelihood opportunities of individuals. A striking result from the study is that livelihood alternatives were “urban” to a relatively small extent. Most persons found a living in activities that are to be found in rural as well as in urban areas. For men, ethnicity provides a mediating factor whereas the mobility and livelihood patterns for women are less differentiated by ethnic identity. Individual mobility is characterised both by urban-urban and rural-urban movements. In a study carried out in 1973, women had spent less number of years migrating when they arrived at Shashemene compared to their male counterparts. Similarly, the average number of new places, where they resided for at least one year, was fewer for women than for men. Our results also indicate differences in the migration/mobility rates of women and men across ages. Women’s migration seems to drop abruptly after the age 25. In general, the mobile period of life was shorter for women than for men.This paper explores the interrelationship between gender, ethnicity, migration/mobility and livelihood opportunities in the urban area of Shashemene in Southern Ethiopia in the period immediately prior to the end of the Ethiopian Empire in 1974. The major finding is that gender is a determining social factor in the mobility and livelihood opportunities of individuals. A striking result from the study is that livelihood alternatives were “urban” to a relatively small extent. Most persons found a living in activities that are to be found in rural as well as in urban areas. For men, ethnicity provides a mediating factor whereas the mobility and livelihood patterns for women are less differentiated by ethnic identity. Individual mobility is characterised both by urban-urban and rural-urban movements. In a study carried out in 1973, women had spent less number of years migrating when they arrived at Shashemene compared to their male counterparts. Similarly, the average number of new places, where they resided for at least one year, was fewer for women than for men. Our results also indicate differences in the migration/mobility rates of women and men across ages. Women’s migration seems to drop abruptly after the age 25. In general, the mobile period of life was shorter for women than for men.Este artigo explora as inter-relações entre gênero, etnia, migração/mobilidades e oportunidades de subsistência na área urbana de Shashemene no sul da Etiópia, logo no período anterior ao fim do Império da Etiópia, em 1974. A principal constatação é que o gênero é um fator social determinante para a mobilidade e oportunidades de subsistência dos indivíduos. Um resultado surpreendente do estudo é que as alternativas de sobrevivência foram, em grau relativamente pequeno, “urbanas”. A maioria das pessoas que se encontravam em atividades estavam na zona rural, bem como em áreas urbanas. Para os homens, a etnia representa um fator de mediação, enquanto os padrões de mobilidade e meios de subsistência para as mulheres são menos diferenciados pela identidade étnica. A mobilidade individual é caracterizada tanto por movimentos ”urbano-urbano” e ”rural-urbano”. Em um estudo realizado em 1973, constatou-se que as mulheres passaram um menor número de anos migrando quando chegaram em Shashemene em comparação aos seus homólogos masculinos. Da mesma forma, o número médio de novos lugares onde residiram durante pelo menos um ano, foi menor para as mulheres. Nossos resultados também indicam diferenças entre as taxas de homens e mulheres em todas as idades de migração/mobilidade. A migração das mulheres parece cair abruptamente depois dos 25 anos de idade. Em geral, seu período móvel de vida é mais curto do que para os homens
