The aim of the study is to investigate the impact of women '5 education in thernfight against poverty in Ethiopian context. The target population was literaternand illiterate women born and living in Jijiga zone of the Somali Regional State.rnThe first group includes those women who at least completed the first cycle ofrnprimary education given in formal schools and are living and working in thernzone. However, the second group was those illiterate women born and living inrnthe zone. Based on Lypse 's power analysis of sample size table, a total of 200rnwomen, 100 from each group with significance level of p ~ O. 05, power criteriarnof about 0.95, and effect size of 0.5 was drawn from randomly selected twornworedos of the zone. In addition, a total of 3 schools, that is, 2 from among 6rnschools in Jijiga. and 1 from 2 schoolsIrom Babile were also randomly selectedrnas samples for school based data on drop out and repeater children in the zone.rnData was interpreted using bivariate statistical analyses. The results show thatrnliterate and illiterate women differed to statistically significant extent in theirrnlevel of participation in community groups and decision making positions, asrnwell as in the extent of their control over house hold income in favor of thernformer. The number of school drop out and repeater children who havernilliterate mothers are also reported to be greater than those who have .iteraternmothers. Other than academic differences, the difference between literate andrnilliterate women was found to be a function of their differences in access tornmedia! information and their perception on the extent of effect of early marriagernand circumcision on women and girls. Their perception on the extent of effect ofrnearly marriage and circumcision also significantly differ in favor of the literaternwomen. However, no variation was found in perceiving higher reproductivernand domestic work of women, and unequal gender relations between male andrnfemales within households as factors affecting women and girls in the society.rnImplications of the findings for planners, administrators and policy makers arerndiscussed.