Abstract: Women’s empowerment, gender equality, democracy, and good governance have recently been prominent issues in academic debates. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) play a vital role in filling the gaps in governments to achieve gender equality in differedimensions. This study explores the contribution of CSOs to Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality (WEGE) by taking EWLA as case study. The research also examined the level of women's engagement, with a particular focus on political participation, in post-1991Ethiopia. The researcher used a qualitative approach, an explanatory case study, and critical feminism to address the research objectivThematic analysis was used to examine on data gathered from various sources. The findings of the study revealed that Ethiopian womeare less empowered and face gender inequality in all aspects of life. To address this gap in WEGE, the Ethiopian government showed itinterest by signing nearly all international human rights agreements, included WEGE in the Constitution, and established governmentalinstitutions to develop policies and enforce laws. However, the gender disparity existed because of several impediments mostly related patriarchal thinking, external (political, social, cultural, and economic) problems, and ineffective implementation of laws and initiatives promote WEGE. Those issues also limited CSOs' ability to fill up the gaps left by the government. EWLA has been working to enhancWEGE within its legal aid and advocacy for legal reform; public education and capacity building; and research programs. It has providelegal assistance to over 200,000 mothers and a considerable number of children, over 9,000 women applied to EWLA to receive legal aidin various forms, more than 80,000 people engaged in EWLA's awareness-creation activities, and over five million people benefited fromthe collaborative efforts of EWLA. However, EWLA has faced financial challenges, particularly between 2009 and 2019, the challenge accessibility, social norms, and lack of strong collaboration with other WOs. Hence, it is imperative to craft more compressive policalternatives and programs; empowering women to ensure their fair representation, inclusion of their views, interests, and experienceempowering girls at early ages; bringing attitudinal change in society; and enhancing democracy and merit-based political recruitment. Besides, using context-based solutions for culture-based barriers of WEGE is essential.