BY BANELE MAGONGO
EZULWINI – The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office (DPMO) in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) ICDF, have today commemorated International Women’s Day at the Happy Valley Hotel in Ezulwini, with the theme: ‘Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress’.
Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thulisile Dladla was the guest speaker at the event. Other participating partners included the Eswatini Parliament, the United Nations, the US Embassy, the European Union, CANGO, Lutsango, and Kwakha indvodza.
During the event, Dladla stressed the need to address the problem of teenage pregnancy among primary and secondary school girls in Eswatini. According to the DPM, the re-integration policy of 2022 is helping adolescent mothers to re-enter the formal education system. This policy aims to ensure that no girl is left behind in her education due to pregnancy. The DPM also emphasized the importance of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
The DPM stated that the goals of the National Policy of 2023 and the African Union Agenda 2063 will be achieved by empowering girls and boys to reach their full potential. This empowerment will help them make informed decisions about their lives. The DPM further listed several accomplishments of the government in addressing gender-related issues in the country, such as the adoption of the SADC Protocol on gender and development. These policies and initiatives aim to promote gender equality and empower women and girls.
