BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE– Eswatini has been listed among 20 African countries that have taken great strides in eradicating the pandemonium that gender-based violence (GBV).
This is according to World Health Organization (WHO) report dated and compiled in the year 2021 to 2022; the countries listed include Nigeria, Angola, and Namibia among others.
They have been mentioned to have used, tried, and tested methods to help curb GBV. Eswatini was listed as one country that helped healthcare providers deliver GBV services.
The team in Eswatini adapted the mechanism of delivery of medical supplies, medicines, and medical exams with an emphasis on sexual and reproductive.
“The listed countries were monitored to have created remote ways to access GBV services. Eswatini has hotlines staffed by our case to respond to inquiries, provide advice and referrals. It also has a GBV hotline and specific services for high-risk groups including migrants who have lost jobs. The Balkans put together Instagram campaigns and videos to help young people stop GBV,” read the report in part.
Meanwhile, GBV activist Lomusa Khumalo said the study was a pat on the back for the work they do, she further said violence against women and girls is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world.
“GBV knows no social, economic or national boundaries and it undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims, yet it remains shrouded in a culture of silence.
“Victims of violence can suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences, including forced and unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and even death,” she said.
Worth noting is that in Eswatini, GBV is a persistent challenge, disproportionately affecting women and girls with approximately one in three females having experienced some form of sexual abuse by age 18 years, and 48 percent of women reporting to have experienced some form of sexual violence in their lifetime.
However United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA) in Eswatini works with the government and civil society partners to strengthen their capacity to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, including in humanitarian settings.
UNFPA provides technical support for the scaling up of functional multi-sector GBV regional and national referral/response networks.
The programme also supports the health sector to strengthen its capacity to effectively and efficiently respond to gender-based violence, particularly sexual violence.
The government and civil society are also supported to develop, implement and promote programmes that engage men and boys in the prevention of gender based violence, HIV and the promotion of male engagement in sexual reproductive health and rights. Support to national level gender-equality policy/legislation reform is a core strategy of the current programme, with a particular focus the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Bill 2015 and the finalization of the national strategy for prevention and response to violence in Eswatini.
