Remarks at the launch of 16 Days of Activism Against GBV

Honorable Deputy Prime Minister

Bantfwabenkhosi Bobabe Tikhulu (Chiefs) from Eshiselweni region

Hon Members of Parliament and Hon Senators

PS, DPMO, Ambassador Melusi Masuku

Excellencies Members of the Dip. Corps.

Senior Government officials,

UN colleagues

Representatives of Civil Society Organizations

Representatives of CANGO’s Gender Consortium

Friends from the media

Special Guests Ladies and Gentlemen,

Sanibonani nonkhe!, We are gathered here in Nhlangano today to launch the start of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence under the theme “Unite! Invest to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls”.

As you may know, all around the world, The 16 Days of Activism commences on 25 November which is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and ends on 10 December, which is the International Human Rights Day.

The culmination of the campaign on International Human Rights Day is not a coincidence:  It is intended to strongly signal and remind us that violence against women and girls is a violation of of human rights in our world today and must be treated as such. The rights of our women and girls are human rights! Violence against women and girls knows no national boundaries and undermines the lives, health, dignity, security, and autonomy of half of our humanity. For too long, society has adopted a culture of silence, indifference, and inaction.

Sometimes, when horrific and dramatic violence is reported in the media, the expressions of outrage that follow are often as loud as they are short-lived. Too often, society laments these events as if they were a naturally occurring phenomenon which we humans have no control over, and quickly moves on with life – until the next dramatic killing or violence. In-between these moments of reported horror, violence against women and girls, continues daily, unnoticed, unreported and unremarked. Despite many countries passing laws to combat this crime, weak enforcement and discriminatory social norms remain significant problems.

According to UN Women, an estimated 736 million women globally — almost one in three — have been subjected to one or other form of physical and/or sexual or both, at least once in their life, often by their intimate partners.

As we heard from my colleague who is the Chair of the UN Gender Theme Group and Head of UNFPA, incidences of gender-based violence are very high in our sub-region, hence the idea of the Regional Initiative on GBV by the UN Resident Coordinators in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia. Here in Eswatini, one in three girls will experience some form of sexual abuse by the time she reaches 18 years of age, and about half (48 percent) of all women report having experienced some form of sexual violence in their lifetime. There is also an emerging challenge of physical violence amongst boys of 18-24 years.

The campaign we are launching today is a call to reflection by all of us on the devastation that is caused every day by the scourge of violence against women and girls. Beyond reflection, it is a call to action to urgently end violence against women and girls. And beyond the 16 Days, it is a call for sustained, deliberate investment in strategy, resources, policies, laws and enforcement that demonstrate determination to prevent and defeat gender-based violence while offering protection and recovery support for survivors.

Honorable Deputy Prime Minister, Bantfwabenkhosi, distinguished guests,

Despite the challenges we face today, over the last few days, I have been filled with hope that we have the will, the moment and the means to end GBV in Eswatini. This hope is not unfounded. For the second time this year, first in the speech from the throne at the opening of the last session of the 11th Parliament, and more recently at the End-of-Year Service, His Majesty King 4 Mswati III spoke clearly and directly and called on the nation to end the scourge. We have our marching orders as a country.

Since his appointment, the H.E. the Prime Minister has echoed His Majesty’s call, as has Your Excellency the Deputy Prime Minister. And just this week, the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs added his voice. On behalf of the UN, I commend this determination at the highest levels of leadership. It is the leadership we need to turn the tide and, as His Majesty the King reminded us in his Speech form the Throne, the Kingdom has done before in its determined response against HIV/AIDS, a fight that has earned the Kingdom many international accolades. We can do it again!

I also commend the tireless efforts of civil society partners, the media and development partners who have been at the forefront of advocacy and support to ending GBV. Together, we can go far! With the demonstrated determination, it is time to build on the progress made including the enactment of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act 2018, the Child Protection and Welfare Act of 2012, and the launch of the National Gender Policy and the National Strategy on ending GBV 2023-2027. These are solid foundations to build upon, and 16 days campaign is an addiitonal a platform to bring actors together to speak in one voice and act together.

Programme Director, Hon. Deputy Prime Minister, allow me to conclude by stating, as I must, that in the UN family in Eswatini, you have a reliable partner in the journey to ending GBV. I am also sure that I speak for many of Eswatini’s development partners in expressing this support. The Regional Joint Initiative explained by Ms Thwala-Tembe earlier provides a broader platform through which Eswatini can share, benchmark and learn from its neighbours on the elimination of violence against women and girls.

Finally, allow me to end my remarks with an appeal to all men in Eswatini. Let us use these 16 Days of Activism to challenge our attitudes towards women and the girls and determine to change our behavior. Let us stand in solidarity with those women and girls who have experienced violence and help them find their voices and speak out publicly, not blame them for their victmisation.

Let us use all the platforms available to us, including our church and other religious platforms, to speak about gender-based violence. Indeed, I would urge that religious leaders dedicate a day within the next 16 Days to speak directly and lead prayers on ending this scourge. Let all men lead from the front to defeat the monster that men have created.

Let’s free all women and girls from the torment and fear of death and violence. Let’s instead be instruments of empowering all women and girls and, by so doing, empower ourselves and society. I thank you All