Demystifying the Sexual and Domestic Violence Act (SODV) 2018.

Good morning to you all,

It is an honour to stand before you today; the future of our nation, to address the important issue of sexual and domestic violence in Eswatini: thank you for the invitation.

Let’s Talk. I am sure that you’ve had these words said to you before? Whether by your mother, father, friend or partner, they bring with them an assertive tone of importance; so let’s talk. Let’s Talk about the fact that in Eswatini, 87 of every 1,000 teenage girls are falling pregnant. Early teenage pregnancy is the leading cause of girl teens dropping out of school nationwide and brings with it many health risks such as pregnancy and birth complications. One girl dropping out of school due to unintended pregnancy is one too many. Considering that 34% of Eswatini’s population is aged between 10 and 24 years, we have a duty to protect our young people who include you.

Girls in Eswatini engage in sexual intercourse at an average age of 16, in comparison to boys who do so at 18. According to UNICEF, in 2014, 16.7% of women aged 20 to 24 had given birth before the age of 18. Although this percentage has greatly decreased since the first measurement in 2007 in which the figure stood at 28%, we have a long way to go.

Lest we not forget the women and girls living in poverty who are more vulnerable to early teenage pregnancy, with 127 per 1,000 girls giving birth before the age of 18, as opposed to 41 per 1,000 girls who do not live in poverty. So too shall we remember the girls and women living with disabilities who face stigma, discrimination and lack of support on a daily basis. It is these strong girls and women who are the most vulnerable women to sexual and domestic violence.

1 in 3 Swazi girls experience sexual violence before the age of 18, while nearly half of Swazi women will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. Violence has far-reaching consequences for families and societies, affecting both physical and mental health: from domestic violence, to trafficking, genital mutilation, femicide and child marriage, it is clear that we need to pay closer attention to the rights of women. Women are made vulnerable to violence through the multiple ways in which we keep them unequal. With International Women’s Day approaching on Sunday, let us not only talk but act.

In 2015, United Nations Member States signed the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development: a road-map for peace and prosperity for all people and the planet.

Please raise your hand if you have heard of the Sustainable Development Goals? At the heart of Agenda 2030 are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action. On this occasion, SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, is particularly important.

With only 10 years left to achieve the SDGs by 2030, the UN Secretary-General, Mr Antonio Guterres, called for a Decade of Action, highlighting the need to accelerate efforts to achieve Agenda 2030. In line with SDG 5, the UN is continuing to invest in life-changing initiatives for millions of women and girls worldwide through the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. This Fund focuses on preventing violence, implementing laws and policies and improving access to vital services for survivors. With more than 460 programmes in 139 countries and territories over the past two decades, the UN Trust Fund is making a difference.

In commemoration of the UN’s 75th Anniversary this year, the UN launched the biggest global conversation on the role of global cooperation in building the future we want. Please be a part of this conversation by raising awareness of SDG 5 and speaking about the future you want.

We all need to stand together to achieve gender equality in Eswatini. The Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act of 2018, endorsed by His Majesty, King Mswati III,  shows significant progress towards achieving gender equality by protecting vulnerable women and children with legislation. However, while we appreciate the Act, we will continue to advocate for the enactment of accompanying bills, work with communities and traditional leaders to promote girl-friendly practices and ensure that schools are safe for both girls and boys.

We will continue to support the Government and civil society to design and implement education programmes that promote human rights and gender equality, pledging nearly 1 million USD (R15 million), to such efforts through UNFPA, UNESCO and UNICEF, in particular. Along with our partners who have been pivotal in working towards achieving the SDGs, we are looking forward to further impacting Eswatini.

Let’s Talk about Eswatini’s Let’s Talk campaign to address and reverse the escalating cases of early and unintended pregnancy. Let’s Talk about the role of the SDGs in achieving gender equality and let’s do it together.

Thank you for listening.