Mbabane – The Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations (CANGO) has called for stronger commitment to Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), locally known as Life Skills Education (LSE), saying it remains critical for tackling HIV, teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence in Eswatini.
The appeal was made on 5 September 2025 in a statement where CANGO reaffirmed its support for the government’s agenda to empower adolescents and young people. The organisation said Eswatini’s status as a signatory to the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Commitment demonstrates progress, but more action is needed to achieve the targets set for 2030. These include reducing HIV infections among youth, improving knowledge about prevention, and lowering rates of early pregnancies.
Civil society groups, working with the Ministries of Education and Health, have already adapted the curriculum into a culturally sensitive version known as LSE, which has been rolled out in schools and communities. The programme first emerged in response to the devastating impact of HIV and AIDS, which left thousands of orphans under the care of grandparents or heading households on their own.
Despite progress, Eswatini continues to struggle with high rates of HIV among young people. Adolescent girls remain six times more likely than boys of the same age to acquire HIV. The country’s adolescent birth rate stands at 87 births per 1,000 girls aged 15–19, with poverty-stricken areas reporting the highest figures. Teenage pregnancies remain a leading cause of school dropouts, while stigma and financial pressures limit girls’ chances of returning to school.
CANGO’s statement warned that poverty, gender inequality, early sexual debut and intergenerational sex fuel the epidemic. The situation is worsened by low condom use and gender-based violence. Nearly one in three girls in Eswatini experiences sexual violence before the age of 18, and almost half of women and girls face sexual violence in their lifetime.
According to CANGO, these realities demand a stronger commitment to LSE to ensure young people can make informed decisions about their health and development, while also equipping parents and caregivers to openly discuss growth and wellbeing.
The organisation further urged Parliament, government and legislators to fully implement existing policies, including the Youth Policy of 2020, and to enforce the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act. CANGO stressed that survivors of sexual violence deserve timely prosecution of offenders and legal processes that prioritise their wellbeing.
The call comes as anti-rights and anti-gender movements intensify across the globe, targeting programmes designed to empower youth and eroding the rights of girls and women. CANGO said it remains committed to supporting government to achieve a generation of healthy and empowered young people who can contribute meaningfully to Eswatini’s economic growth.
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