Mbabane – Eswatini has started reviewing its laws and policies on gender-based violence (GBV) as the country prepares to ratify the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG).
The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, together with the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) through the Department of Gender and Family Issues, has convened a high-level mission involving key stakeholders to assess the country’s readiness to adopt the continental instrument.
The capacity-building workshop, which resumed this week, is expected to conclude on Thursday after stakeholders complete discussions on the country’s legal and institutional response to violence against women and girls.
The review is focusing on how existing national laws align with regional and international frameworks, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Maputo Protocol and the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.
Among the laws being assessed are the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act, the Child Protection and Welfare Act, the Cyber Security and Crimes Act and the National Strategy on Ending Violence.
The engagement comes amid continued concerns over GBV cases in the country, with data indicating that thousands of cases are reported annually.
Stakeholders noted that most incidents occur within domestic settings involving intimate partners, while cases of rape and femicide continue to be reported.
The data further shows that one in four females and one in three males aged between 13 and 24 have experienced violence at some point in their lives.
The AU-CEVAWG seeks to provide a continental framework for preventing and responding to violence against women and girls.
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