The briefing paper Access to Challenges faced by Victims and Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Eswatini comes in the wake of the 2018 adoption of the country’s Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Act.
This law followed years of advocacy from civil society and women’s human rights organizations in the Kingdom. It is a landmark piece of legislation aimed at ending sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the country.
However, the effective investigation and prosecution of SGBV crimes presents complex challenges to the justice system in Eswatini.
It will take more than the passage of a new law to protect women in Eswatini and strengthen access to justice for women and girls in the country.
Gender stereotypes and gender bias, sometimes based on traditional, religious and cultural norms continue to permeate the justice system, preventing women and girls from effectively accessing justice for SGBV.
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Eswatini-SGBV Report-Advocacy-Analysis brief-2020-ENG (full paper, in PDF)