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SWAZI VIGIL-UK

We as an organization stand against a number of cultural practices that are harmful to the integrity of individuals especially women and girl children. Like in our country Swaziland, these harmful traditional practices emanate from the deeply entrenched discriminatory views and beliefs imposed by king Mswati III about the role and position of women in our country.

King Mswati’s rule of law has created differentiation and expectations from the entire Swazi society that relegate women to an inferior position from birth throughout their lives. Harmful practices maintain the subordination of women in society. For example there is a strong belief that sexual intercourse with a virgin girl can cure HIV and AIDS and this has led to an increase in sexual violence against girls resulting in huge psychological scars on the victims.

King Mswati is a custodian of traditional beliefs such as polygamy this tradition is synonymous with gender violence and it reduces women to sub-human assets belonging to men. Girls in Swaziland are brought up aware that they are a source of wealth for their families and the training they get at home is supposed to prepare them for marriage. This is why as Swazi Vigil we are up in arms against the government of the King we are making our voices heard here in the UK fighting for total recognition and restoration of women’s rights in Swaziland.

Millicent Dlamini.