We have systems in place to curb GBV – DPM

MBABANE - Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thulisile Dladla says there are several systems that her office has put in place to address gender-based violence (GBV).

She said there were initiatives reflecting the multi-faceted approach.

Dladla said these involved legislative, health, community and awareness-building efforts to address the complex issue of GBV in Eswatini.

“Eswatini recently developed and costed a clear strategic plan towards ending violence in Eswatini; the National Strategy to End Violence 2023-2027,” she said, pointing out what the strategy focus areas were.

She said there were five key pillars in the strategy.

The first is prevention of all forms of violence and this is to be achieved by changing societal attitudes.

It is designed to activate communities to adopt zero tolerance to violence, Dladla said, adding that it is also to rehabilitate and reintegrate perpetrators to end the cycle of violence.

The second pillar is that of supporting survivors and their families.

This is to be achieved by improving the quality of the support offered to survivors and to include their families while pillar three seeks to promote a responsive legal and justice systems by providing justice to survivors while holding perpetrators to account and rehabilitation.

Pillar four is the promotion of partnerships and the coordination of violence prevention and response management.

The last pillar is sustaining a violence knowledge centre by creating systems for monitoring, evaluation and research to produce evidence on a regular basis for use in planning, implementation and accountability. Dladla said the government was working with development and civil society partners to strengthen its capacity to prevent and respond to GBV, including in humanitarian settings. She also said development partners also support the health sector to strengthen its capacity to effectively and efficiently respond to GBV, particularly sexual violence. “There is in place national guidelines for the clinical management of rape as well as one-stop centres positioned within health centres in Manzini and Hhohho regions for now, soon to be decentralised to the Shiselweni and Lubombo regions,” she said.

Dladla further said recently government has through partners strengthened the national GBV rapid response in collaboration with the Emergency Medical Services (EMS- 977) to ensure victims or survivors of sexual abuse, particularly can access immediate and quick assistance through this service 24/7 nationwide.

Moreover, she said there were programmes in place to engage men and boys in the prevention of GBV.

These programmes also include HIV prevention and the promotion of male engagement in sexual reproductive health and rights.

She said these programmes were primarily implemented through the National Men- Engage Network partners, which Includes Kwakha Indvodza, SWAGAA, Health+ for Men, Ministry of Public Service and other organisations.

She also said other partners such Kwakha Indvodza continuously engage with men in communities focusing at tinkhundla and imiphakatsi level.

“This programmes ensure that men and boys are not left behind in promoting a violence-free environment for women, girls, boys and men,” she said.

The DPM said Parliament has also been roped in such that it has now taken actions and motions to address identified gaps in reducing or eliminating GBV.

She said efforts have been made to discuss the national legislative policy framework for robust fulfillment of the human rights of all persons experiencing GBV.

She added that the SODV Act was hailed as the most comprehensive law even in the region (SADC) to curb GBV in Eswatini, playing a significant role in addressing domestic violence in the country.

Dladla said with the enactment of the SODV Act, a number of prosecutions have occurred against perpetrators.

She also said the Act further comes with regulations to ensure full operation of the Act.

The SODV Act is further availed in both English and siSwati version, for full understanding and comprehension by all emaSwati,” she said.

Other efforts include the provisions of shelters and support services, awareness raising on GBV and violence against children (VAC), advocacy efforts including the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign international.

She said the country took 365 days of activism against GBV stance.

Dladla said this approach ensures that the national and sub national campaigns were running all year long and not only on special days towards prevention and response to GBV.

She added that as raising awareness continues to take place; people got messages through media such as radio, TV, newspapers, social media and national events such as Mahamba Gorge Hiking, Bushfire Festival and Incwala.

Dladla said the family structure has been fractured.

She said GBV was a complex subject that required a holistic approach.

“Many children grow up in broken families. Some have never enjoyed love and counsel from anyone. The world is full of hatred and conflict. It is rare to find people talking about the promotion of peace, love and tolerance,” she said.

Dladla said children are often not attended to by parents who are often taken up on the need to try and make a living. She also said jobs daily take parents away from children whether those jobs were formal or informal.

“By the time we come back, we are tired and akuhlangani. Life must go on. Since akuhlangani, tempers will flare and GBV shows up its ugly head,” she said.

Dladla said government was seeing that its actions need to be strengthened.