The Eswatini government has developed guidelines that will direct the country’s efforts in establishing shelter for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (GBV), a senior official said on Thursday.
Speaking during the launch of the 16 days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign in the capital Mbabane, Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku said the guidelines outline standards that would be followed “for the provision of shelters for survivors of GBV by government, civil society, private sector and faith based organisations.”
“They establish a management structure that will accredit, monitor and evaluate all shelter providers,” Masuku said.
He said the guidelines would be instrumental in providing quality comprehensive service delivery “and ultimately contribute to the reduction of intimate partner violence, murder, suicides, and sexual gender based violence in Eswatini.”
A recent study revealed that one in three girls in Eswatini will experience some form of sexual violence before they are 18 years old, while 48 percent of Swazi women will experience some form of sexual violence over their lifetime.
Intimate partners such as husbands and boyfriends are cited as most likely to be the perpetrators.
JN/APA