Nov 22, 2021 | News, Non-legal submissions
During a recent visit to Eswatini from 2 to 5 November 2021, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) engaged with civil society organizations, lawyers, the Swaziland Human Rights Commission and government officials on the local human rights record. The ICJ subsequently filed a submission to the ACHPR documenting its findings, and supported the drafting of a separate submission by the Foundation for Socio-Economic Justice (FSEJ) in Swaziland. These submissions draw on the ICJ’s human rights work on Eswatini over more than a decade, as well as on the FSEJ’s continued human rights advocacy and monitoring in context of the current pro-democracy protests.
Oct 19, 2021 | News
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) today calls on the Eswatini government to re-open schools immediately and to do what is necessary to protect the rights of all children and youth, including against violence, during ongoing public protests.
Jul 16, 2021 | News
Security forces in eSwatini must respect the right to peaceful assembly and protest in anticipation of a scheduled demonstration demanding reforms to the country’s absolute monarchy, said the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) today.
Jun 30, 2021 | News
Authorities in eSwatini must avoid excessive force and ensure freedom of expression and association in public as well as online as the country faces ongoing protests, said the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) today
Dec 16, 2020 | News
Dialogue between Swazi Women Human Rights Defenders and CEDAW Committee Members highlights the obstacles faced by local women in the enjoyment of their human rights.
On 14 December 2020, the ICJ and the Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (SAHRDN) facilitated a fruitful dialogue between Swazi Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRD) and members of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (the CEDAW Committee) on the key human rights concerns facing Swazi women and possible advocacy strategies to address them.
The CEDAW Committee monitors State parties’ compliance with and implementation of their human rights obligations under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (the Convention), by which Eswatini is bound.
In light of the Eswatini government’s failure to submit a report to the CEDAW Committee, as required under the Convention, more than 20 Swazi WHRDs’ organizations had a preparatory meeting on 8 December to discuss and prioritize the human rights concerns they wished to bring to the CEDAW Committee members’ attention.
They hoped that, by coming together and agreeing on these issues, they may raise awareness and put pressure on the Eswatini government to comply with its obligations under the Convention, including by promptly submitting the country’s overdue report.
In the wake of this preparatory meeting, on 14 December Swazi WHRDs briefed the CEDAW Committee members about the most critical human rights violations faced by women in Eswatini. This meeting was broadcasted live on Facebook.
The dialogue focused on the Eswatini authorities’ failure to implement their human rights obligations under the Convention, including the previous Concluding Observations of the CEDAW Committee.
High rates of teenage pregnancy, women’s inadequate access to education, healthcare and adequate housing, and ways in which customary and religious laws are used to justify discrimination against them were among the key human rights concerns affecting women discussed during the dialogue.
Watch the animation on CEDAW
