Background Eswatini also has a very youthful population, with about 34% of the population aged 10 – 24 years, which translates to over 400,000 young Emaswati. The government of His Majesty has made positive moves in youth development, guided by the National Development Plan 2023-2027 and the National Youth Policy 2020. Young people in Eswatini face numerous challenges which include: HIV/AIDS - continues to be one of the most pressing challenges that young people in our country are facing, with heightened vulnerabilities for girls and young women. HIV prevalence among young females aged 15-19 years stands at 10.2%, compared to 1.9% for males the same age. In the age group 20-24, HIV prevalence amongst females is 38.2%, compared to 12.3% for males in the same age bracket. HIV incidence is also significantly higher amongst young females Emaswati (15-19) compared to the males of the same age group standing at: 3.84 for females compared to 0.84 for males.
18 April 2025
1.0 Background Violence against women and girls continues to prevail in Eswatini despite a conducive legislative and policy environment that protects all citizens against violence. Among adolescents and young women, lifetime sexual violence is the most prevalent form of violence experienced by 8.1% of girls age 13-24 years, followed by lifetime physical violence at 5% of girls of the same age. However, it is worth noting that all types of violence experienced by girls age 13-24 years declined drastically between 2007 and 2022 potentially as a result of the GBV interventions implemented in the country.
11 April 2025
Call for Proposals for the establishment of Safe Spaces for survivors of Gender Based Violence, victims of human trafficking and Persons with Disabilities in Eswatini.
31 January 2025