Gender based violence and HIV/AIDS - it's urgent!

Gender based violence and HIV/AIDS

The population of Swaziland is approximately 1.02 million, having grown up from 0.93 million in 1997. The population growth rate declined from 2.9% to 0.9 % over the last 10 years, due to an increase in HIV/AIDS related mortality and decline in fertility. Swaziland has the highest HIV prevalence rate in the world of 26.1% among adults.
Although Swaziland has made some progress towards achieving gender equality, some challenges remain particularly in areas related to gender based violence and child abuse, particularly the girl child, which is increasingly becoming a concern. Lack of adequate policies and laws to protect women from violence and children from different abuses exacerbate the situation and worse the lack of enforcement of the laws that are available. In Swaziland a number women and children who have been subjected to violence and different abuses find it difficult to report such cases as gender stereotypes makes it difficult to be treated justly by the law enforcement agencies and also due to lack of knowledge and access to institutions responsible. In Swaziland, prevention of violence against children and women is complicated by the influence of poverty and social changes that increase the vulnerability of children and women e.g. high rates of HIV/AIDS, increasing number of orphans and dependency to name a few. Because of this dependency many abused women are unable to extricate themselves from relationships that are marred by violence. NATICC is aware of the urgent need to help those women and children. NATICC addresses the situation in the Shiselweni region with the following project goals:
1. To increase knowledge and awareness of child abuses practices and gender based violence acts and occurrences among community members and children
2. To increase access and demand for services addressing gender based violence and child abuse among residents of Shiselweni
3. To increase capacity of NATICC staff and partners to provide appropriate and effective services to survivors of gender based violence and child abuse
4. To influence the proper administration of justice law enforcement authorities and community leadership that are assigned to hear cases at community level

Project site

Nhlangano (Map)

Beneficiaries

The target groups are women and children in the Shiselweni region.

Project costs and assistance by sahee

The entire project costs are CHF 190’000.–, whereas sahee takes over CHF 20’000.–.

Sahee contributes CHF 20’000.- to the activities of the first year. Sahee stays in regular contact with the project manager and visits the project once a year.

Duration of assistance

1st of July 2012 to 30th of June 2013

Local counterpart

NHLANGANO AIDS TRAINING INFORMATION AND COUNSELLING CENTRE (NATICC)



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Project overview
Lupe

Education, information and practical help for affected women

Lupe

Written capacity building, education, sensibilisation on Gender Based Violence and HIV/AIDS

Lupe

Aids-tests are offered and carried out by NATICC