EDUCATE SWAZI WOMEN ON ELECTIONS

Times of Swaziland

10 September 2008

Comment

‘Enough is enough’

By WANDILE DLAMINI

MBABANE – The previous weekend the country celebrated 40 years of independence yet Swaziland is still using legislation from 1889 and 1920 to ‘protect’ its women and girls from sexual abuse.

As identified in the Swaziland’s obligations section , the Constitution contains an extensive Bill of Rights, however, domestic legislation such as the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act and comprehensive child laws need to be enacted so that these rights can be enforced in a way other than through High Court civil law action.

Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA) say enough is enough!

SWAGAA Programme Advisor and trainer Legal Unit Clare Dart said they were trying very hard to educate women who had been successful in the Primary Election.

"We want the women to represent us well in Parliament knowing exactly what issues are important that need to be tackled by the women nominees."

SWAGAA encourages the voters to elect candidates that will make it happen. Toolkits for the candidates that deal with the issues of sexual offences domestic violence and trafficking of persons.

"It highlights existing law, gaps and proposed solutions," said Dart.

SWAGAA will be holding workshops for candidates in all four regions to provide them with information regarding gender based violence, sexual offences and trafficking of persons.

The kit will also inform candidates of gaps in existing legislation, propose solutions and highlight the role of the candidates with respect to these areas.

Canditates are urged to attend the meetings as they will be very informative and helpful to the nation.

SWAGAA will also be calling on candidates to pledge their commitment to enacting sexual offences, domestic violence and trafficking in persons legislation.

Details of which candidates sign this pledge will be provided.

"The main reason for the pledge signing is because we want people who are voted into Parliament, to be accountable and we want everyone who votes to know why they are voting for that particular person and what value will they add in their lives," said SWAGAA’s Chinwe Obianwu.

Link http://www.times.co.sz/Community/1247.html

SUPERSTITION AT SWAZI POLL

Times of Swaziland

26 August 2008

SWAGAA Boss Nonhlanhla wins amid superstition drama

By MBONGISENI NHLEKO

SIGOMBENI – The Vote for a Woman campaign got a boost when Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA) Director Nonhlanhla Dlamini came up tops.

Dlamini scored 296 votes to beat three other candidates who are campaigning for a parliamentary seat under Ludzeludze Constituency.

However there was near drama at Sigombeni polling station when some nominees were stopped from taking home ballot depictions to keep as souvenirs due to super natural beliefs.

This was shortly after the conclusion of the elections where the losing candidates requested from the polling officers to take home the pictures posted on the wall at the entrance to the polling station just to show friends and relatives that they once stood for national elections.

Seeing that the voting exercise had progressed smoothly, the officers did not object to that.

However, that was not to be as some of the candidates had ill-feelings that their pictures could not be taken away.

Their claim was that anything could be done to the pictures. The feelings were purely based on super natural beliefs.

The Presiding Officer Roy Sibandze called those who had taken the pictures and asked them to return them and they obliged.

"People are very cautious. They question anything. People just loved their pictures because they were beautifully printed," said one voter.

The SWAGAA Director declined to delve much on the issue because she was not the rightful person to comment about it. Dlamini said she was delighted to have won the elections amid stiff competition.

She will not stand against Lozitha’s Sifiso Mtsetfwa. Other candidates will come from Nkamanzi and Mbekelweni.

Link http://www.times.co.sz/News/914.html