Protecting Children from Abuse in Swaziland

Across the country, the "Shoulder to cry on" community workers are the first line of defense for many children who are abused by their family members in Swaziland.

(Protecting Children from Abuse in Swaziland) You’re watching UNICEF Television. Tjengisile Shabangu: Okay, this is a Mantenga family. They are not even compatible to spend quality time around because they are scared. Shanta Blowman: A visit from Shoulder to Cry On Community Workers allows three orphan sisters an opportunity to leave their security of their home to clear their overgrowing yard. The girls inherited the two-bedroom house when their father died last year. Their mother had died a few years before. Many people in this rouge community Swaziland in the Lubombo Province in Swaziland die from aids. This southern African kingdom has the highest HIV rate in the world. The girls fear to be caught outside of line by their 40-year old uncle. Female: The youngest is seven years, it’s present in here because their uncle came through the window and beat all of them and told the youngest child who was seven years to undress because there’s no child that can sleep dressed. Shanta Blowman: The girls escaped to neighbor’s Zandeli, Mumbali’s house to get help. Zandeli is one of 11,000 volunteer child protectors trained by Shoulder to Cry On. Across the country, they’re the first line of defense for many children. A 2007 survey conducted by UNICEF and the US Center for Disease Control revealed alarmingly high levels of violence against girls in Swaziland, approximately one third of girls younger than 18 experience sexual abuse and one in four than physically abused. In response, the government along with UNICEF, NGOs, and civil society have taken more serious measure against abuse and want to create a culture of zero-tolerance. Qondile Zwane, Senior Crown Council has been prosecuting individuals who violate children’s rights. Qondile works in this specifically designed victim-friendly space built with support from UNICEF. Together with the police, she tries to gather enough evidence to take cases of sexually abused children to the High Court. Qondile Zwane The purpose of this room is to enable the child to be able to play around and not to really concentrate on what they’re really saying. So, when you’re interviewing them, you usually ask them as who -- what was daddy wearing on this particular day when this happened and if they child cannot really talk or say whatever happened to them, we usually give them the dolls to demonstrate to us what happened. So, this is usually daddy this one here, what did he do to you? So if for instance you are first assaulted, the child will show you that daddy hit me first or whatever, and then the child would show you for instance that this was her maybe -- if she was not wearing her panty, she’ll tell you, she’ll take it out and say I was not wearing a panty while I was bathing. Shanta Blowman: Despite Qondile’s passion, success with prosecutions are long difficult process. As part of the State’s strategy, police have setup units to tackle abuse in each of Swaziland’s 24 police stations. They’re working closely with community police and child protection volunteers. Community involvement is crucial as children often know their abuses. Protecting children in this patriarchal and tradition-bound kingdom remains a challenge. Yet these initiatives are starting to make a difference even in the remote areas. This is Shanta Blowman reporting for UNICEF Television, unite the children.