The land-locked Kingdom of Swaziland has a population of just 1.1 million. This small country is often overlooked despite having Africa’s longest running state of emergency of 35 years.
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URGENT ACTION
Stop the Public Services Bill in Swaziland |
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The Swaziland Government wants to create a law that would make it illegal for anyone they employ to discuss issues they consider to be ‘political’ or associate with a group they deem to be ‘political’. This will have a massive impact on the rights of trade unionists and political activists. Find out more about the Bill.
Please write to the Swaziland High Commission calling for the Swazi Government to drop this repressive bill.  |
Democracy and rights in Swaziland 2010
The people of Swaziland suffer from extreme poverty (70 per cent of the population live on less than $1 a day) and more than 1 in 4 Swazis are living with HIV and AIDS. Swaziland is Africa's only autocratic absolute monarchy. Political parties are banned, political and civic activists are imprisoned, and the judiciary, media and other authoritative bodies are controlled by the monarchy.
During 2010 the Swaziland Government has continued to deny democracy with increasing attacks on those seeking freedom of expression and organisation. ACTSA has tracked some of the incidents up to August, keeping a record of events in Swaziland.
You can find out more about the situation in Swaziland in ACTSA's briefing paper, which examines the country's history, political situation, human and labour rights and HIV and AIDS crisis.
Democracy and human rights in Swaziland
ACTSA works to raise the profile of the struggle in Swaziland, campaigning for democracy and the respect of basic human rights in Swaziland.
Working with civil society organisations in Swaziland, we campaign to raise issues of democratic and human rights abuses within the UK, Commonwealth and EU, as well as supporting initiatives to pressure the Government of Swaziland and its neighbours on issues affecting the country. |