Human Trafficking in  [Swaziland]  [other countries]
Street Children in  [Swaziland]  [other countries]
Child Prostitution in  [Swaziland]  [other countries]
 

Child Prostitution

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Kingdom of Swaziland                                                               [ Country-by-Country Reports ]

The Kingdom of Swaziland [map], located in SE Africa, is bordered by the Republic of South Africa (S, W, & N) and by Mozambique (E).  Its capital and largest city is Mbabane.  In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population.  Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as continuing problems.  More than one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2004-05 because of drought, and nearly two-fifths of the adult population has been infected by HIV/AIDS.

 

CAUTION:  The following links and accompanying text have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Swaziland.  Some of these links may lead to websites that present allegations that are unsubstantiated, misleading or even false.   No attempt has been made to validate their authenticity or to verify their content.

National Plan of Action

U.S. Dept of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs

INCIDENCE AND NATURE OF CHILD LABOR - There are reports that girls from Swaziland and Mozambique are increasingly found working in child prostitution in Swaziland.

CHILD LABOR LAWS AND ENFORCEMENT - The Penal Code prohibits the procurement of a girl unless she is a “common prostitute” or “of known immoral character” for purposes of prostitution.

Bur of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor - Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005

CHILDREN - The law prohibits prostitution and child pornography, provides protection to children under 16 years of age from sexual exploitation, and sets the age of sexual consent at 16 years. There were reports that Mozambican and Swazi girls worked as prostitutes in the country. Children, including street children, were increasingly vulnerable to sexual exploitation.

Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - 2006 [DOC]

[63] The Committee is alarmed at the increasing rate of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse in Swaziland, as noted in the State party report.

The Protection Project - Swaziland [DOC]

FORMS OF TRAFFICKING – Young girls have been lured to South Africa from Swaziland for forced prostitution. Trading of emergency food aid for sexual favors has been a problem in Swaziland. Women and children have been told that they must have sex with warehouse managers or truck drivers so they can receive the food aid.

Provisional Summary on Swazi law related to Worst Forms of Child Labour [DOC]

COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION - Swazi law does provide some guidance on child prostitution. This is contained in Part V of the Crimes Act which criminalizes a parent or guardian for receiving compensation in relation to the prostitution of his or her child;  creates an offence for inveigling or enticing a girl who is not a common prostitute for the purposes of prostitution  and criminalizes a person for procuring any girl to become a prostitute.

Sadly, these provisions provide no protections for girls who are already prostitutes and section 3 of the Girl’s and Women’s Protection Act states that a girl being a common prostitute is a defence for a perpetrator who has unlawful carnal connection with her.  These provisions show a definite lack of understanding of the issues relating to children undertaking sex work and the dangers that they are exposed to.  In addition it appears that sex workers are prosecuted in Swaziland whilst the clients are not.

All material used herein reproduced under the fair use exception of 17 USC § 107 for noncommercial, nonprofit, and educational use

 

 

Human Trafficking in  [Swaziland]  [other countries]
Street Children in  [Swaziland]  [other countries]
Child Prostitution in  [Swaziland]  [other countries]