Prostitution in Eswatini

Prostitution in Eswatini is illegal,[1] the anti-prostitution laws dating back to 1889,[2] when the country Eswatini was a protectorate of South Africa. Law enforcement is inconsistent, particularly near industrial sites and military bases.[1] Police tend to turn a blind eye to prostitution in clubs.[3] There are periodic clamp-downs by the police.[4][5]

Senator Thuli Mswane[6] and NGOs Eswatini AIDS Support Organisation (SASO), Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) and Mpumalanga Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) have recommended that prostitution be legalised in Eswatini, in order to allow it to be regulated to reduce harm to the prostitutes and limit the spread of HIV.[7]

Sex trafficking,[8] child prostitution[9] and HIV[10] are problems in the country.

  1. ^ a b "The Legal Status of Prostitution by Country". ChartsBin. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Swaziland Crimes Act-61 of 1889" (PDF). Organisation of South African Law Libraries. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Swaziland-prostitutes: Swazi prostitutes offer credit to 'esteemed customers'". Agence France-Presse. 27 August 2001. Archived from the original on 25 April 2003. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  4. ^ Dlamini, Jabulisa (7 August 2017). "Day, night raids on Manzini sex workers". Times Of Swaziland. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  5. ^ Malinga, Lindelwa (10 August 2017). "Cops swoop on Mbabane, Lobamba sex workers". Times Of Swaziland. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  6. ^ "SWAZILAND: Controversy Over Calls To Legalise Sex Work". CABSA. 21 October 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  7. ^ "Swaziland Told To Legalise Prostitution, Gay Marriage". African Eye News Service, Swaziland. 30 September 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference state17 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Chawane, Nomvula (23 October 2015). "Under-age prostitution rife in the city | Mpumalanga News". Mpumalanga News. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  10. ^ "Swaziland 2017 Country factsheet". UNAIDS. Retrieved 23 July 2018.