This human rights report was authored by Brook Kelly, Marika Maris, Nicolas Mitchell, and Karen Morao, Spring 2007 student advocates with the International Women's Human Rights Clinic at Georgetown Law. It was supervised by then, Attorney-Fellow, Tzili Mor, under Clinic Director, Susan Deller Ross. The report was produced in conjunction with two Swazi Non-Governmental Organizations: The Women and Law In Southern Africa Research Trust (WLSA), headed by Lomcebo Dlamini, with invaluable input and feedback from Patience Bennett, Lomcebo Dlamini, Sibongile Dlamini, Edward Mathabela, Sibonelo Mdluli, Bonginkhosi Sengway, and Jabu Tsabedze; and the Council of Swaziland Churches, the Department of Justice, Peace, and Reconciliation, headed by Lungile Magagula. Support for this clinic project was provided by DLA Piper, New Perimeter Fund. The clinic would also like to thank U.S. participating attorneys, Eliza Bechtold and Whitney Stevens (DLA Piper, New Perimeter), and Tamar Ezer (Open Society Institute, Public Health Program, Law and Health Initiative).
Women in Swaziland suffer from myriad discriminatory and harmful customary and civil laws that govern their property rights, making women dependent on men for their survival, often placing them at greater risk of perpetual destitution and exposure to HIV/AIDS infection. These laws and customs, based on outdated stereotypes of women's inferiority, stigmatize and dehumanize women by reducing them to second class citizens and condemning them to a life of exclusion, humiliation, and poverty.
