Kingdom Of Swaziland Research Articles

‘Peacefully’ at ‘War’: An Analysis of the Southern African Development Community’s Institutional Framework’s Failure to Respond Adequately to the Ongoing Conflict in Swaziland

The Kingdom of Swaziland is well known for being a peaceful nation. This historical claim is supported by the fact that the little kingdom is situated between two nations that at some point engaged in armed conflict, the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Mozambique. When tensions in the two states mentioned above were at their worst, Swaziland served as a haven for those fleeing the violence. However, the little kingdom has recently been embroiled in internal conflict as demands for democratic reforms grow, and the King rebuffs attempts to overthrow his absolute authority. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) framework for resolving regional conflicts is analysed in this article, together with the ongoing conflict in the Kingdom of Swaziland. The many fact-finding missions and SADC organs’ visits to Swaziland are discussed in this article, along with how their inaction is sustaining a protracted, intense internal conflict. The study also looks at the role that state-sponsored terrorism has played in the response to the conflict by His Majesty King Mswati III's administration. The tiny kingdom is at a turning point because SADC has failed to impose its authority and because the King, despite his undertaking, has actively avoided political engagement. Furthermore, the study argues that the protracted violence in Swaziland will have detrimental effects on South Africa, which already has a fragile economy and is trying to manage the refugee surge. It concludes by positing that it would be ideal to prevent a dangerous scenario for the region if SADC intervened by asserting its authority and demanding a proper dialogue in Swaziland among all stakeholders with clear terms of reference.

Participation of Swazi women in the traditional public sphere, Sibaya, in the Kingdom of Swaziland

The Kingdom of Swaziland has continued to use the cattle byre, Sibaya, for deliberations onissues of national importance. This deliberative public sphere is convened once in a while todiscuss pertinent issues relating to the well-being of the Swazi nation. It is a public spherethat used to be the preserve of men but has since been opened up to accommodate women.Despite their participation, women still have to follow certain laid down rules to make their oralsubmissions in this space. In 2016, the King of Swaziland convened the Sibaya for seven daysand thousands of citizens attended to make oral submissions on social, political, economic andcultural issues. This article focuses on the representations made by women during the 2016meeting and their perception about this space. Qualitative content analysis was used to analysethe data on submissions, which were monitored on national television and recorded. Interviewswere also conducted with some participants to find out how they feel about this space. Groundedon Fraser’s concept of the counter public sphere, the study reveals that interlocutors feel that thisis a restrictive and intimidating space that is and that there are too many rules that discriminateagainst the free participation of women. Thorny issues raised by women pertained to education(primary, secondary and tertiary), the welfare of widows, chieftaincy disputes, access to land,provision of water and electricity and gender-based violence, among others.

Local Governance and Traditional Authority in the Kingdom of Eswatini: The Evolving Tinkhundla Regime

ABSTRACT Landmark constitutional and local government reforms have reshaped local governance in the Kingdom of Eswatini, formerly the Kingdom of Swaziland, since the promulgation of the first post-independence constitution in 2005. After more than 30 years of suspended constitutional rule under the leadership of the Ngwenyama (the Lion) and King governed by the Swazi system of traditional authority, a critical step has been taken to define and regulate the dual system of authority, constituted of administrative local government and traditional leaders. However, the legacy of the long-established bifurcated system of local governance has proven challenging to overcome. This article presents a view of the Kingdom of Eswatini from the perspective of local administration, which at present maintains two systems of governance – urban local government and the tinkhundla (traditional authority systems that operate the length and breadth of the country, including in urban areas). In the face of urbanisation, the administrative state has developed and modified its approach to urban management and engagement with traditional authorities over time. Drawing on a case study of the Mbabane upgrading and finance project, launched in 2005 and aimed at creating a ‘city without slums’, this paper analyses how local authorities in Eswatini responded to the imperative to engage with traditional authorities in the wake of unsuccessful and sustained efforts to bypass their influence. Three different strategies were adopted by the urban local authorities to effectively govern urban areas and manage the influence of traditional authorities. These shifting strategies reflect the evolving policy agenda at the urban scale in Eswatini and the limitations of a rigid bifurcated system in contemporary Swazi cities.

Farmer Perception of the Effectiveness of the Extension Service in Communicating Climate Change Information, Kingdom of Swaziland

Agriculture remains an important sector in the economy of the Swaziland. Small scale farmers support the majority of the population, about 70%, who live in the rural areas. It is the assertion of this paper that very little attention has been focussed on the impact of the extension service and how famers perceive their impact with regards to information dissemination on climate change. The impact of Agriculture Extension Messages to influence adoption of new technologies is vital for improved crop productivity. Primary and secondary data were used for the study including the administration of a questionnaire from 170 farmers in the four agro-ecological zones. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that about 67.3% of the respondents sourced information on climate change from mass media (radio). About 60.7% of the farmers said that extension does teach on climate change, despite the fact that their visibility was inadequate at 38.7%. The study also revealed that this low level of visibility affected farmers’ level of understanding which stood at a low 45.2%. Among the majority of the respondents that understood the messages, about 61.9% said they utilized the information in planning for their agriculture production for the coming seasons. It is recommended that the whole agriculture extension service including private, public and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) extension should improve their visibility, in terms of increased numbers or organized extension activities among the communities where they have jurisdiction. Similarly, even in instances where they are visible, it is recommended that the quality and effectiveness of the teaching be improved to get farmers to understand what is being taught or communicated. Also, capacity building of extension staff should be made a priority to improve the quality of officers, and in retrospect the messages disseminated. Last but not least, structured or targeted capacity building programs should be developed for farmers within commodity groups to enhance effectiveness of adoption of messages. Lastly, even though the economy is on the decline it is recommended that funds be made available for extension programs and activities to improve overall effectiveness of the service.

Healthcare Workers' Perceptions of Services at the Swaziland Wellness Centre

The healthcare workforce in southern Africa is diminished by unprecedented morbidity and mortality as a result of the HIV pandemic. Healthcare workers (HCWs) have been hesitant to access care where facility staff may be unprofessional, stigmatising, or breaching client confidentiality. The Wellness Centre for Health Care Workers opened in 2006 to enhance the health and well-being of HCWs in the Kingdom of Swaziland. The Centre’s nurse-managed model of care – the first of its kind in Africa – delivers HIV and tuberculosis prevention and treatment services through a primary care, community-based clinic. Our mixed-methods study evaluated the first 10 years of the Centre’s operation; a medical record review was complemented with 23 HCW client interviews. This article reports on the qualitative component in which HCWs described their experiences of receiving services at the Centre. The Centre’s service delivery was described as acceptable by HCWs receiving care for physical and psychological conditions. Clients with HIV described a supportive and inspiring environment that lacked the stigma and mistreatment that clients had experienced in other health facilities. Nurses were well-trained, trustworthy clinicians who engaged with their clients in a compassionate manner. The Centre’s unique outreach is effective in engaging HCW clients and their family members in primary care and HIV services. The Centre’s approach may serve as a model for similar nurse-managed clinics in Africa. It is recommended that nurses caring for HCW clients be respectful, communicative, and competent clinicians. Assuring privacy and confidentiality for HCW clients may increase enrolment and retention of clients in care.

How do sources of traditional legitimacy constrain popular uprisings? The case of the Kingdom of Swaziland

ABSTRACTResearch concerning authoritarian stability and peace usually investigates co-optation and repression. Recently, several studies argue that traditional legitimacy is also important for stability in monarchies. However, existing research rarely considers how legitimacy constrains rebellions and help the royal family to stay in power. Hence, this article explores the causal links between sources of traditional legitimacy and absence of uprisings. The study investigates the relationship with a case study of the Kingdom of Swaziland. In line with my expectations, I find a causal relationship between sources of traditional legitimacy and absence of popular uprisings. First, the royal family actively uses traditional legitimacy to justify their rule. Second, the Afrobarometer indicates that the Swazi people trust the King more than citizens in other African countries trust their head of state. Third, opposition actors have limited opportunities to mobilize the broader population against the monarchy. Fourth, traditional legitimacy dampens ongoing protests and thereby hinders their escalation into popular uprisings or political violence. Repression is clearly an important explanation for limited rebellion in Swaziland, but this article shows that also traditional legitimacy sources play a role.

Investigating barriers teachers face in the implementation of inclusive education in high schools in Gege branch, Swaziland.

BackgroundThe kingdom of Swaziland is a signatory to policies on universal education that ensure high quality basic education for all. Education for All is a commitment to provide equal opportunities for all children and the youth as provided for in the country’s constitution of 2005. The tone for the introduction of inclusive education in Swaziland was inevitably set by the new constitution of 2005. Since then several policies have been produced by the government, all aimed at providing equal education opportunities to all children in the country. These policies include the Swaziland National Children’s Policy (2009), Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Plan (2006) and Draft Inclusive Education Policy (2008). The Education for All Policy (2010) is the policy that upon implementation became a stimulus for the introduction of inclusive education into mainstream schools; as a result, all teachers in the country’s schools were expected to be competent enough to teach learners with a wide range of educational needs. However, in-service teachers received inadequate staff development and training ahead of the implementation of inclusive education and a majority of teachers were not professionally developed for inclusive education, as pre-service students at tertiary training level.ObjectivesThis study investigated barriers in the implementation of inclusive education at high schools in the Gege branch, Swaziland, with a view to finding lasting solutions to inform research and government policy.MethodThis research is a qualitative interpretive case study based on selected schools in the Gege branch of schools. Data was obtained through semi-structured research interviews and document analysis. It was processed and analysed through data coding, unitising, categorising and emergence of themes, which became the findings of the study.ResultsLack of facilities in the governments’ schools and teachers’ incompetence in identifying learners facing learning challenges in their classrooms are some barriers to inclusivity.ConclusionThe study concludes that there is a need for the Ministry of Education and Training to craft an inclusive curriculum in line with the inclusive policy in order to cater for the diverse educational needs of all learners in mainstream schools. It is thought that instituting a vibrant in-service and pre-service teacher training programme by the Ministry of Education and Training will increase teachers’ capacity to a level where teaching in inclusive classrooms does not negatively affect their competence.

SOWING THE SEEDS OF POLITICAL MOBILISATION IN BANTUSTANS: RESISTANCE TO THE CESSION OF THE KANGWANE BANTUSTAN TO THE KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND

This article on the proposed 1982 land deal between the Kingdom of Swaziland and the South African Government to cede the KaNgwane Bantustan and Ingwavuma to Swaziland, focuses upon the geopolitics of southern Africa and the trajectory of the struggle for national liberation in South Africa, particularly on the role of the African Nationalist Congress (ANC) in Bantustan politics. By focusing specifically on the geopolitics of the liberation struggle in southern Africa, this article adds new dimensions to the work of Shireen Ally, Hugh Macmillan and other scholars, whose research on the proposed cession of the KaNgwane Bantustan focuses primarily on ethnic nationalism and ethno-nationalistic politics.

Damages for wrongful arrest, detention and malicious prosecution in Swaziland: Liability issues

This article draws from a wealth of unreported cases decided in the Kingdom of Swaziland in the past two decades relating to the deprivation of personal liberty, human dignity and other fundamental rights infringements arising from wrongful arrest, unlawful detention and malicious prosecution. It investigates and analyses the relevant constitutional rights and the statutory processes, the breaches of which constitute the common law ingredient of wrongfulness, upon which liability in delict is based. An attempt is made to state the contemporary law of arrest, detention and malicious prosecution in Swaziland in a nutshell, starting with the breakdown of the constitutional and delictual frameworks which necessarily leads to the discussion of the fundamental rights to personal liberty and the right to be brought before court without undue delay implicated in Army Commander v Bongani Shabangu [2012] SZSC 19; the constitutional right to human dignity and the delictual bases for the plaintiff’s cause of action in Government of Swaziland v Ngomane [2013] SZSC 73. The enquiry then proceeds to the discussion of the following issues: whether the arresting officer had reasonable suspicion to arrest; whether there was a prosecution; whether the prosecuting officer had reasonable and probable cause to prosecute, and whether the malice element was present to prove malicious arrest or malicious prosecution. Comparative materials are introduced in instances to broaden the discussion and highlight analogous developments elsewhere, while bearing in mind that the primary object of the investigation is to focus solely on the developments in Swaziland.

The impact of sharing accommodation on the hotel occupancy rate in the kingdom of Swaziland

This paper examines the relationship and impact of sharing accommodation on the hotel occupancy rate (HOR) from a developing country perspective. Using panel data on the monthly HOR and the number of Airbnb room occupancy rate for the periods 2012–2016 and 2015–2016, respectively, the study applies a hierarchical regression model to respond to the research questions. The Pearson correlation test reveals a positive relationship between the HOR and Airbnb room occupancy rate, thus indicating that an increase in the hotel room occupancy rate moves in tandem with a rise in the Airbnb room occupancy rate. Further test revealed that increase in the Airbnb room occupancy rate coincided with an increase in the hotel room occupancy rate. In addition, the Airbnb platform was found to appeals to a different tourist market profile than does that of hotels, and that, therefore, the two products may be viewed as non-competitors. Furthermore, inconsistencies in regulatory provisions, in terms of which hotels are required to undergo various legal procedures as opposed to such platforms, are evident. The study recommends that the Swaziland Government should undertake stakeholder consultations aimed at developing regulations to manage and monitor sharing accommodation platform participants that will incorporate its innovative and diverse dimensions. The study is important as it provides insights into tourism destination managers on the impact of the sharing economy from a developing country perspective where empirically based research that could be useful in policy formulation is scant.

Kingdom of Swaziland

Kingdom of Swaziland: Selected Issues

Emergency care capabilities in the Kingdom of Swaziland, Africa.

IntroductionEmergency care is available in many forms in Swaziland, and to our knowledge there has never been a systematic study of emergency centres (ECs) in the country. The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics, resources and capacity of emergency centres in the Kingdom.MethodsThe National Emergency Department Inventory (NEDI)-International survey instrument (www.emnet-nedi.org) was used to survey all Swaziland ECs accessible to the general public 24/7. EC staff were asked about calendar year 2014. Data were entered directly into Lime Survey, a free, web-based, open-source survey application. Responses were analysed using descriptive statistics, including proportions and medians with interquartile ranges (IQR).ResultsSixteen of 17 ECs participated (94% response rate). Participating ECs were either in hospitals (69%) or health centres (31%). ECs had a median of 53,399 visits per year (IQR 15,000–97,895). Fourteen (88%) ECs had a contiguous layout, and the other two (12%) were non-contiguous. Overall, eight (53%) had access to cardiac monitors and 11 (69%) had a 24/7 clinical laboratory available. Only 1 (6%) EC had a dedicated CT scanner, while 2 (13%) others had limited access through their hospital. The typical EC length-of-stay was between 1 and 6 h (44%). The most commonly available specialists were general surgeons, with 9 (56%) ECs having them available for in-person consultation. No ECs had a plastic surgeon or psychiatrist available. Overall, 75% of ECs reported running at overcapacity.DiscussionSwaziland ECs were predominantly contiguous and running at overcapacity, with high patient volumes and limited resources. The limited access to technology and specialists are major challenges. We believe that these data support greater resource allocation by the Swaziland government to the emergency care sector.

Perceived risk of tuberculosis infection among healthcare workers in Swaziland.

BackgroundThe incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the Kingdom of Swaziland is extremely high. How healthcare workers (HCWs) in Swaziland perceive infection control (IC) measures for preventing TB transmission is unclear. This study aimed to determine perceived risk of TB infection in relation to IC measures among HCWs in three institutions of Swaziland.MethodsA cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in 2014. Demographic data and IC measures were collected from main and allied HCWs.ResultsIn total, 186 HCWs (19 doctors, 99 nurses, and 68 allied HCWs) were enrolled. The multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that nurses (OR = 39.87, 95% CI = 2.721–584.3) and other HCWs (OR =99.34, 95% CI = 7.469–1321) perceived a higher TB infection risk than did doctors. Moreover, HCWs working for <4 years at the TB department perceived a lower TB infection risk (OR = 0.099, 95% CI = 0.022–0.453). Availability of N95 respirator masks (OR = 0.055, 95% CI = 0.005–0.586) and a designated sputum collection area (OR = 0.142, 95% CI = 0.037–0.545) also carried lower TB infection risks.ConclusionThis study depicts the current status of IC measures for TB infection in a high prevalence country. The results suggest that HCWs perceived a greater TB infection risk at inadequate environmental IC measures.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-016-2029-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Language planning at a cross-border university in Swaziland: the case of teaching and learning, research and institutional administration

ABSTRACTThe paper discusses language planning at a cross-border university (a Zimbabwean university) that offers academic programmes to the Kingdom of Swaziland in the Southern African region. The paper is situated within the micro-level language planning framework, and discusses language decisions that govern three areas of university business, namely: teaching and learning, research, and institutional administration. The following served as sources of data for the study: newspapers, the university website, observations of linguistic behaviour and practices around the university site in Swaziland, and one key informant interview (an interview conducted with a senior manager at the Swaziland campus of the university). The study’s findings point to the fact that English is the language chosen to address the three thematic areas of teaching and learning, research, and institutional administration. This means that although the Kingdom of Swaziland has two co-official languages (English and Siswati), it is English that enjoys higher and more strategic visibility. Whilst at the macro (national) level, English and Siswati are co-official languages, the situation at the micro level (university level) shows that English is the chosen language of the three selected domains.

The Corruption Problem in Swaziland: Consequences and Some Aspects of Policy to Combat It

In spite of the existence of an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in the Kingdom of Swaziland, corruption persists as a major problem in the country which brings with it significant negative consequences on the economy and society. Among its major consequences, it hinders service delivery, leads to increased and more serious crimes and vandalism, results in moral degeneration, affects the collection of government revenue, results in a few individuals enjoying economic benefits, hinders the effectiveness of the administration of justice, results in the poor getting poorer and the rich getting richer, and damages the country’s reputation and investment potential. This work discusses corruption in Swaziland and summarizes its consequences and the role and impact of the ACC. It then offers, from an analytical perspective, a set of policy measures to combat said corruption, taking into consideration best international practice and the country-context culture vis-à-vis corruption.

Enrollment in HIV Care Two Years after HIV Diagnosis in the Kingdom of Swaziland: An Evaluation of a National Program of New Linkage Procedures.

To improve early enrollment in HIV care, the Swaziland Ministry of Health implemented new linkage procedures for persons HIV diagnosed during the Soka Uncobe male circumcision campaign (SOKA, 2011–2012) and the Swaziland HIV Incidence Measurement Survey (SHIMS, 2011). ion of clinical records and telephone interviews of a retrospective cohort of HIV-diagnosed SOKA and SHIMS clients were conducted in 2013–2014 to evaluate compliance with new linkage procedures and enrollment in HIV care at 92 facilities throughout Swaziland. Of 1,105 clients evaluated, within 3, 12, and 24 months of diagnosis, an estimated 14.0%, 24.3%, and 37.0% enrolled in HIV care, respectively, after adjusting for lost to follow-up and non-response. Kaplan-Meier functions indicated lower enrollment probability among clients 14–24 (P = 0.0001) and 25–29 (P = 0.001) years of age compared with clients >35 years of age. At 69 facilities to which clients were referred for HIV care, compliance with new linkage procedures was low: referral forms were located for less than half (46.8%) of the clients, and few (9.6%) were recorded in the appointment register or called either before (0.3%) or after (4.9%) their appointment. Of over one thousand clients newly HIV diagnosed in Swaziland in 2011 and 2012, few received linkage services in accordance with national procedures and most had not enrolled in HIV care two years after their diagnosis. Our findings are a call to action to improve linkage services and early enrollment in HIV care in Swaziland.

Vulnerability and Children's Real-Life Schooling Experiences in Swaziland

IntroductionIn the year 2016, alone, Swaziland had about 150,000 vulnerable children in the country's schools-a drastic increase from 78,000 in 2015 (Simelane, 2016). The Kingdom of Swaziland (2010) defines a vulnerable child as one, with or without parents, who lacks the basic needs for survival, and is living in circumstances with high risk, and whose prospects for health, growth, and development are seriously impaired, mostly due to the effects of HIV and AIDS. Within the Swaziland education system, vulnerable children are considered to include orphans, children living in child-headed households, and those from poor social and economic backgrounds. Vulnerable children are locally referred to as bantfwana bendlunkhulu [those cared for by the whole community] and whose educational fees are paid by the government. Although the reasons that render children vulnerable may differ, for instance, orphaned children, those experiencing childhood poverty, and children living in child-headed households in Swaziland, these children share one thing-and that is vulnerability and poverty (Nordtveit, 2010). It is against this backdrop that the study adopted the concept of vulnerable children in order to understand the shared real-life schooling experiences of these children. Although the article is about vulnerable children's experiences within school (or learning) spaces, we avoided referring to them as vulnerable learners so as to emphasise the social (rather than the didactical) dimensions of the vulnerable children's real-life schooling experiences.In 1990, Swaziland committed itself to the Eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG) aimed at focusing on poverty and the needs of all children by 2015 (Khumalo, 2013). The country also became a signatory to the Dakar Framework for Action: Education for All, which formed the basis for inclusive educational policies in the country (Kingdom of Swaziland, 2011). By signing these declarations, the state devoted itself to improving education, especially for the most vulnerable and underprivileged children in the country (UNESCO, 2000). Guided by these conventions, in 2003, the government of Swaziland introduced the Orphaned and Vulnerable Children's (OVC) fund to cater for vulnerable children's educational fees (Kingdom of Swaziland, 2012). The country's constitution of 2005 also offered a legal framework for the rights of all children and set an objective of free primary education (Kingdom of Swaziland, 2005). In 2011, the Ministry of Education and Training consequently designed the Education Sector Policy, which was underpinned by international, regional, and national declarations on the rights of all children. This policy outlines the state's goals towards the improvement of vulnerable children's lives by identifying, monitoring, and accommodating their educational needs (Kingdom of Swaziland, 2011).Even after adopting the aforementioned conventions, laws, and policies, Swaziland has not fully succeeded in implementing them at a practical level (Sukati, 2013). For example, Nordtveit (2010) found that school practices, and teachers in Swaziland, still exclude vulnerable children; and these children were also found to have a predisposition for exploitation and sexual abuse by some teachers (Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse, 2013), which forces them to drop out of school (Nordtveit, 2010) at a higher rate than children who are not regarded as vulnerable. Such a scenario increases vulnerable children's risk of being trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and vulnerability because it deprives them of their right to education, which is a prerequisite for a better and gracious later life. It actually contravenes vulnerable children's right to basic learning needs of fair and dignified treatment, which is necessary for them to complete quality school education (UNESCO, 2000) as ratified by the Dakar Framework for Action, to which Swaziland subscribes. Clearly, more needs to be done, therefore, to comprehend the daily life experiences of vulnerable children in light of these possible policy-practice discrepancies. …

Potential barriers to focused antenatal care utilisation by HIV-positive pregnant women in Swaziland

Background: Maternal mortality and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continue to be major challenges to the Kingdom of Swaziland. In the past, the government introduced focused antenatal care and integrated it with national strategies to reduce maternal mortality and the mother-to-child transmission of HIV. It was anticipated that individualised and integrated principles guiding the focused antenatal care model would enhance the quality of care received by pregnant women, consequently leading to high utilisation of the antenatal care services, a low rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and better pregnancy outcomes.Method: The study used a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory design, with individual semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. A total of 18 interviews were conducted with 18 HIV-positive pregnant women who attended at least two antenatal care visits at a regional referral hospital.Results: Seven potential barriers emerged from the thematic comparative content analysis of the parti...

Contraceptive usage in women requesting emergency contraception in Swaziland

Background: The Kingdom of Swaziland, following the introduction of the National Family Planning Programme in 1973, has witnessed insufficient scientific publications on the contraceptive practices in the country despite documented high fertility rates and low contraceptive prevalence rates. This study was conducted to understand the practices and potential determinants of contraception among Swazi women who requested emergency contraception.Methods: The data were collected over a period of one month and analysed using simple descriptive analysis to summarise the data and bivariate analysis to determine relevant factors associated with the use of contraception.Results: The majority of participants (79%) use contraceptives. Reasons given for not using contraception previously ranged from medical conditions to not being sexually active. Widely used contraceptives are male condoms, injectable hormones and combined oral contraceptives while the least popular are implants, and post-coital pills. Knowledge of contraceptives came mainly from the health facilities, peers and mass media while parents are the least consulted sources. A high percentage (97%) are aware of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and that male and female condoms are the best forms of protection against STDs. Demographic and socio-economic variables are not significantly related to the use of contraceptives.Conclusion: The study established that the majority of the participants used some form of contraception and they also delayed their sexual debut up to the age of 18–20 years. The observed changes of increased contraceptive use and later age of sexual debut could be associated with increased levels of education of the participants and the predominant relaxed approach by Protestants and Zionists who are usually tolerant of contraception. The recommendations, based on the findings of this study, would assist with the planning and implementation of future family planning programmes for which this study serves as a foundation.

Contraceptive usage in women requesting emergency contraception in Swaziland

Background: The Kingdom of Swaziland, following the introduction of the National Family Planning Programme in 1973, has witnessed insufficient scientific publications on the contraceptive practices in the country despite documented high fertility rates and low contraceptive prevalence rates. This study was conducted to understand the practices and potential determinants of contraception among Swazi women who requested emergency contraception.Methods: The data were collected over a period of one month and analysed using simple descriptive analysis to summarise the data and bivariate analysis to determine relevant factors associated with the use of contraception.Results: The majority of participants (79%) use contraceptives. Reasons given for not using contraception previously ranged from medical conditions to not being sexually active. Widely used contraceptives are male condoms, injectable hormones and combined oral contraceptives while the least popular are implants, and post-coital pills. Knowledge of c...