Gendered Political Economy Analysis (GPEA)
Globally, universities are meant to be spaces of knowledge and empowerment. Yet for many young women, stepping onto campus also means stepping into a minefield of harassment and fear.In Eswatini, a recent Gendered Political Economy Analysis (GPEA) by Women Unlimited Eswatini and
Bantwana Initiative reveals that sexual harassment and gender-based violence (GBV) are not just present in higher education institutions; they are pervasive, normalized, and often unchecked.
A Grim Reality for Students
The numbers tell a grim story. Studies show that one in three women in Eswatini experience violence before the age of 18. On university campuses, young women face sexual assault at rates up to four times higher than their peers outside campus.
First-year students, already navigating unfamiliar environments, are especially vulnerable to coercion, harassment, and exploitation. Violence manifests in multiple ways; from groping and stalking to sextortion, “sex-for-marks,” and the bullying of LGBTQIA+ students. Yet most incidents go unreported, buried under stigma, victim-blaming, and fear of reprisal.
Systemic Drivers of Campus Harassment
Behind these statistics lie systemic drivers: entrenched patriarchy, poverty, weak justice systems and harmful cultural practices. Many women remain financially dependent on men, leaving them trapped in abusive situations. Others, desperate to survive, are drawn into transactional relationships that make them vulnerable to exploitation. On campuses, lax security and inadequate institutional responses fuel impunity, creating an environment where perpetrators act without fear.
Driving Multi-Sectoral Solutions
Women Unlimited Eswatini together with
Bantwana Initiative Eswatini are using the findings of this review to push for multi-sectoral concerted efforts in violence prevention in learning spaces. Supported by the UK Aid
Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the
What Works II programme we are drawing from global evidence and local realities, crafting interventions that prioritize survivor voices, strengthen accountability systems, and challenge the toxic norms that sustain harassment. Ending campus harassment is not just a women’s issue. It is a justice issue, a human rights issue, and a defining step toward a safer and more equal Eswatini.
Globally, universities are meant to be spaces of knowledge and empowerment. Yet for many young women, stepping onto campus also means stepping into a minefield of harassment and fear.In Eswatini, a recent Gendered Political Economy Analysis (GPEA) by Women Unlimited Eswatini and Bantwana Initiative reveals that sexual harassment and gender-based violence (GBV) are not just present in higher education institutions; they are pervasive, normalized, and often unchecked.
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