Sexual violence is the scary reality for 1 out of 3 Swazi girls, according to a recent UNICEF study on Violence against Children in Swaziland. Nearly 25% of girls experience physical violence as a child and approximately three in 10 experience emotional abuse as a child. Facing such odds, a group of 40 girls from surrounding schools in the Shiselweni region are taking a proactive role in creating a safe space for themselves. With assistance from the U.S. Embassy, eWorld Technology Group, a software development company run by young Swazis, the girls developed a mobile application that will assist them to report incidents of gender-based violence. After working on the app last week, the girls presented the beginnings of a mobile application to U.S. Ambassador Lisa Peterson, Shiselweni Regional Administrator Mr. Themba Masuku and Director Career Guidance and Counseling Ms. Lindiwe Dlamini. We honor and support these young women for using technology to address the terrible scourge of gender-based violence.
