Following the elections and recent government appointments made by King Mswati and members of parliament (MPs), Swaziland has hit rock bottom in women's representation in government, just at the time when the country should be giving its last push for gender equality before 2015.

There is no hope that Swaziland will reach the SADC Gender Protocol target of 50% women in all areas of decision-making by 2015.

MBABANE – A segment of the women electorate is disappointed with the poor representation of women in Parliament.

The Chairperson of the Gender Consortium under the Co-ordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Orga-nisations (CANGO), Hleli Luhlanga, feels that some of the constitutional provisions for the election of women into Parliament have been violated.

Archaic and chauvinistic practices are being used to prevent Swazi women from taking part in the upcoming primary elections, despite the country having a constitution that guarantees their rights, says political analyst Dr. Sikelela Dlamini.

“The discrimination [against] women by preventing them from participating in politics is a consequence of deeply-rooted notions of male dominance and the subordination of women,” Dlamini told IPS.

Swaziland's Indlovukazi (the mother of the king) has joined a growing chorus of misinformation about the kingdom's forthcoming undemocratic national election.

Aspiring women Parliamentarians should not lose hope as the constitution calls for at least 30 percent representation. This means if this constitutional provision is met there will be a total of 28 women MPs. So far only five women have made it to Parliament by being voted for. However there are still 40 posts that have to be filled in Parliament.
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The posts for four women parliamentarians who were supposed to be elected into Parliament according to the Constitution have been frozen. This was revealed by Clerk to Parliament, Sanele Nxumalo, during the first sitting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday.