Monitoring Report Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho Table of Content

ABBREVIATIONS 3

INTRODUCTION 4

ANGOLA 5

COUNTRY BACKGROUND 5

HUMAN RIGHTS EVENTS OF MAY 2021 6 Locust Pest and Drought Create Food Insecurity in Southern Angola 6 Angolan Government Reflects on the Importance of Education 7

BOTSWANA 9

COUNTRY BACKGROUND 9

HUMAN RIGHTS EVENTS OF MAY 2021 10 HIV/AIDS Services Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic 10 Proposed Decentralization Policy in Botswana 10

ESWATINI 12

COUNTRY BACKGROUND 12

HUMAN RIGHTS EVENTS OF MAY 2021 13 Violent Protests Against Police Brutality in Eswatini 13 The United Nations Supporting 25 Farmers in Eswatini 14

LESOTHO 15

COUNTRY BACKGROUND 15

HUMAN RIGHTS EVENTS OF MAY 2021 16 Allegations of Abusive Factory Conditions 16 Increased Protection of Persons with Disabilities 17

2 Abbreviations

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization

GBV Gender-Based Violence

GHRD Global Human Rights Defence

MoU Memorandum of Understanding

NGO Non-Governmental Organization

UN United Nations

UNFPA United Nations Fund for Population Activities

WFP World Food Program

3 Introduction

This report aims at highlighting differentiating human rights-related occurrences as present in the southern African continent. Its specific focus will be on Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, as well as Lesotho. It is of crucial importance to highlight the significant progressions and retrogressions of the aforementioned countries and thus, covers selected key occasions as was present throughout May 2021. Global Human Rights Defence (GHRD) calls upon the international and national communities, stakeholders as well as governments for constructive policy changes and the support of one another in realizing the full enjoyment of human rights of every individual, with a specific focus on those belonging to marginalized and minority groups.

4 Angola

Country Background The Republic of Angola is a country located in the southern African continent, bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Namibia, as well as Zambia. Its national flag holds a specific meaning to the country; red symbolizes the country’s liberty, red symbolizes the African continent, its emblem symbolizes the country’s workers and peasants. According to the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), Angola – accounting for 1,246,700 square kilometers – is home to little over 33,9 million citizens. The country is divided into 18 provinces with Luanda as its capital and largest city, followed by Lubango and Cabinda. The density of its population is mainly found in the western region of the country, including the areas surrounding Luanda.

The climate in the country varies from semi-arid in the country’s southern parts – including the coastal areas near Luanda – to cool and dry in its northern regions, with hot and rainy seasons from April to November. The Republic of Angola is a presidential republic led by the Head of State, President João Lourenço, who serves the presidential seat since September 26, 2017. It gained its independence from Portugal as its colonizing power, on 11 November 1975. To date, the country’s legal system remains to be based on Portuguese civil law, with the absence of a judicial review of legislation possibilities. Similarly, its official language is Portuguese, however, Umbundu, Kikongo, Kimbundu, Chokwe, Nhaneca, Nganguela, Fiote, Kwanhama, Muhumbi, Luvale – among other ethnic languages – are also spoken in the country.

5 Human Rights Events of May 2021 Locust Pest and Drought Create Food Insecurity in Southern Angola Fears of severe food insecurity in Angola are increasing due to drought and desert locust swarm, destroying agricultural areas in southern Angola1. The most affected regions concern the Namibe, Belguela, Cunene, and Cuando Cubango provinces. As announced by the Communication and Press Officer Director of the Civil Protection and Firefighting Service, Mr. Félix Domingos, at a press conference taking place on May 11, 2021, the plague is putting at risk cereal production which could lead to severe hunger in the region. In response to the situation, the Angolan National Air Force, Civil Protection and Fire Services are not only spraying the fields with insecticide but also training farmers to fight the locust. Furthermore, about 14,000 families in the Namibe, Cunene, and Huila provinces received food aid to minimize the situation of hunger.

The locust swarms started in October 2020 in the Cuando Cubango Province, with means being mobilized to address the situation. A project dealing with the locust situation is carried out by the Mission of Beneficence Agriculture of Kubango Inclusive Technologies and Environment (MBAKITA), a non-government organization (NGO) working for the protection of the rights of indigenous people and traditional communities in the southern provinces of Angola. The project, financed by the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), trains brigadiers in the affected municipalities and raises public awareness regarding the risk of invasion and control of the locusts2.

1 Vieira, A. (2021, May 13). Locusts invade Angola’s southern provinces. The East African. https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/rest-of-africa/locusts-invade-angola-3398382 2 Paulino, C. (2021, May 16). Cuando Cubango without reports of locust plague. Jornal de Angola. https://www.jornaldeangola.ao/ao/noticias/cuando-cubango-sem-relatos-da-praga-de-gafanhotos/ 6 Representative of the FAO in Cuando Cubango, Januário José Cassanga, stated that an operation was carried out between April 19 and May 3, 2021, allowing for reconnaissance of the fields, mapping and spraying fields affected by the pest. Consequently, no reports of the presence of the insects in the municipalities of Calai, Cuangar, Dirico, Mavinga, and Revungo (located in the Cuando Cubango Province) took place. Furthermore, the World Food Program (WFP) – a humanitarian organization focusing on providing food assistance to people recovering from conflict, disasters, and climate change – stated in March 2021 concerning the country’s drought situation that it may be subjected to food shortages during the years, resulting from the persisting drought in its southern provinces. As such, the WFP emphasized that the situation may solely improve provided that above-average rainfalls take place3.

Angolan Government Reflects on the Importance of Education On May 20, 2021, a forum took place at the Angolan Jean Piaget University concerning the emerging partnerships between the educational and the business sector, during which the Angolan Minister of State for Social Affairs, Ms. Carolina Cerqueira, highlighted the importance of education for the Angolan economy. More specifically, she emphasized the importance of education in economic development through promoting the active participation of students in the business sector. In line with the goal of improving the education quality in the country, the Angolan Minister of Education, Ms. Luisa Grillo, discussed on May 12, 2021, with her counterpart in Rwanda, Ms. Valentine Uwamariya, their intended plans4. The two announced their joint intention of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) initiating plans aimed at training teachers, upgrading the skills of English teachers, as well as speeding the implementation of projects destined to stimulate the interest of schoolgirls in the field of science. As such, Angola is looking forward

3 Vieira, A. (2021, May 13). Locusts invade Angola’s southern provinces. The East African. https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/rest-of-africa/locusts-invade-angola-3398382 4 Angola :: Angop - AgÊncia Angola Press. (2021b, May 20). Government highlights higher education in diversifying economy - ANGOP. https://www.angop.ao/en/noticias/educacao/executivo-reconhece-papel-do-ensino-superior-na-diversificacao-da- economia/ 7 to establishing a strong partnership with Rwanda in order to improve the educational and consequently, the country’s economic sector.

8 Botswana

Country Background The Republic of Botswana is a landlocked country located in the southern African continent, bordering Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, as well as Zimbabwe. Its national flag holds a specific meaning to the country; blue symbolizes water in the form of rain, whereas the black and white stripes symbolize the racial harmony amongst its people. According to the UNFPA, the Republic of Botswana – accounting for 581,730 square kilometers – is home to 2,4 million citizens. The country is divided into 10 districts and 6 town councils with Gaborone as its capital and largest city.

The density of its population is mainly found in the eastern part of the country, with a specific focus on the areas surrounding Gaborone, as well as the areas surrounding the central-eastern city of Francistown. However, the density of its population remains low in the country’s remaining areas, especially in the Kalahari desert and towards the west. The climate throughout the country is semi-arid with warm winters and hot summers. The Republic of Botswana is a parliamentary republic led by the Head of State, President Mokweetsi Masisi, who is simultaneously the Head of Government and serves the presidential seat since April 1, 2018. It gained its independence from the United Kingdom as its colonizing power, on 30 September 1966. The country’s legal system is a mixture of civil law, influenced by the Roman-Dutch model, customary law, as well as common law. Its official language is English, however, Setswana, Sekalanga, Shekgalagadi, Zezeru, Sesarwa, Sembukushu, Ndebele – among other ethnic languages – are frequently spoken throughout the country.

9 Human Rights Events of May 2021 HIV/AIDS Services Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic Gaborone District AIDS Coordinator, Mr. Oageng Batshani, stated on May 11, 2021, in an interview with Daily News Botswana that HIV/AIDS still presents a problem to society and encouraged people to continue practicing prevention methods. He furthermore emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic imposed a significant impact on HIV health services as they witnessed a significant decrease in people coming for treatments and prevention exams. In the same vein, people are facing difficulties in accessing travel permits due to imposed COVID-19 restrictions and consequently cannot comply with scheduled appointments. Furthermore, the most effective strategy in spreading the message of HIV/AID prevention was through mass campaigns which have been halted due to the ongoing pandemic and budget cuts. Moreover, people living with HIV/AIDS have compromised immune systems due to the infections and side effects of medicine and therapy, making them more vulnerable to possible COVID-19 related complications5. The Ministry of Health and Wellness of Botswana remains to liaise with other stakeholders in the continuance of disseminating awareness regarding HIV/AID to different platforms such as the radio, television, newspapers, and social media to engage more people, with a specific focus on its youth.

Proposed Decentralization Policy in Botswana On May 5, 2021, various speakers during a decentralization consultative meeting pledged their support towards a new policy aimed at promoting the empowerment of local government structures throughout Botswana. The proposed policy will empower local governments in being more autonomous and will likewise upgrade sub-districts that promote effective participation of locals concerning their socio-economic development. The continuous increase of the Batswana population makes it necessary for sub-districts to make and run their budgets, instead of depending on the central government6.

Moreover, empowering local governments through the new decentralization policy speeds up processes concerning budgets and developments, resulting in communities benefitting faster from it. For instance, Mr. Taolo Lucas, a member of the parliament for the Bobonong – a

5 Thatayamodimo, L. (2021, May 11). COVID-19 impacts HIV/AIDS services. Daily News Botswana. http://www.dailynews.gov.bw/news-details.php?nid=62184 6 Motsaathebe, M. (2021, May 5). Leaders welcome decentralisation plan. Daily News Botswana. http://www.dailynews.gov.bw/news-details.php?nid=62093 10 small town in central Botswana with about 19,000 inhabitants – stated that greater independence of his district could foster local partnerships with private stakeholders to advance the socio-economic development of the town. The decentralization policy is believed to fill in the lack of implementation of government programs in small communities as local governments would offer a ‘hands-on approach’ directly to the communities that need development. However, there are misconceptions about the policy with some members of parliament being worried about the policy concerning ‘tribal territories’. The Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Kgotla Autlwetse, emphasized that the proposed policy is not concerning tribal territories and disparity, but is focused on empowering local governments to carry out their daily tasks with the absence of unnecessary administrative impediments such as traveling to the central government to obtain approval for their plans7.

7 Williams-Madzonga, G. (2021, May 17). Proposed decentralisation policy not about tribal territories. Daily News Botswana. http://www.dailynews.gov.bw/news-details.php?nid=62255 11 Eswatini

Country Background The Kingdom of Eswatini is a landlocked country located in the southern African continent, bordering Mozambique, as well as South Africa. Its national flag holds a specific meaning to the country; blue symbolizes the country’s peace and stability, red symbolizes all the struggles it underwent, yellow symbolizes the mineral resources of the country. The shield, spears, and staff symbolize protection from the country’s enemies, whereas the black and white of the shield symbolize the black and white people living in peaceful coexistence. According to the UNFPA, the Kingdom of Eswatini – accounting for 17,364 square kilometers – is home to 1,2 million citizens. The Kingdom is divided into 4 regions, with Mbabane as its administrative capital and largest city, followed by Lobamba as its royal and legislative capital.

Due to the country’s mountainous terrain, its population is distributed unevenly and mainly found in valleys. The climate in the country varies from tropical to near temperate. The Kingdom of Eswatini is an absolute monarchy led by King Mswati III who was crowned King on April 25, 1986, at the age of 18 – making him the youngest ruling monarch. It gained its independence from the United Kingdom as its colonizing power, on 6 September 1968. The country’s legal system is a strong mixture of civil, common, and customary law. The kingdom adopts both English and siSwati as its official languages, with the former being solely used for government-related businesses.

12 Human Rights Events of May 2021 Violent Protests Against Police Brutality in Eswatini On May 17, 2021, protests broke out against police brutality in Eswatini, ending in violence. During the protest, police officers opened fire and shot an innocent bystander with a rubber bullet. The protests followed the suspicious death of the 25-year-old law student, Thabani Nkomonye. Although the police asserted that Nkomonye died in a car accident on May 8, 2021, there is throughout the country a widespread suspicion that the law student was killed by police officers. His body was not discovered until May 13, 2021, fueling suspicions that the police were involved. The Swaziland Solidarity Network, a group campaigning for democracy in the absolute monarch ruled by King Mswati III, labeled police brutality in Eswatini as an endemic that has claimed many innocent lives8. Protests were due to continue on May 21, 2021, however, the Swazi Acting Prime Minister Themba Masuku instructed the country’s police forces to be vigilant and halt such demonstrations. In his decision, Masuku cited the present governmental rules concerning the ban on large gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, teachers in Eswatini have taken to the streets to protest against police brutality. Motivated by the discovery of law Nkomonye’s body ‘dumped’ in the bushes in an area called Nhlambeni9.

The United Nations Supporting 25 Farmers in Eswatini The United Nations (UN) delegation in Eswatini donated on May 12, 2021, USD 60,000 to the Swazi Ministry of Agriculture and National Maize

8 AllAfrica. (2021, 20 May). “Swaziland P.M. Tells Police to Halt Public Demonstrations As Anger Spreads Following Suspicious Death” https://allafrica.com/stories/202105200648.html 9 SABC News. (2021, 18 May) “eSwatini teachers lead protest against police brutality after law students death” https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/eswatini-teachers-lead-protest-against-police-brutality-after-law-students-d eath/ 13 Corporation. The donation is aimed at supporting 25 farmers and will be used for the production of 103.6 hectares of maize and 38 hectares worth of beans in the country. Furthermore, the donation consists of various farming assortments, including tons of fertilizers, maize seeds, bean seeds, herbicides, and pesticides. The farmers benefiting from the project were identified by the National Maize Corporation of Eswatini, whose goal is to produce crops – even during the winter – to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and to help meet the food security needs of the country. The Minister of Agriculture, Jabulani Mabuza, notes that the support of the UN will help fight food insecurity in the country10. Furthermore, on May 3, 2021, the Permanent UN Coordinator in the country, Nathalie Ndongo-She, discussed with Swazi media editors the relay of information in the country regarding the sustainable development goals (SDGs), to be achieved by the end of 2030. As every individual in the kingdom plays a crucial role in achieving the SDGs, it is important that the Swazi media outlets actively contribute to the dissemination of information concerning the goals11.

10 Kennedy, E. (2021, May 12). UN in Eswatini Donates Farm Inputs Worth E1 Million to 25 Farmers. UN Eswatini. https://eswatini.un.org/en/126930-un-eswatini-donates-farm-inputs-worth-e1-million-25-farmers 11 Dlamini, Z. M. (2021, May 10). United Nations Eswatini to partner with the media to promote Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). The Swaziland News. http://www.swazilandnews.co.za/fundza.php?nguyiphi=1153 14 Lesotho

Country Background

The Kingdom of Lesotho is a landlocked country located in the southern African continent, bordering South Africa. Its national flag holds a specific meaning to the country; the colors of the flag symbolize rain, peace, and prosperity, the Basotho hat symbolizes its indigenous people. According to the UNFPA, the Kingdom of Lesotho – accounting for 30,355 square kilometers – is home to 2,2 million citizens. The country is divided into 10 districts, with Maseru as its capital and the country’s largest city. The density of its population is particularly found in the western half of the Kingdom, especially the areas surrounding Maseru and the smaller cities of Mafeteng, Teyateyaneng, and Leribe.

The climate in the country varies from temperate cool to cold with dry winters, hot and wet summers. The Kingdom of Lesotho is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy led by the Head of Government, Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro, as of May 2020 – with King Letsie III primarily serving a ceremonial function. It gained its independence from the United Kingdom as its colonizing power, on 4 October 1966. To date, the country’s legal system remains a mixture of English common law and Roman-Dutch civil law. The kingdom recognized both English and Sesotho as its official languages, however, Zulu and Xhosa are frequently spoken throughout the country.

15 Human Rights Events of May 2021 Allegations of Abusive Factory Conditions On May 19, 2021, worker unions throughout Lesotho reported that the country’s police forces used rubber bullets on garment workers. As a result, at least 12 people – including two children of 7 and 9 years of age – were injured at a garment workers demonstration in the northern town of Maputsoe12. Eight of the injured were taken to the Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital for treatment following the city’s Thetsane industrial area incident13.

The violence comes during a scandal in which dozens of factory workers have complained of sexual assault and physical abuse in Lesotho. On May 5, 2021, a report revealed a major investigation into the working conditions at a factory that predominantly makes clothing for the brand Fabletics. The latter is a $400 million athletic apparel brand launched in 2013 by the United States (U.S.) actress Kate Hudson14. Supervisors at the factory ‘Hippo Knitting’ in Lesotho’s capital Maseru, near the protests in Maputsoe, allegedly force workers routinely to expose their underwear and genitals. Like other American clothing brands, Fabletics opened a factory in Lesotho due to the low labor costs in the landlocked country. The garment industry is the second-largest employer in Lesotho, with an estimated of 90 percent of those working in the industry being women15. The violent clash with police forces and the revelations of

12 Chua, M, J. (2021, 21 May). “12 Injured in Lesotho Garment Worker Clash” https://sourcingjournal.com/topics/labor/lesotho-minimum-wage-garment-workers-unions-12-injured-police-fabl etics-281053/ 13 Glover, S. (2021, 21 May). “Garment workers shot by police in Lesotho” https://www.ecotextile.com/2021052127827/materials-production-news/garment-workers-shot-by-police-in-lesot ho.html 14 Donovan, L. & Nkune, M, R. (2021, 5 May). “Exclusive: Workers in factory that makes Kate Hudson’s Fabletics Activewear allege rampant sexual and physical abuse” https://time.com/5959197/fabletics-factory-abuse-allegations/ 15 Ross, M. (2021, 14 May). “Kate Hudson forced to address ‘rampant’ sexual and physical abuses at African factory making her athletic clothing” https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/05/14/kate-hudson-denies-knrampant-sexual-and-physical-abuse-in-african -factory-making-her-workout-clothes/ 16 abusive factory conditions reveals the vulnerabilities and sufferings of workers in Lesotho, most of whom are women.

Increased Protection of Persons with Disabilities On May 6, 2021, the councilors of Mohale’s Hoek – a district stretching from southwest to central Lesotho – voted to increase the protection of persons with disabilities. The councilors disclosed that persons with disabilities have previously been set aside from the country’s development and strategic plans, while being neglected in Lesotho communities. However, after a training organized by the Lesotho National Federation of Organizations of the Disabled (LNFOD), an umbrella body dealing with disabilities in Lesotho, the councilors obtained necessary knowledge concerning the rights of people living with disabilities16.

It was further acknowledged that promoting gender equality is vital in realizing the rights of those disabled as the abuse of women’s sexual and reproductive health must end. As such, LNFOD incentivized local authorities to further develop their knowledge concerning gender and the rights of disabled people. It emphasized that this is an essential step since local authorities are in charge of the communities and it remains hopeful that the training of counselors and local authorities will empower people living with disabilities. The training is widely received as a continuation of the path towards having disabled people’s rights fully acknowledged as Lesotho in March 2021 domesticated the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities through the Enactment of Persons with Disability Equity Act No.24 of 2021. Advocacy and Human Rights Officer at LNFOD, Makatleho Molotski, described the domestication as a helpful tool in assisting people with disabilities as well as those taking care of them17.

16 Sunday Express. (2021, May 12). Councilors vow to protect rights of the disabled. Sunday Express. https://sundayexpress.co.ls/councilors-vow-to-protect-rights-of-the-disabled/ 17 P. (2021j, April 5). Recognition for people living with disability, at last. Public Eye Newspaper. https://publiceyenews.com/recognition-for-people-living-with-disability-at-last/ 17