CHOICE DISABILITY CAMPAIGN
Young women raise awareness
of choice disability in Swaziland
The Focused Workshop (FW) intervention in the Choice Disability trial supports groups of young women to work together to set up and maintain enterprises to provide themselves with an income. The Beyond Victims and Villains (BVV) intervention stimulates discussion about gender violence, sexual behaviour and HIV risk among community groups, using a docudrama in eight episodes. Some communities in the trial have both these interventions.
In October 2010, a group of young women FW participants in a Swaziland community, having also listened to and discussed the BVV docudrama, decided to take action as a group in their community. Calling themselves Abasha on the Move, they organised an awareness campaign to highlight sexual abuse and choice disability in their community.
The event started with a march from the local shop; the local police helped by securing the road for the marchers. Participants included representatives from Swaziland Royal Police, Women and Law, PSI, FLAS and a local drama group. A presentation encouraged people to report abuse at the local police station, a local group performed a drama about human rights, and local artists provided musical entertainment. The young women made some money from the event by charging the kids a minimal fee for face painting and playing on the giant jumping castle. They also sold food and drinks.