On Tuesday, 03 November 2026, Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) launches Eswatini -Time To Act, a new report researched and written by Emaswati in the country and in exile. It brings together evidence on political repression, gender-based violence, discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people, workers’ rights, poverty and the strain on public services and highlights the people and communities that continue to organise and demand democratic change.
You can read or download the report here.
As South Africa celebrated the end of apartheid and the promise of democracy in 1994, the people of neighbouring Eswatini were already a decade into life under absolute royal rule. What followed was four decades in which political parties remained prohibited, democratic demands were repressed and generations of Emaswati continued to fight for political freedom, dignity and accountability.
The struggle of Emaswati has too often remained outside the international spotlight. Yet behind the headlines and human rights reports are real people. Workers struggling to survive on inadequate wages, women and girls facing violence and discrimination, young people denied meaningful political participation, and communities living with poverty and failing public services. They are not simply victims of repression. They are citizens, activists, workers and communities organising and demanding change.
ACTSA’s report brings the experiences and demands of Emaswati into focus. It calls on the UK Government, the Commonwealth and other international partners to move beyond statements of concern and use their influence to advance democratic reform, protect fundamental freedoms and secure accountability for human rights violations.