Access to Justice for women in Eswatini: HIV-positive women as a vulnerable population

Violence against women (VAW) is a global problem and is regarded as one of the most widespread violations of women's rights. Literature shows that women living with HIV are particularly vulnerable to violence, impacting on their ability to protect themselves from HIV reinfection and their ability to access care. Studies have found that VAW is common in Southern African countries where HIV is prevalent.4 Eswatini has the highest prevalence of HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the world. The prevalence has continued to rise, climbing from 21% of the population in 2016 to over 27% in 2018 (20.4% males, 32.5% females).