The Kingdom of Swaziland, which was renamed by its king in 2018 to eSwatini, is one of the world's last remaining complete monarchies. King Mswati III rules over the country's 1.3 million population in complete autonomy, while the majority of the country lives in rural areas and in traditional ways. The media is almost entirely controlled by the monarchy and journalists who dare to speak out against the state face prosecution. And while the state does not restrict access to the internet, very few citizens can afford to connect to it.
According to UNICEF, "eSwatini has the highest HIV prevalence rate in the world. The HIV-Aids virus has killed countless Swazis and left thousands of orphans. Some 210,000 people are estimated to be living with HIV." Women's rights in the country are poor, with women married under the civil law provisions subject to the 'marital power' of their husbands, while they are equally not permitted to independently manage property or sign contracts. And while rape is illegal, justice is not enforced against those who commit the crime.
