As you can see from the two maps, the incidence of rural poverty in Swaziland is incredible. In all regions of the country, over 50% of the population is in poverty. Across the entire countyr 69% of Swazi people live below the povery line of $1(US) per day.
Background
With a GNI per capita of $2,430, Swaziland is a middle income country. However, income inequality is high with a Gini coefficient of 0.6 and two thirds of the population living on less than a $1 a day. The country continues to face tremendous development challenges. Unemployment is soaring at approximately 30%, human development is low at 146/177 (HDI, 2006) and the country suffers from periods of severe drought and food shortage. Under-5 mortality has increased from 142 per 1,000 to 156 per 1,000 from 2000 to 2004 and life expectancy has declined to 31 years in 2004 (HDI). In view of the declining economy and social indicators, Swaziland is not likely to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
Swaziland’s Measure of Poverty Line:
The poverty line for Swaziland is calculated on two poverty lines, namely: food and other basic needs. A consumption aggregate is used to determine living standards, consisting of:
Food consumption (value of food) from own production, purchased and gifts
Non-food consumption
Medical/health expenditure
Educational expenditure
What impacts poverty in Swaziland
Much of the poverty in Swaziland can be explained through what we like to call the 4 E's.
Economy
Equality
Education
Epidemic
Economy
Swaziland’s economy relies mostly on agricultural products—sugar is the cash crop, corn is the staple crop. Considering subsistence agriculture employs about 60% of population and imports have exceeded exports—jobs are becoming scarce. The national unemployment rate has increased from 22% in ’97, to 29% in ’01. Uneven resource distribution, rapid expanding population and persistent drought are causing famine in rural areas—rural areas have less access to common resources and where extreme poverty is most prevalent. Currently, 69 of% of the population lives below poverty line of E57 (Emalangeni) (E57.00) and E104.00 per month for rural and urban areas respectively, measured by food and other basic needs. The government of Swaziland largely controls the economy. Government corruption is a major factor contributing to the economic distress and poverty. The richest 10% control over 40% of the nation’s income, while the poorest 40% control only 14% of total income. Swaziland runs a massive debt, estimated at nearly $540 million, which only adds to the economic instability and poverty. Political change in South Africa, of Swaziland’s largest trading partner, which absorbs about 74 per cent of the country’s exports, and supplies about 80 per cent of its imports of goods and services has eroded some of Swaziland's advantage in attracting foreign capital, on which much of the Swaziland’s growth has depended on in the past. Declining GDP growth, as seen in the chart below, has also contributed to the increasing poverty in Swaziland.
Equality
Women are particularly vulnerable to poverty. Poverty indices show that women are the more affected in Swaziland. Female-headed homes account for the highest number of poverty stricken families.
Constitutionally, women can own and control land and their finances. However, both the indigenous customary law and the Roman Dutch common law systems governing Swaziland discriminate severely against women and often bar them from owning and controlling land. This fundamental imbalance in the property rights of men and women leads to gender differences in the pattern of poverty.
In rural areas women have less access to education, and as many as 70 per cent of adult females are illiterate, compared to the national average of 21%.
47% of the population is under 15 years old, and in the next decade young people without work will cause the number of unemployed to rise considerably, therefore there is an urgent need for job creation.
Swaziland is experiencing a major increase in child-headed households as a result of HIV/AIDS.
Education
Four main educational issues affecting poverty:
Unemployment and the harmful effects of HIV/AIDS limits the chances that children stay in school. This results in a vicious circle of lack of education, unemployment, poverty and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS
Teahcers are increasingly absent from school becasue of AIDS related illness, and the quality of education suffers. Student to teacher ratio is 32:1, adding to the cycle
Brain Drain, the permanent migration of the country's productive secotr, is on the rise. The government provides grants and loans for tertiary education outside of the country, and a significant number of students who take advantage of this opportunity don't return to the country to reinvest their skills. Thus, many loans are never repaid, and the country's brightest people put their knowledge to work elsewhere. This affects the overall state of the economy and the effects of poverty are worsened.
The fourth challenge is the appropriateness of the cirriculum in relation to market development requirements. There is need to re-deploy and train new teachers, to promote advocacy and awareness among paretns and students, and to propose innovative strategies, including increntives to retain teachers.
The combination of these four eductional factors leads to poor education in Swaziland. lacking education, children cannot go onto be productive citizens in the economy, and are much more likely to fall victim to poverty than if they were better educated.
Epidemic
Most health indicators suggest that the country has many of the characteristics found in countries that are substantially poorer.
Diseases are the leading cause of death in Swaziland. The most prevalent diseases are HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, lower respiratory infections and diarrhea diseases. HIV infection levels have increased from 3% in 1992 to 38.6% in 2002. With the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis has become and continues to be one of the leading causes of mortality.
2/3 of the rural population lack adequate sanitation, and over half lack access to potable water.
Infant mortality rates remain high at 78.3 deaths per 1,000 live births, and the death rate exceeds birth rate.
HIV/AIDS
42% of the population infected (2007)- HIGHEST INFECTION RATE IN THE WORLD!
The number of children orphaned by the disease now exceeds 70,000, and this number is expected to nearly double in the next five years. This adds an enormous burden on mostly the over 60, retired, poor senior citizens who are left with no choice but to support these orphans.
The most affected age groups are people at the peak of their economic and reproductive careers. This has severely limited Swaziland’s economic output and potential, and is one of the major causes of poverty. Because the lower fertility, higher mortality rates and decreased productivity AIDS is causing, Swaziland could experience a rapid decline in population and economic growth in the next decade, further worsening poverty.
COOL FACTS :
Swaziland is one of the oldest and last remaining monarchies in the world
King Mswati III has 16 wives and 27 children and he is allowed to take a new wife every year
The last king of Swaziland died with 80 wives and over 500 children
The currency is called Lilangeni. An American dollar is equivalent to approximately 7 Lilangeni
25 out every 100 people own a cell phone , and 4 out of every 100 are internet users
Primary school enrollment ratio = 82% of total population
Secondary School enrollment = 45% of total population
Swaziland_Brochure.pdf
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