18 September 2001
The Swaziland government has announced a five-year sex ban for young women in a bid to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country. The ban was announced on Sunday evening by the leader of Swaziland's young women, Lungile Ndlovu, who said the elders of the nation had deemed it fitting, AFP reported.
"During this period you will be expected to observe a five-year sex ban, no shaking of hands with males, no wearing of pants and you will be expected to wear woolen tassels wherever you go for the next five years," Ndlovu was reported as saying. The ban follows an announcement by King Mswati III on Friday that Swaziland would revive the the "umchwasho" chastity rite to preserve virginity among girls and combat AIDS. According to a report by 'The Guardian' newspaper, the king said he was personally terrified by the statistics of the pandemic in the kingdom.
Under the rite, young girls wear black and blue wool tassles to symbolise that they cannot have sex. Ndlovu said the tradition of preserving maidens' chastity would be policed by traditional chiefs who still preside over much of Swazi society.
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