No room in heaven for miniskirts

King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa's last absolute monarch, has harshly condemned women who wear modern clothes, and questioned the concept of women's rights. "The Bible says 'curse be unto a woman who wears pants [trousers], and those who wear their husband's clothes' [sic]. That is why the world is in such a state today," Mswati said at an Ascension Day prayer meeting of religious leaders he hosted at Mbangweni royal village in the capital, Mbabane. A snap survey by IRIN, conducted in Manzini and Mbabane, the kingdom's two main urban centres, found that trousers are the clothing of choice among Swaziland's teenage girls and young women. However, non-traditional women's apparel has always infuriated the nation's ruling authorities. King Mswati's brother, Prince Bhekimpi Dlamini, and other chiefs have forbidden women to wear trousers and miniskirts in their chieftaincies. In a speech broadcast over state-owned television, Mswati also slammed the human rights movement and the concept of women's rights. The Times of Swaziland reported the king as saying women were not only responsible for the ills of the world today, but had the gall to "preach the gospel of human rights". "What rights?" Mswati asked. "God created people, and He gave them their roles in society. You cannot change what God has created. This is an abomination before God," Mswati said. Trousers were not the only garments worn by women that Mswati said bring God's disfavour. "Women who wear miniskirts will be barren," he suggested. Mswati's remarks came on the eve of a draft constitution expected to be presented at the weekend, to replace a 30-year-old State of Emergency under which Mswati governs the country, and which bans organised political opposition to royal rule. The palace has already indicated the constitution will not fundamentally change the nation's political structure, retaining and even strengthening traditional rule. But women's groups had hoped that their own minority status would change. "Women cannot own property, take out bank loans or enter into contracts without a man's consent. But women cannot remain legal minors without stifling national growth," Zakhe Hlanze, a researcher with the Swaziland branch of Women in Law in Southern Africa told IRIN. Political observers said that when Mswati addressed conservative church leaders, who are from "Christian Zionist" sects that combine fundamentalist Christianity with traditional African creeds, he feels free to speak of his core beliefs. At an Easter service, Mswati thanked pastors who said that God only recognises kings as national leaders, and condemns citizens of democracies to hell because they have no legitimate leaders with whom God can communicate. "By custom, the Swazi king represents his people before God, and speaks on their behalf individually and as a nation. Mswati feels he can comment on issues like human rights and women with the authority of someone who is close to God," Reverend Jabulani Dlamini told IRIN.