Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King MSWATI III to grudgingly allow political reform and greater democracy, although he hasbackslid on these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in 2006, but the legal status of political parties was not defined and their status remains unclear. Eswatini has surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.