By Rethabile Nchee
The Government of Lesotho, together with UNFPA, Vodacom Lesotho Foundation, and other partners, held and celebrated International Women’s Day in Maseru, Lesotho. The theme of this celebration was “Rights, Justice and Action for all Basotho Women and Girls”. This theme called for action to dismantle the structural barriers to equal justice, discriminatory laws, weak legal protections, as well as harmful practices and social norms that erode the rights of women and girls.
International Women’s Day serves as a global benchmark for assessing the progress of gender equality and honoring the socio-economic and political achievements of women. On the other hand, this day is meant to reflect on what still needs to be done to address the never-ending inequalities, such as the gender pay gap, gender-based violence, and unequal access to resources.
In attendance during these celebrations were Her Royal Highness Princess Senate Mohato Seeiso, the Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Minster of Gender, Youth and Social Development, UN Residence Coordinator in Lesotho, UNFPA Resident Representative (a.i) for Lesotho, UNDP Residence in Lesotho, Head of Vodacom Lesotho Foundation, Civil Society, Academia, Private Sector, NGO’s and the different Government Ministries.
The first speech of the day was delivered by Mr. Tsepo Ntaopane from Vodacom Lesotho Foundation. Mr. Tsepo Ntaopane of Vodacom Lesotho Foundation reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to supporting the Government of Lesotho in empowering women and girls through gender equality initiatives. He emphasized the role of technology in keeping girls in school, promoting dignity, and enhancing the economic inclusion of rural women, while calling for collective action to address gender-based violence. He reechoed “Using technology to keep girls in school and empower rural women is key to advancing gender equality and dignity.’’
In his opening remarks, Honorable Pitso Lesaoana, Minister of Gender, Youth and Social Development, called for a reimagined Lesotho where women and girls have equal access to resources, justice, and opportunities, free from violence and abuse. He emphasized that these are fundamental rights and highlighted the need for inclusive policies, urging collective responsibility, especially the involvement of men and boys, in advancing gender equality. “Gender equality is not just a woman’s issue; it requires men and boys to stand as partners in the fight for equality.” Honorable Pitso Lesaoana emphasized.
UN Resident Coordinator Taija Kontinen-Sharp reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in Lesotho through collaboration with the government and partners. She emphasized the importance of turning policies into tangible actions that deliver real impact, noting that empowering women and girls remains a shared responsibility in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5.“Gender equality commitments must be translated into concrete actions that improve the lives of women and girls, “she reiterated.
The event transitioned into a panel discussion moderated by UNFPA Representative Mr. John Kennedy Mosoti, featuring the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Mrs. Mathlohonolofatso Mosena; UNDP Resident Representative Dr. Jacqueline Olweya; Executive Head of HR at Vodacom Lesotho, Ms. Moliehi Makhetha, Chairperson of Lesotho Disability Advisory Council, Mrs. Matšepiso Mokhomoreng and Dr. Mamoeketsi Ntho, an academic, gender and social inclusion expert. The panel explored key themes of rights and justice, economic empowerment, and inclusive leadership, highlighting practical pathways to translate policy into meaningful impact for women and girls.
It was during these celebrations that six gender equality champions were recognized and given awards. These women have been actively engaged in advancing gender equality initiatives across the country. These champions were Ms. Mathe Masupha, Ms. Mpati Kukame, Ms. Refiloehape Sesinyi, Mrs. ‘Mats’episo Mokhoromeng, Ms. Nthabeleng Mabitle and Ms. Matšeliso Lemenoane.
The closing remarks for these celebrations were given by the Deputy Prime Minister, Her Honourable Justice Nthomeng Majara.
The Deputy Prime Minister thanked everyone who made the celebrations such a success and pointed out that this day serves as a moment of reflection and an important milestone for assessing progress achieved by all partners in addressing women's and girls’ rights in Lesotho. She indicated that the Government of Lesotho is still committed to continuing to raise awareness on the rights of women and girls, and to promoting peace and inclusive governance. She emphasized the urgent need to address the economic cost of gender-based violence (GBV), which costs Lesotho approximately M1.9 billion annually in economic losses due to reduced productivity and high healthcare costs. She noted with sadness that women’s rights continue to be abused, ignored, and neglected while the system of patriarchy persists and undermines the hard-earned gains. The prevalence of organized child marriages is another big elephant facing the Government and its partners in the quest to stop violence and abuse against women and girls.
The Prime Minister also spoke about the existence of human rights frameworks that advance gender equality, but emphasized the need for more action to ensure that they serve the purpose they were intended for. She applauded the women who received awards and encouraged them to continue being the champions of women's and girls’ rights in their communities and to also encourage others to join in addressing the surge in gender-based violence.
She concluded by calling for a coordinated, integrated approach to strengthen the rule of law and secure women's rights and urged all partners present and absent to empower young women and girls, as they are the future leaders of Lesotho.
The author, Rethabile Nchee, is the Chief Research Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and serves as the CCARDESA Information, Communication and Knowledge Management (ICKM) Focal Point for Lesotho.
