On 22 March, the UN in Lesotho convened a Stakeholder Forum aimed at engaging with the various organizations and institutions the UN works with, including government, private sector entities, development partners, youth & women groups, religious leaders, academia, persons with disabilities and many more who work with the UN as it delivers its mandate in Lesotho. Together the forum discussed various issues affecting the country including the current scourge of gender-based violence, the socio-economic outlook of the country and the impact of COVID19. Other topics included understanding and mobilizing domestic and international resources as well as avenues for improving living conditions of rural communities and the impact of climate change. The UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Amanda Khozi Mukwashi opened the meeting emphasizing that every voice mattered, “we are gathered here today as a diverse group of people, representing many organizations, and coming from various walks of life. The reason you are here is because your voice matters, and it needs to be brought to the table and considered as we plan for the year ahead.” The bold Agenda 2030 indicates that the sustainable development goals cannot be achieved with sole actions but demands for creation and fostering of multi-stakeholder partnerships that will have a common vision to lead the implementation of the SDGs. “The discussions today were fruitful, and we welcome more of these stakeholder sessions. I think we are on the right track because we can now see the benefits of collective action, transformational and systemic change is on the horizon,” remarked Dr Moeketsi Ntho, Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Gender and Youth, Sports and Recreation. As the stakeholder forum drew to a close and upon reflection, it was again evident to the UN Country Team that galvanizing and convening stakeholders to co-create effective partnerships is an essential leadership imperative for the 21st century.

International Women’s Day is a timely reminder of the efforts and toils of thousands of women in years gone by who fought for women’s rights and gender justice.  Today we are in leadership positions as women from different countries and it is important to take time to acknowledge the space that their efforts established for us to step into. While we use the day to celebrate these contributions, it is important that we also take time to speak up on issues that still keep women out of public office, keep women out of employment and make it difficult for women to fulfill their potential to thrive economically and as people with dignity.  Globally, people will hopefully take time to pause and reflect on what this day means for them as individuals and as part of a collective of nations. Particularly at this time when the world is walking a tightrope caused by the COVID 19 pandemic, climate change and conflict.  In many countries, already existing fault lines have been exposed and semi-healed wounds torn open.  Millions of women across the world, including in Lesotho, have lost jobs, missed opportunities for learning and fallen deeper into poverty. Of great concern is that Lesotho has continued to experience high levels of gender-based violence which has left some women dead and others battling for a meaningful existence.  Negative coping mechanisms  have resulted in increased cases of forced child marriage and unwanted teenage pregnancies. Food insecurity has also impacted women and children. Over one third of children in Lesotho are stunted, affecting cognitive ability and diminishing potential. Lack of nutritious food has lifelong impact for the country. Social norms which relegate women and girls to subordinate status remain entrenched, further exacerbating their multiple disadvantages. As the country grapples with high levels of youth unemployment and under-employment, young women are bearing the brunt of lack of opportunities.  All this, together with the vulnerabilities that have been brought by the COVID19 pandemic and the high levels of HIV and TB, maternal mortality and limited access to sexual health and reproductive services, have compounded the situation that women and girls face in the country. That is why it is important for us to bring the spotlight and focus on the need for women and girls, regardless of age, disability, rural/urban, or social economic status background, to be at the centre of all sustainable development action. There is no single sustainable development goal that will be achieved without addressing the continued exclusion of women from exercising their human rights with respect and dignity.  The experience and lived realities of women and girls in Lesotho should not be ignored. Instead, these should be brought into the centre of the sustainable development discourse at the national and sub-national levels.  It is important that women’s leadership, particularly, is supported at all levels so that the country can benefit from the high literacy levels that it enjoys.  Women have a whole range of skills that can be used to re-position Lesotho as a green and thriving economy. Being able to capture community assets in terms of knowledge, different skills (not only those acquired through academic qualifications) and natural community endowments is something that we must all continuously strive to do.  It allows us to value the different knowledge economy that women bring to the table and enables them to take leadership roles.  As women leaders ourselves, we know all too well the challenges that women from different walks of life face.  But we are products of the opportunities that our societies have created and so we know that it is possible to create opportunities and spaces for women as leaders in the economy and socially. Creating a conducive environment for all to enjoy peace and participate in local and national leadership spaces is therefore essential for gender justice to be experienced by all. The National Reforms that the country is committed to implement must continuously be checked against gender equality and leaving no one behind. Women in Lesotho are not only mothers, sisters, aunties, wives, grandmothers and friends, they are also economists, architects, doctors, nurses, teachers, politicians, farmers, entrepreneurs, lawyers, religious leaders, care givers, community leaders and homemakers. Above all, they hold the social fabric of our societies together.  If we want our societies to be strong and thriving, we must invest in women’s social, economic and political capacities and abilities.  We must be comfortable and confident with standing side by side as Basotho for all Basotho. As we celebrate this International Women’s Day, let us remember the commitments that Lesotho has made for the advancement of gender equality, through the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Maputo Protocol, the SADC Declaration on Gender and Development and SADC sponsored Prevention of HIV among Girls and Women, among many others.  We need to continually ensure that existing laws and policies are not only ratified, but critically, domesticated and fully implemented. A peaceful and prosperous future must put women and girls at the centre of sustainable development.

The Voluntary National Reviews aim to track the progress in implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Through the Ministry of Development Planning, with support from the UN, Lesotho has today launched its processes in preparing for its second time presentation of the Voluntary National Review (VNR) report of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. The final report will be presented at the 2022 High Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York at the United Nations Headquarters in July later this year. “We must integrate the SDGs in the development work we do on a daily basis, this will assist us in maintaining the 2030 Agenda as a key priority for Lesotho”, remarked the Right Honorable Prime Minister of Lesotho, Dr Moeketsi Majoro at the launch ceremony.   As part of the follow-up and review mechanism for the SDGs, member states are encouraged to conduct voluntary, regular, and inclusive reviews of progress at the national and sub-national levels to share experiences, including successes, challenges, and lessons learned. The UN Resident Coordinator, Amada Khozi Mukwashi further reiterated the importance of engaging the Basotho people on the journey of working for sustainable development in Lesotho: “In the process of interrogating the SDGs, we need to be truthful in what we have done & what still needs to be done. Let us make sure that as many of the Basotho people as possible are involved, no one must be left behind” she said. Lesotho will review four SDGs: Equality education, SDG 4, gender equality, SDG 5, Partnership for the goals, SDG 17 and life on land, SDG 15.

After two years of crippling with COVID-19, the introduction of vaccines had shone the light for a better future, a better future for the economy, social and academic life of every country. Schools were highly disrupted by the pandemic, total shut downs  for over a year and for some introducing a new way of learning online, which proved to be a struggle for many students and teachers, especially in a country like Lesotho with limited technological infrastructure. Now, the introduction of the Pfizer vaccine, which is eligible for 12 to 17 year olds, has brought massive hope for the return of full-time schooling for children. The Ministry of Education in Lesotho is directing maximum effort to ensure that every student receives high-quality education, while working to safeguard health, safety, and well-being of students, families, teachers, and staff. Thabiso Motšoeneng, 14 years old, is one of a few young people who decided without hesitation to take the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in December 2021. He has only just started in secondary school but does not stop to express his love for science, with great emphasis on the current COVID-19 pandemic. “I have been reading a lot of articles online about the pandemic during the long unfortunate break we had and, I think out of all the health articles I have seen and news I have heard; the discovery of the vaccine was the best news for me” he says. Thabiso’s mother, ‘Mathabiso Motšoeneng introduced us to his son during the Lesotho Red Cross   COVID-19 awareness workshop for Kolojane Primary School teachers and school board members. The activity, financially supported by WHO Lesotho aims to strengthen health systems in Lesotho through the “Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator(ACT-A) programme”. ‘Mathabiso says she had her doubts initially with the vaccine especially when targeting children, “I had side effects which were moderate, a slight headache, weakness and numbness, and I was afraid it could get worse. However, my son told me, after taking the first shot that he didn’t have any side-effects, I realized we are all different and respond differently to vaccines”. Mathabiso is one of the members of the Kolojane primary school board who received training on COVID-19, and how vaccines work, what each participant’s role is in advocating for vaccinations and ways to increase demand in their different circles, “we learned so much about vaccines and how they work, now that we are knowledgeable we will pass what we have to our communities and children”. Tšita Maqatsa , a nurse at Kolojane Health Centre, says prior to the information dissemination activities, the vaccine uptake for 12 to 17 year olds was very low but after reaching out to two schools in the area, the uptake started to increase, “it dawned on us that people needed and wanted to first get the relevant education and information for them to take informed decisions”. So far the health centre has trained teachers and school board members in three school around the catchment area. As of February end of 2022, at least 38.5% of the total population has been fully vaccinated and 201 240 12 to 17-year-old have received their first dose of Pfizer in Lesotho. This activity gives school leaders an opportunity to address vaccine hesitancy and promote uptake by faculty, staff, students, and extended families in the Berea district—all of which could help the country reach herd immunity. To do this effectively, schools should work to understand the needs and concerns of different people in their communities, and elevate trusted local voices who can support vaccine efforts with empathy and compassion. By prioritizing equitable and innovative approaches to embrace vaccinations, schools can promote the health and well-being of everyone. We have an opportunity to return to an in-person education where every student can thrive. The ACT-A project funded by the Canadian government focuses on engaging the private sector and non-state actors as an important venture to improve country private sector governance and to strengthen equitable access to relevant COVID-19 response interventions. The initiative provides cross-cutting health systems support for the COVID-19 response, including the deployment of tools, vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, PPE, and oxygen to Lesotho. Lesotho Red Cross is among four Non-State actors involved in the ACT-A project, with Christian Health Association of Lesotho(CHAL), Global Health Access Initiative (GHAI) and the Lesotho World Vision in addressing COVID-19response gaps in the country.