As the Kingdom of Lesotho continues in its journey of the national reforms processes aimed at creating lasting political stability, The National Reforms Authority convened a 3-day workshop with members of the senate, to create a common understanding on the proposals contained in the 11th Amendment to the Constitution Bill, known as the Omnibus Constitutional Bill. With support from UNDP and the EU, the workshop that was officially opened on the 4th of July in Maseru, could help pave way for the Senators to process the Bill swiftly. The Senate of Lesotho which is the upper chamber of the Parliament comprising of twenty-two Principal Chiefs and eleven other Senators, has the key responsibility to debate and consent on the bill, which must be passed by both chambers of parliament. Despite the senate members raising a few areas of concerns on some of the contents of the bill, there is still optimism and consensus over the need to reform and to fast-track the processing of the Omnibus Constitutional Bill. Speaking at the workshop, the President of Senate, Honourable Mamonaheng Mokitimi, expressed her positivity that the highly anticipated Omnibus Constitutional Bill will indeed bring peace, stability and efficiency on service delivery once passed into a law. With the window of opportunity before the end of term of the Parliament getting smaller, key stakeholders have urged on the need for the concerned parties to put their differences aside and focus on the national interests that will pave way for the reforms within the different sectors. Speaking at the opening event for the workshop, the EU Head of Delegation, H.E. Paola Amadei, said: “The reforms are a promise for a better future which will bring in more political stability, transparency, accountability of governance, and further delay of the approval could potentially be the end of the process without anything or little to show”. The UN Resident Coordinator, Amanda Mukwashi also expressed her optimism that the workshop has provided an opportunity for the Members of the Senate to have a comprehensive insight on what is contained in the document, to make meaningful contributions during the formal debate on Bill that is now before Parliament. The Government of Lesotho with support from the UN, and in partnership with the EU and other stakeholders are working to support the implementation of the National Reforms Programme that will help steer the kingdom towards greater peace and stability, by improving the judiciary, security forces, economy, media, public service, parliament, and constitution.

HA KOALI, Berea district, Lesotho—When a high school teenager with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) visited a clinic at Ha Koali for treatment, she got more than she expected. Nursing Officer ‘Makatleho Rapapa counselled and treated her, then provided information on family planning, including the newly introduced self-injection depo, Sayanna Press.  “The fact that she had an STI showed that she was already [having] sex,” Ms Rapapa said. “During counselling, I showed her different types of contraceptives and she opted for Sayanna Press. She preferred it as she would not have to miss school or ask her parents to [allow her to] visit the health facility regularly.” By providing the girl with counselling and information services, contraceptives, and treating her STI, the clinic provided integrated sexual and reproductive health-care services, as recommended under the 2gether 4 SRHR programme. This is a regional intervention with the goal of improving the sexual and reproductive health and rights of all people, with a particular focus on adolescent girls, young people and key populations in East and Southern Africa. Integrating services for greater efficiency To ensure integrated services, healthcare providers must have the knowledge and skills needed to provide an appropriate basic package of services, and to refer patients for other necessary services not provided at that site, as the Nursing Officer did in the case of the teenager. In Quthing district, integrated services are offered during community outreach initiatives. As 80 per cent of the population in Quthing works in South Africa, they are given a full package of services during a community outreach programme, as they visit Lesotho on a seasonal basis, according to the District’s Public Health Nurse, ‘Mateboho Mothupi. “We provide the full package, including cervical cancer screening and HIV testing and counselling, besides the provision of different types of contraceptives, and refer cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Just recently, we referred a 12-year-old HIV-positive girl who had a mental illness, whose father was aware of a [case of] SGBV [perpetrated] on her by a friend,” she said. In Quthing, most people walk long distances to reach a health facility, hence the need for the community outreach initiative. In Butha-Buthe district, Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (LPPA) launched and runs the outreach programme once a month at ‘Moteng, and includes a health talk. It also offers HIV testing and counselling, cancer screening, COVID-19 vaccination and family planning services. Self-injecting contraceptive method gaining ground Rethabile* heard about the self-injection depo (Sayana Press) during one of the health talks and made a decision to use it, with the assistance of the health-care providers. “I will come for the next dose after three months. If, by then, they realise that I can inject myself, then they will give me the next doses to do it myself,” she said. “It is not painful. I am going to encourage others to use it.” The rationale for the integration of services is to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the health system and to meet people’s needs for accessible, acceptable, convenient, client-centred and comprehensive care. In Lesotho, UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, leads the implementation of the 2gether 4 SRHR programme in collaboration with UNAIDS, UNICEF and WHO. The programme combines strategies and activities according to the strengths and advantages of the four participating UN agencies. It provides support to governments, civil society and communities to scale up quality services on integrated sexual reproductive health and rights, HIV, and sexual and gender-based violence for all, especially adolescent girls, young people and key populations. UNFPA has developed the capacity of journalists in Lesotho to report on sexual and reproductive health and rights, with focus on the 2gether 4 SRHR programme and integration of SRHR, HIV and SGBV services, so that they can raise awareness about the programme and related issues. The journalists toured health facilities to observe at first hand the provision of integrated services. Lesotho is one of five countries implementing the 2gether 4 SRHR programme, which is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). * Name changed to protect privacy

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.