The Ministry of Law and Justice in collaboration with The People’s Matrix, Sesotho Media & Development brought together government officials, civil society representatives and development partners to review Lesotho’s human rights landscape in a first-ever National Symposium Human Rights held in Maseru this week.
As part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the symposium aimed at reflecting on national progress, assessing current human rights initiatives and assessing their impact and identifying opportunities for improvement, with particular attention to combating GBV.
Speaking at the gathering, Deputy Attorney General MakheleSekati reaffirmed the country’s commitment to international and regional human rights treaties, highlighting notable achievements including the enactment of the National Human Rights Commission, progress in drafting human rights legislation and active engagement in regional and international forums.
Sekati said the LMPS was a witness to the harm that people endure to GBV, saying this harm steals dignity, shatters families and leaves scars unseen, yet unforgettable.
“We see it in the trembling hands of a woman seeking help, in the eyes of a child who has watched violence unfold at home and in the quiet desperation of those who suffer in silence, hoping no one will notice,” he said, adding that GBV is not just a statistics, an abstract problem but a wound that stabs the very soul of the nation.
He went on to explain the terror that GBV leaves in the hearts of victims, their homes and how it affects the lives of those around them, saying the alarming statistics of such cases call for rapid response from government and all stakeholders.
He said there was a time when the LMPS was not moving fast enough to help in cases of GBV, when systems that were meant to protect created more suffering for the victims, however pledging that they have introspected and are ready to listen to survivors with patience and humanity.
“We will respond with urgency because every minute matters. We will protect without hesitation or fear and we will pursue justice with every breath in our bodies,” he pledged.
Sekati said this work was not the sole responsibility of the police, calling on everyone to come together to help in the brutal fight.
He pleaded with partners to not let the symposium be just a meeting but a rebirth-call to action and demand for transformation in the fight against GBV- urging them to confront the systemic issues that perpetuate violence and inequality.
“We must listen to the voices of those who’ve been silenced and amplify the power of those who’ve been marginalized,” he pleaded.
With its financial backing in the success of the symposium, Marcella Veneziani, the EU Country Representative expressed their commitment to helping end GBV in Lesotho.
She highlighted the urgent need for reflection, awareness and action, emphasising support for victims and strengthening of key institutions including the Lesotho Human Rights Unit and the LMPS.
Tampose Mothopeng, Human Rights Defender and Sexuality Activist, also weighed in, saying the symposium had presented a crucial platform for the government to reflect, account and take action towards a just and inclusive Lesotho.
Mothopeng emphasised inclusion of the LGBT community voices in decision making platforms, national reforms and committees, applauding government for passing the 10thAmendment that expresses inclusivity.
The symposium, Mothopeng said, called for a development of a national policy against hate crimes- this policy will improve access to justice and ensure equitable health services for all.
The symposium meant to create a unified Lesotho, bringing together diverse voices to strengthen protection, accountability and inclusion across the country including local chiefs, community members from marginalized groups such as sex workers, LGBTI persons and people with disability.
Discussions of the day were also believed to have strengthened a shared commitment to building a safer, more equitable Lesotho.
