Lesotho Fights Against Gender Based Violence
Saved under Lesotho, SOUTHERN AFRICA
Tags: Abuse, gender, Gender Based Violence, human rights, Lesotho Gender Protocol, Maseru Sun Hotel, SAfAIDS, sexual abuse, Violence
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Lesotho continues to fight against widespread gender based violence (GBV), and so this area of work remains a focal point at the Lesotho Gender Protocol@Work Summit which kicked off yesterday in Maseru at the Maseru Sun Hotel.
Gender Links has just released the Gender Based Violence Indicators Study for Lesotho revealing the extent and prevalence of GBV in the country. The study shows that 86% of women experienced some form of violence at least once in their lifetime, including partner and non-partner violence. Forty percent of men perpetrated violence against women (VAW) at least once in their lifetime.
VAW is predominantly perpetrated within intimate relationships. Sixty-two percent of women experienced, while 37% of men perpetrated, intimate partner violence (IPV). With these clear findings, Lesotho is ranked with the third highest prevalence of IPV out of six SADC countries. Women also reported experience of other forms of GBV, including non-partner rape, sexual harassment and abuse during pregnancy- 80% of women were raped by a non-partner in their lifetime. Sixty three percent of women who had ever worked, had been sexually harassed in the workplace.
As day two of the Summit commenced today, remaining participants from government and civil society organisations presented on issues concerning GBV and the work they are doing to combat the scourge. In an interview, Matipi Tlali from the T’sana-Talana council under the Ministry of Gender, said that councils need to be more responsive to GBV and people need to be educated about women’s rights.
“We do this [educate communities] in forums and traditional gatherings, where we get a chance of direct interaction with both victims and culprits of GBV, and it’s in these sessions where we manage to engage and build concrete relations between men and women in villages like Makeneng, Mahali, Rankapu and Sebusi through small interactive projects”, she said.
Gender Links research also indicates that GBV remains one of the primary drivers of HIV infection across the region. In Lesotho, significantly higher proportion (18%) of IPV survivors reported an HIV positive status.
In another interview, None Roto from SAfAIDS reflected on key issues relating to GBV and the different challenges faced by organisations trying to combat HIV. He explained that ever since Lesotho elected the new government, many polices and strategies have been put on ice, and hinders the implementation of projects and budgets set aside to address gender issues in Lesotho.
SAfAIDS is implementing the Sustainable Communities for Real Excellence (SCORE) on GBV and HIV project through strategic national partners in Lesotho using strategies of community communication platforms for creating awareness.
“Our father-and-son and mother-and-daughter forums will not just work towards eradicating gender based violence alone but in this way we can hope to end other socio-economic problems, bringing a sense of responsibility and most of all unity throughout the whole of Lesotho and Africa,” Roto concluded.
The Lesotho GBV Indicators Study recommends that the country urgently enacts a draft Domestic Violence Bill and to put in place measures to prevent and address violence against women and girls. More campaigns and platforms like the Protocol@Work Summit need to be held to raise awareness of GBV in all areas of the country to ensure that women can have exercise their right to life and dignity.
This article is part of the Gender Links News Service special coverage of the SADC Gender Protocol Summits underway across the region, offering fresh views on everyday news.
