Women’s Caucus takes fight against child marriage to Mokhotlong

MOKHOTLONG – Women’s Caucus, a Parliamentary body, through the support of SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) in partnership with European Union (EU), has taken its campaign against child marriage, early and unintended pregnancies and gender-based violence (GBV) to Mokhotlong, where communities are grappling with violence, teenage pregnancy and school dropout among girls.

The concerns facing communities came to the fore during a public gathering held at Lehlohla Agricultural Resource Centre in Makhoakhoeng on Monday.

The Lesotho 2023-2024 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted by the Ministry of Health reports that 24% of women in Mokhotlong experienced physical violence in the previous 12 months while 40% of ever-partnered women in Mokhotlong experienced violence by a husband or intimate partner in the previous 12 months.

District Medical Officer Dr ‘Mamohoanyane Chabana said the 2023–2024 Survey showed that young people outnumber older people in Mokhotlong while GBV remains a significant concern in the district.

She warned of the health consequences of pregnancy among young girls, saying their bodies are still developing and may not be adequately prepared for pregnancy and childbirth.

Dr. Chabana said babies born to young mothers could also face malnutrition because young mothers may not have sufficient nutrients to support their infants.

She further expressed concern about men who prevent their wives from accessing HIV treatment, urging men to allow their partners to receive treatment and to accompany them to health facilities. Dr. Chabana also reminded men that having sexual relations with children is a criminal offence.

From the Ministry of Education and Training, Education Inspector Mak’hethuoe Hlongoane said school dropout was another major concern, with girls leaving school because of pregnancy and elopement, while boys were sometimes taken out of school to herd livestock at cattle posts. She said 16.5% of young girls dropped out of school in Mokhotlong last year.

Hlongoane urged communities to work together to ensure that children remain in school. “It takes a village to raise a child,” she said.

One of the community members Sehloho Sakoane said some children refuse to attend school because parents are no longer allowed to beat them, while reporting violence can also be difficult.

Sakoane alleged that some police officers laugh at men when they report violence perpetrated by their wives, saying such experiences discourage men from seeking help.

Relebohile Heleho, an Area Technical Officer for Livestock who has worked in Makhoakhoeng for about a year, said she had observed several challenges affecting children in the area. She said some boys are taken out of school to work at cattle posts, while young herdboys may also be exposed to sexual exploitation.

Heleho raised concern about older women who allegedly engage young boys, particularly herdboys, in sexual relationships, putting them at risk of HIV infection.

Women’s Caucus Chairperson ‘Mamamello Holomo said the visit was aimed at addressing child marriage, early and unintended pregnancies and GBV, while listening to communities about gaps that need to be addressed through legislation and other interventions.

“Our work as parliamentarians is to ensure that girls and young women are protected through laws. We are here to build the future generation,” Holomo said. She said the caucus wanted to hear from stakeholders about what laws needed to be made or strengthened to better protect girls and young women.

The caucus also paid a courtesy call on Mokhotlong District Administrator Kepa Keqe on Monday who appealed to government ministries visiting Mokhotlong to observe proper coordination by paying courtesy calls to his office instead of entering the district without informing the district administration. He said stronger coordination among government structures was necessary to ensure that interventions in the district are properly coordinated.

Senator ‘Mamolapo Majara called for stronger cooperation among all stakeholders to ensure that children remain in school and are protected from circumstances that could derail their education.

She urged parents, communities, schools, government institutions and other stakeholders to work together to help children focus on their education and avoid early and unintended pregnancies, child marriage and GBV.

The public hearings come as Parliament considers the Child Protection and Welfare (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to strengthen legal protections for children, including measures addressing child marriage.

The hearings are also aligned with the SADC Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and Protecting Children Already in Marriage, which emphasises the role of national parliaments in strengthening legislation, public participation and oversight.

This public hearing was supported by SADC-PF in partnership with European Union (EU), as part of efforts to strengthen parliamentary action and community participation in addressing child marriage and protecting children.

The engagement as stated by SADC-PF forms part of Parliament’s efforts to gather evidence from communities and strengthen its legislative and oversight response to child marriage and other threats to children’s rights.

The hearings are particularly focused on communities affected by the Polihali Dam construction and other areas where girls face heightened risks.

Women’s Caucus is a parliamentary body comprising women legislators from different political parties who unite on issues of national importance affecting women and vulnerable populations. Its work focuses on promoting gender equality, influencing legislation and advocating for stronger protections against gender-based violence and discrimination.