A SAFER WORLD IS POSSIBLE: PATHWAYS TO PROSPERITY AND PEACE
SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH, SOCIAL UNITY AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN LESOTHO
BUILDING A THRIVING COUNTRY
Investing in the Kingdom of Lesotho presents a unique opportunity to address critical social inequalities that have historically marginalized women, children, youth, people with disabilities, migrants, herders and other vulnerable groups, ultimately hindering the progress of social unity and peacebuilding.
Consider the young Mosotho girl whose dreams have been stifled by traditional norms. Picture the boy with a disability, longing for a world that embraces his potential. Envision the adolescent, brimming with ideas, yearning for a platform to shape his or her future. And see the mothers and daughters, the pillars of their communities, ready to rise and lead.
By channelling resources and support into this nation, partners have the power to restore hope in its communities. It is an invitation to not just fund interventions but to nurture dreams. Through education, health care, inclusive policies and sustainable development, the tide can be turned. This is not only about economic returns; it is about sowing seeds of equality, fostering unity and nurturing peace.
The United Nations family, in partnership with the government and other stakeholders, is committed to finding a sustainable pathway to peace and prosperity in Lesotho.
ABOUT LESOTHO
Since independence, Lesotho, a landlocked country encircled by South Africa, has made significant strides in sustainable development, with expansions in education access and health-care improvements. Women have increasingly taken up prominent roles in government and other sectors, contributing to gender equality. However, multidimensional poverty remains pervasive, with unemployment affecting approximately 38 per cent of the population and rural areas being home to 75 per cent of the people, where women and youth are especially vulnerable.
With high income inequality and nearly 50 per cent1 of the population living below the national poverty line, Lesotho is the poorest and most unequal member of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). Reliant on agriculture, the economy faces challenges from low productivity, frequent climatic disruptions like droughts and floods, declining SACU revenues and increasing food and fuel prices, compounded by a significant HIV and AIDS burden.
Despite its natural resource revenue from water and diamonds, Lesotho’s lack of industrialization stifles job creation and exacerbates socioeconomic tensions, thereby eroding macroeconomic stability. Now, more than ever, Lesotho needs smart investment that can catalyse sustainable growth, bridge income and asset inequalities, and unleash the latent productive potential of the country’s resilient population.
LESOTHO: KEY COUNTRY STATS
WOMEN AND YOUTH
Navigating life as a young person or woman in Lesotho presents significant challenges. The country’s widespread poverty underscores the severe economic hardships confronting these groups. Unemployment rates remain high, with youth unemployment being acute, at 44 per cent.14 These issues underline the need for interventions aimed at job creation and poverty alleviation.
Gender disparities are also prominent in education, while health disparities are stark, with women disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS. Economically, women are also underrepresented in the labour force, often relegated to informal sector roles that offer limited social protection and benefits.
The youth of Lesotho face unique challenges that affect their education and economic prospects. Despite high enrolment rates in schools, the quality of education and limited support for youth entrepreneurship contribute to a workforce that often lacks essential job skills and faces significant obstacles in accessing financial resources, mentorship opportunities and markets.
Cultural and social issues further compound these economic and gender disparities. High levels of genderbased violence marginalize women and girls, while traditional practices, including early marriages and rigid gender roles, restrict their progress and opportunities. Violence also makes women and girls more vulnerable to HIV.
Under-five mortality: 72.2/1,000 live births10 or 1 in 14 children dies before the age of 5
Child stunting: 32%11
Education:
Adult HIV prevalence (aged 15–49 years)12
Adult women: 23.5% vs adult men: 13.4%
Primary net attendance rate: 97%
Lower secondary net attendance rate: 55%
Upper secondary net attendance rate: 22%
Sexual violence among young people (aged 18–24 years):13
Young women: 1 in 7 (14.5%) 18.5%
Young men: 1 in 20 (5%)
FOOD SECURITY
Lesotho is no stranger to hardship, but the combined weight of import dependence and extreme weather, exacerbated by climate change, has escalated food insecurity and malnutrition.
The frequent droughts, particularly severe in recent years, have led to agricultural decline, resource conflicts among communities and government-declared drought emergencies in 2019 and 2024. Around 293,000 people in rural Lesotho – 19 per cent of the population – will face severe food insecurity, classified as Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Phase 3 (crisis) or worse, from May to September 2024.15 This is largely due to El Niño, which negatively impacts agricultural production, leading to food shortages and price volatility.
Food insecurity disproportionately affects vulnerable groups such as children, women, people living with HIV and AIDS and those in rural areas. In addition, malnutrition is critical, with over a third of children under 5 stunted and failing to thrive. There is also concern about the rising levels of childhood obesity in urban areas, fuelled by poor dietary habits and limited access to nutritious food.
HIV AND AIDS
With an HIV prevalence rate of 18.5 per cent, Lesotho has the second-highest rate worldwide. Forty-eight per cent of new infections are among the young population.16 AIDS-related deaths remain the highest cause of mortality in adults in Lesotho.
Though strides have been made with antiretroviral treatments, increasing coverage from 53.5 per cent of children and adolescents living with HIV in 2018 to 81 per cent by 2023, this progress is still below the 90 per cent target set by international goals and lags behind the treatment levels achieved for adults of above 90 per cent.17
Adding to the country’s challenges is the pervasive issue of gender-based violence. More than 86 per cent of Basotho women and girls have experienced gender-based violence at one point or another in their lives.18
While there have been efforts to develop gender-responsive policies and enact non-discriminatory laws, implementation remains weak and enforcement even weaker. Deep-seated gender inequities manifest in issues of land ownership and inheritance, leaving many women economically dependent on men for survival and sustenance.
GOVERNMENT VISION
Lesotho’s National Strategic Development Plan II (2023/24–2027/28) focuses on four key priority areas to boost and diversify the economy, considering cross-cutting issues like climate change and youth, and emerging sectors such as digital technology and renewable energy.
1. Growth progression prioritises inclusive and sustainable development by transitioning the economy from consumption to production and exports, with key areas that include agriculture, market development, wool and mohair maximization, urbanization, industrialization, mineral asset mapping and enhanced financial inclusion through improved credit systems and a development bank.
2. Social transformation aims to optimize societal benefits by developing human capital, emphasizing health care, social security, job creation and support for vulnerable populations through comprehensive health and social infrastructure initiatives.
3. Infrastructure development is crucial for economic growth, focusing on energy self-sufficiency, strengthening of information and communication technology, urbanization and industrialization through extensive physical infrastructure development.
4. Good governance involves enhancing governance institutions for effective policy implementation, ensuring transparency and accountability, integrating gender equality and climate resilience and employing robust monitoring systems for responsive governance.
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Lesotho offers stakeholders key investment opportunities that can drive development, prosperity and sustainable peace across several strategic sectors.
An urgent and comprehensive response to the El Niño crisis in Lesotho should provide critical food, water and nutrition to vulnerable populations; protect children and women from abuse and exploitation; support the recovery of rural agricultural systems to enhance resilience against future climate shocks; and ensure education continuity.
INVESTMENT FOCUS AREAS: Emergency food distribution, especially in highly affected rural areas, prioritizing vulnerable children, pregnant women and the elderly; targeted nutrition programmes to prevent severe malnutrition among children under 5 and pregnant or breastfeeding mothers; emergency water trucking in severely drought-affected regions; rehabilitation of existing water points and promotion of basic water conservation practices; community-based child protection mechanisms; gender-based violence prevention and response services; mental health and psychosocial support; livelihood recovery and agricultural support; and school feeding programmes so that hunger does not interrupt children’s education.
Nutrition improvements reduce stunting, malnutrition and childhood obesity risks, supporting cognitive and physical development, lifelong healthy eating habits, community resilience and food security.
INVESTMENT FOCUS AREAS: Expand community-based nutrition programmes to promote breastfeeding, improve infant and young children feeding practices and provide essential micronutrients, while also conducting campaigns to encourage nutritious diets; launch school and community programmes to encourage healthy eating and lower obesity risks; and invest in climate-smart agriculture to ensure food security.
Strategic investments in HIV prevention, education and youth empowerment are critical for protecting the health of the next generation.
INVESTMENT FOCUS AREAS: Comprehensive sexuality education to improve adolescents’ and young people’s access to information about prevention and treatment; youth-led advocacy and support programmes to reduce stigma and encourage HIV testing and treatment; and strengthen youth-friendly health services.
Investment in early childhood development (ECD) and learning lays the foundation for lifelong success in education, health and economic productivity, supporting Lesotho’s longterm socioeconomic transformation.
INVESTMENT FOCUS AREAS: Expanding access to quality early childhood development programmes for vulnerable children, including those with disabilities, in rural and underserved areas; training ECD caregivers; and offering parenting programmes to ensure better support for children’s early learning and development at home.
Addressing gender-based violence is vital for achieving gender equality and empowering society. It requires a comprehensive, inclusive approach that targets prevention, support and accountability for all, as well as engaging men and boys as allies.
INVESTMENT FOCUS AREAS: Community-based campaigns aimed at transforming harmful gender norms and promoting gender equality; survivor support services; and programmes that empower men and boys to tackle gender-based violence while also addressing the ways in which restrictive gender roles affect their own health and well-being.
Investments are needed in child protection to safeguard children from violence, exploitation and abuse, ensuring inclusive and accessible protection systems, especially for girls and children with disabilities, while promoting positive social norms and building stronger, resilient communities.
INVESTMENT FOCUS AREAS: Helping enforce child protection laws and develop better reporting mechanisms for cases of abuse, neglect and exploitation; establishing child-friendly spaces and empowering local child protection committees to take an active role in violence prevention; and expanding access to mental health and psychosocial support services for children affected by violence.
Civil registration and vital statistics systems (CRVS) are crucial for ensuring that every child, especially in remote or disadvantaged communities, is registered at birth and can access essential services like education, health care and social protection.
INVESTMENT FOCUS AREAS: Improving birth registration systems to ensure universal registration; linking CRVS to social services to provide registered children with access to essential services; and ensuring that CRVS collect detailed data on gender, disability and geographic location to optimize service delivery and target interventions more precisely.
Better development data and innovation help create stronger policies and services in health, education and social services, while also improving government efficiency and resilience and accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
INVESTMENT FOCUS AREAS: Supporting the United Nations’ Development Data Programme by enhancing and harmonizing existing data systems across government ministries for better integration; training government officials and statisticians in innovative data collection methods, like mobile-phonebased surveys, to improve data reliability and access; and developing frameworks to use administrative data for real-time monitoring of key indicators in health, education and social protection.
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP
Lesotho has been a United Nations member since its independence in 1966, fostering a strong partnership through the Resident Coordinator and a network of eight resident and non-resident United Nations agencies. Under the recently launched Lesotho–United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2024–2028, the United Nations aims to address Lesotho’s most pressing challenges through three strategic pillars: enhancing inclusive governance, improving food and nutrition security and increasing access to social services and employment opportunities.
The Framework’s strategic pillars contribute to Lesotho’s National Strategic Development Plan II (2023/24–2027/28) and are aligned with global agendas, such as the SDGs, the Doha Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries and the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Countries, reinforcing Lesotho’s commitment to global development goals.
JOINT PROGRAMMES
The United Nations in Lesotho has rolled out several joint programmes with the government, designed to address diverse socioeconomic challenges and foster sustainable development and peace.
Through the 2gether4SRHR Programme, Lesotho has advanced integrated sexual and reproductive health and rights and HIV and gender-based violence services, and developed crucial strategic documents like the National HIV Policy (2019) and the National HIV Operational Plan (2020–2023).
The Joint Programme on Improved Governance for Optimized Public Service Delivery in Lesotho (2023–2027) works to enhance governance and public service delivery through better leadership, efficient resource use, e-governance, accountability and comprehensive reforms.
The Joint Programme on HIV is dedicated to supporting individuals living with, at risk of and affected by HIV by ensuring their equitable access to comprehensive prevention, treatment, care and support services.
The Joint Programme on Gender-Based Violence aims to ensure that women and girls live free from violence by addressing legal and policy issues, harmful social norms and women’s economic empowerment, and by providing support centres for survivors.
To aid economic and financial management in achieving the SDGs, the Joint Programme on Economic and Financial Management Integration for the Achievement of SDGs supports the government in developing and sustaining an integrated planning and financial system conducive to sustainable development.
The Sebabatso Initiative addresses economic challenges faced by young entrepreneurs in Lesotho by fostering the growth of innovative, youth-driven enterprises; creating a national platform for youth entrepreneurs; empowering young innovators in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics to develop community-focused solutions; and facilitating investment opportunities for their innovations.
Looking ahead, several joint programmes are in the pipeline:
• The Joint Programme on Youth will focus on youth economic empowerment, employment opportunities and civic participation, aiming to enhance young people’s role in the economic and civic spheres.
• The Joint Programme on Development Data and Innovations will assist the government in strengthening national statistics through innovative methods and leveraging administrative data systems from various government ministries.
• 2gether4HIM will work to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights services for men and boys, aiming to enhance sexual health outcomes for this demographic.
• The Joint Programme on Equitable Food Systems will address food productivity, nutrition, natural resources management and climate action, with the goal of enhancing food security, improving nutritional outcomes, sustainably managing natural resources and mitigating climate change impacts.
FINANCIAL NEEDS
ENDNOTES
1. World Bank, “Poverty and Equity Brief, Lesotho” (April 2021). Available at https://databankfiles.worldbank. org/public/ddpext_download/poverty/987B9C90CB9F-4D93-AE8C-750588BF00QA/AM2020/Global_ POVEQ_LSO.pdf.
2. World Bank Data (2023). Available at https://data. worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=LS.
3. World Bank, “Poverty and Equity Brief, Lesotho” (April 2021).
4. World Bank, “Lesotho” (2021). Available at https:// pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/360011492188162534/ mpo-lso.pdf.
5. United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 2023/24, Breaking the Gridlock: Reimaging Cooperation in a Polarized World (2024).
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. World Bank, “Lesotho” (2021).
9. United Nations Country Team Lesotho, “2022 UN Priorities Briefing Note” (2022).
10. UNICEF Data, “Lesotho”. Available at https://data. unicef.org/country/lso/.
11. Ibid.
12. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (2023). Available at https://www.unaids.org/en/ regionscountries/countries/lesotho.
13. Ministry of Social Development, Lesotho Violence Against Children and Youth Survey 2018 (August 2020).
14. Ibid.
15. Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Analysis Portal, “Lesotho: Acute Food Insecurity Situation for May–September 2024 and Projection for October–March 2025” (2024). Available at https:// www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/ en/c/1157117/?iso3=LSO.
16. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Country Spectrum HIV Estimates (2024).
17. United Nations Lesotho, data from unpublished concept note, “Ntoa ea Lipitsana – When Women Take Action a Safer World is Possible”.
18. United Nations, “Ending Gender-Based Violence in Lesotho and Beyond” (20 October 2023).
Photographs: Page 1: (1) and (3) © WFP/Peyvand Khorsandi, (2) © FAO/Reitumetse Russell; Page 7: (1) © UNFPA/Violet Maraisane, (2) © FAO/Reitumetse Russell