The European Union (EU) has expressed deep concern over the high prevalence of gender-based and domestic violence in Lesotho.

To this end, the organisation has given€8.45million (about M168.5million) to youth grassroots organisations, promoting social accountability, protecting human rights (with special emphasis on women and children), and combating gender-based violence (GBV).

According to Lesotho’s Country Profiles produced by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an estimated 40 percent of women aged 15–49 in Lesotho have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a current or former partner at least once in their lifetime, while 14 percent of women over 15 have faced similar violence.

EU Ambassador to Lesotho, Mette Sunnergren,said sexual offences and crimes rooted in gender-based violence remain alarmingly widespread.

She told a media briefing on EU support to civil society organisations (CSOs) this week that as part of 16 days of Activism against GBV, it was imperative to continuously address the scourge. 

“Ending GBV and promoting gender equality is a shared priority for the government of Lesotho, civil society, and international partners,” she pointed, adding that the EU welcomes all initiatives that strengthen sector coordination.

The EU remains committed to supporting institutions and communities in the fight against GBV and considers civil society to be a key partner, both on a global scale and in Lesotho.

Sunnergren indicated that they were supporting justice institutions like the judiciary, the Director Public Prosecutions, and the Legal Aid Unit through initiatives such as the ‘Support for the Reform and Strengthening of Governance in Lesotho’ project, which equip them to adequately handle GBV cases.

The EU was also backing community-level efforts through the work of civil society organisations.

Lerato Khutlang, Associate Legal Advisor at Reform for Inclusion, Support and Empowerment (RISE), said they were running a two-year programme aimed at strengthening legal protections, expanding access to justice and promoting economic empowerment for women and girls.

Khutlang cited that the Matrix 2025 VIEWS Reporthighlights that 90 percent of LGBTQI+ individualshave reported experiences of GBV.

She said RISE will train civil society representatives and human rights defenders in strategic litigation, documentation of GBV cases, evidence-gathering, and the use of Lesotho’s national GBV referral pathway.

On his part, Motlatsi Mofolo, Interim Country Director of Gender Links, said the organisation’s latest project aims to promote gender justice in Lesotho through local-level action to end GBV and empower women.

Mofolo said Gender Links will update its GBV Indicators Study to deepen understanding of the causes, extent, effects, costs, responses, and prevention mechanisms, as well as support services for survivors all to reinvigorate the national campaign to end GBV.

He added that the project will strengthen local action plans to end GBV and promote gender equality.

“Our target outputs include 30 GBV action plans for ending violence and empowering women in 30 community councils.

“We also aim to train 300 survivors of GBV as entrepreneurs capable of starting their own businesses to achieve economic independence, and to increase awareness and economic empowerment of women to ensure equal access to financial resources,” he added.

The project will also include a countrywide GBV study, campaigns, and community dialogues aimed at transforming harmful gender norms and practices. It will further strengthen community councils’ GBV action plans and train survivors through the Sunrise Campaign in entrepreneurship, life skills, and economic support initiatives.

Sesotho Media and Development (SM&D) Director, Mamolefe Petlane, said they had partnered with EU on a national initiative that merges legal empowerment with community-driven normal change.