Her Majesty Leads the Call to Advance Child Protection in Lesotho
UNICEF Lesotho
UNICEF saves children’s lives, defends their rights, and helps them fulfil their potential. We never give up 🌍.
Lesotho is advancing child protection for its most vulnerable citizens — its children. Today, Her Majesty Queen 'Masenate Seeiso led the Engagement with Chieftainesses on Violence Against Children (VAC) under the theme: Empowering families, strengthening the nation.
This landmark initiative, supported by UNICEF, World Vision Lesotho , and the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development, places leaders at the centre of the fight to end VAC; recognizing that trusted voices in communities can influence change, shift harmful norms, and protect children from violence.
As part of strengthening local leadership for child protection, the engagement prioritizes:
Across Lesotho, children face alarming levels of abuse: more than half of boys and nearly one in three girls experience physical violence. Girls who suffer sexual abuse are particularly vulnerable; only 11% seek services, and just 8% receive support. The consequences of violence are profound, leading to school dropout, mental health challenges, substance abuse, and even gangsterism among young people. These risks are compounded by poverty, HIV, and the impacts of climate change, which increase children’s vulnerability to abuse, exploitation, and harmful cultural practices.
Her Majesty emphasized the pivotal role of leadership in safeguarding children:
"Community leaders have always been at the heart of conflict resolution in Lesotho. Today, I urge us to join forces in ensuring that children — our most vulnerable — are nurtured, protected, and given every opportunity to thrive."
She reminded the leaders that caring for all children has long been a shared responsibility, noting that “it takes a village to raise a child.” Her Majesty urged leaders to act intentionally in protecting children from harmful practices, early marriage, exclusion from education, and neglect.
Reinforcing this leadership, Hon. Pitso Lesaoana, Minister of Gender, Youth and Social Development, highlighted the government’s concrete support for children:
"It is the responsibility of my Ministry to ensure the protection of children. Through child grants, bursaries, disability support, and the child helpline, we are working to make sure no child is left behind. By empowering chieftainesses and community leaders through this engagement, we strengthen the frontline of child protection across all districts.
Building on the government’s commitment, partners emphasized that advancing child protection requires urgent, coordinated action across sectors, with leaders and communities playing a central role in driving change.
UNICEF Lesotho Representative, Deepak Bhaskaran , emphasized that violence against children is unacceptable, noting that ending it is a shared responsibility.
“Ending this crisis is not optional. It is an ethical obligation, a legal responsibility, a public health necessity, and a moral duty.”
Bhaskaran emphasized that turning these words into action requires stronger systems and commitments at every level. This includes creating enabling policies, such as fast-tracking amendments to the Child Protection Welfare Act and adopting the Computer Crimes and Cyber Security Bill 2022 to protect children from online sexual exploitation and abuse. He also called for leveraging the influence of Parliamentarians, Chiefs, and other community leaders to shift harmful norms and practices.
Every child has the right to grow up safe, loved, and free from fear. Protecting children is not only about safeguarding their rights — it is about securing the future of Lesotho. With Her Majesty’s leadership, the Ministry of Social Development’s active role, and the support of UNICEF and World Vision, this initiative marks a decisive step forward in advancing child protection — where leaders stand at the forefront of change, children’s voices are heard, their safety prioritized, and their futures protected.