Moroke Sekoboto
THE Senate has passed the Children’s Protection and Welfare (Amendment) Bill, 2023, paving the way for stronger protection of children’s rights and welfare in Lesotho.
The bill was approved yesterday after being presented by the Minister of Gender, Youth and Social Development, Pitso Lesaoana, and debated by senators.
Mr Lesaoana said the amendments were necessary to update laws that no longer adequately addressed current challenges affecting children.
Among the key changes are provisions banning harmful practices such as child marriage, child labour and discrimination against children born out of wedlock.
The bill also aligns Lesotho’s laws with international agreements, including the 1993 Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoption, and introduces measures aimed at eliminating child marriage. It further provides for the granting of nationality to children born in Lesotho who would otherwise be stateless for any other reasons.
Mr Lesaoana said the bill strengthened oversight of adoptions by allowing authorities to monitor the welfare of adopted children and reverse adoptions where children are found to be living in unsafe conditions.
He said the legislation also placed greater responsibility on parents and guardians by clearly defining the standard of care required to ensure children’s safety and development.
The bill introduces licensing and regulation of adoption agencies and places of safety, while also providing for regular monitoring of residential care facilities.
“This Bill will empower the government to follow up on children post-adoption and, in cases where a child is found in unsafe conditions, the adoption can be legally reversed,” Mr Lesaoana said.
“The Children’s Protection and Welfare (Amendment) Bill, 2023 directly places severe legal accountability onto parents and legal guardians. The legislation explicitly outlines the baseline standard of care necessary for the survival, protection, and complete social development of minors,” Mr Lesaoana said.
“The bill completely restructures state-level support systems to prioritize the principle of family preservation. It introduces formal, transparent regulation and licensing mechanisms for adoption agencies and specialized places of safety,” he said.
Speaking during the debate, Principal Chief of Matsieng, Seeiso Bereng Seeiso, welcomed the bill, saying children needed greater protection and support.
“We have to give children a fighting chance to succeed regardless of their background or disability,” Chief Seeiso said.
He said chiefs, district administrators and other stakeholders should work together to ensure the law is properly enforced.
Legislation Committee chairperson, Seabata Motsamai, said the committee had spent a long time working on the bill and stressed the importance of ensuring proper implementation once it becomes law.
Although the Senate passed the bill, some clauses will be corrected before it is gazetted.
Once enacted, the legislation is expected to strengthen child protection measures and improve the welfare of children across the country.
