. . . as world marks 16 days of activism campaign
Moorosi Tsiane
THE European Union (EU) has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to ending gender-based violence (GBV) in Lesotho, announcing a three-year M168.5 million investment dedicated to civil society-led initiatives aimed at protecting women, children and other marginalised groups.
This was revealed by the EU Delegation to Lesotho’s Head of Cooperation, Anna Renieri, during a one-day dialogue with civil society organisations (CSOs) held this week at the Sesotho Media and Development (SM&D) premises in Maseru.
The event marked the launch of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.
The dialogue was designed to create a platform for engagement and ensure that civil society voices are meaningfully integrated into EU programming, policy dialogue, and cooperation frameworks.
It also marked the starting point of a deeper, more structured conversation on the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, while presenting the ongoing update of the Civil Society Roadmap and inviting CSOs to contribute their perspectives and experiences.
Addressing about 40 representatives from various CSOs, Ms Renieri underscored the pivotal role of civil society in shaping social progress, describing them as “central to driving change and facilitating service delivery, advocacy, governance, and community development throughout Lesotho”.
“As we gather here today, we acknowledge this period as a time to reflect, raise awareness, and galvanise actions towards ending gender-based violence and promoting gender parity — goals that we share with the Government of Lesotho, civil society, and all our partners,” she said.
Ms Renieri revealed that the EU has committed €8.45 million (M168.5 million) towards ongoing CSO-led initiatives set to run until 2027.
These interventions focus on strengthening youth organisations, improving accountability systems, enhancing human rights protection, and addressing GBV — particularly the protection of women and children.
“The European Union considers civil society a key partner, both globally and here in Lesotho. We have committed significant resources to supporting civil society-led initiatives, providing regular calls for projects to empower these organisations to enact positive change.”
As part of these interventions, Ms Renieri said four new grants totalling €2.87 million (M57 million) have been awarded to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Gender Links, SM&D and Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
The grants are aimed at strengthening national responses to GBV, bolstering advocacy, and improving community-level support mechanisms.
“These investments reinforce our dedication to gender equality, women’s economic empowerment, and climate justice, while also targeting access to clean water, sanitation and clean energy solutions — factors that are closely tied to the vulnerability of women and children.”
She further highlighted the crucial contributions of CSOs in the implementation of major EU bilateral programmes including ReNOKA, justice sector reforms, and the Youth Power Hub, which has already empowered more than 30 youth-focused grassroots organisations.
To promote political inclusion, especially among women and marginalised groups, she announced that the Inclusive Lesotho Programme will soon roll out small grants to support advocacy, civic awareness, and community mobilisation.
“These initiatives will challenge existing social norms, improve access to electoral processes, encourage political engagement, and secure representation for underrepresented groups.”
Ms Renieri also expressed deep concern over the high and persistent levels of sexual offences and domestic abuse in Lesotho.
“Sexual offences and crimes resulting from gender-based violence remain alarmingly persistent. We recognise the imperative to continuously address GBV, from prevention and prosecution to providing comprehensive support for survivors.”
The EU is further supporting justice institutions through the Support for the Reform and Strengthening of Governance in Lesotho programme, which places GBV at the centre of judicial strengthening efforts.
She emphasised that sustained civil society input remains vital in designing effective and responsive interventions.
“Your insights and experiences on the ground provide a critical perspective that helps us address challenges more effectively and adapt our approaches to better meet the needs of communities.”
Ms Renieri also reaffirmed the EU’s long-term partnership with Lesotho’s civil society.
“Your involvement and feedback are essential as we strive to implement targeted initiatives that foster equality, improve governance, and enhance community welfare.
“Let us continue working together, leveraging shared expertise and commitment to make a tangible impact on the lives of people across Lesotho.”
For her part, SM&D Executive Director, ’Mamolefe Petlane, welcomed the engagement, saying it represented an important step toward a more participatory partnership between the EU and CSOs.
“We were together as EU grantees to discuss how the EU can assist in implementing our projects. The idea is for us, as grantees from different sectors — water, energy, and gender — to voice the support we need from the Delegation. This comes after we requested capacity strengthening and support in different aspects of project implementation. So this is the first session we are having with them,” Ms Petlane said.
