Limpho Sello
PRIME Minister Moeketsi Majoro has called for concerted efforts to eliminate gender-based violence (GBV), saying a recent study by the Commonwealth organisation had found that violence against women and girls cost the country more than five percent of its gross domestic product (GDP).
Dr Majoro said this at the National Prayer against Gender Based Violence (GBV) event at ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre in Maseru this week.
The event was part of Lesotho’s commemorations of the 16 days against gender-based violence which started on 25 November 2020 and end today.
Speaking at the event, Dr Majoro made reference to the recent Commonwealth report which states that violence against women and girls costs Lesotho more than US$113 million (about M1.9 billion) a year.
The report, released in September 2020, estimates the total cost of GBV, including loss of income and expenses associated with medical, legal and police support, equates to around 5, 5 per cent of Lesotho’s GDP.
This, according to Dr Majoro, showed that GBV is a huge burden on state resources as the government incurred huge expenses in paying for the medical treatment of victims, counselling of both victims and perpetrators as well as the resultant court cases.
He said victims and their families also suffered as they also covered costs of treatment and in some instances funeral expenses where deaths occurred as a result of GBV.
“Because of GBV, Lesotho will fail to achieve its goals of attaining excellence if we fail to prevent GVB from its root causes,” Dr Majoro said.
“This means hunger and poverty as well as HIV and AIDS will not be eliminated and human rights will not be protected.”
He said cases of GBV increased due to the nationwide lockdown aimed at fighting the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic as most men were forced to stay at home with their partners.
“Due to Covid-19 there were lockdowns where we had to spend most of our time with our spouses and children. This put them in danger of abuse.
“That when we heard about increased cases of rape and killings of women and girls by males.
“To you my fellow men and boys of Lesotho, where is the protection of this country and its people that has been culturally entrusted to you. Why have you abandoned that responsibility? I appeal to you to take the responsibility of protecting the country and Basotho.
“My people, let us unite to rebuild a new peaceful and stable Lesotho.
“For any nation to prosper economically and in all other facets of life, there has to be a perfect climate of peace and stability riding on compassion and empathy. No country with this kind of sordid violence against its women, girls, elderly and children will survive,” he said.
On her part, Social Development Minister ‘Matebatso Doti said her ministry had also conducted a survey which found that 14 percent of girls are abused by their parents and relatives.
She said the percentage of boys who were abused was much lower at five percent.
She said the Covid-19 pandemic had worsened the abuse of young girls and many of them fell pregnant and were forced into dumping their new-born children as they could not afford to care for them.
“Every day, we discover dumped babies and our places of sanctuary are now full of such babies.
“Hardly a week passes by without a pregnant girl coming to tell us that she does not want her baby and wants to give up the baby for adoption after birth. When you ask, they tell you that they were raped by their fathers. We incur expenses of buying disposable nappies, baby feeds and it’s quite a challenge,” Mr Doti said.
Speaking at the same event, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) country representative, Marc Derveeuw, said women and girls had a right to life free from violence.
“Women and girls have a right to peace in the home, in public and online.
“Today, as we mark the International Day to End Violence against Women, it is a moment for everyone to pause and remember how far we have to go on this issue. A staggering one in three women and girls still experience violence at some point in their lives.
“We must do better. It is time to stand up and say enough to violence not just on one day, but 365 days a year. We must prevent violence. And until we end it, we must provide everything women and girls need to survive and recover, from physical and mental health care to legal aid and support for regaining livelihoods,” Dr Derveeuw said.
