The theme of the
launch was “our country cares: we are a caring
and a responsible nation” which reveals the
Country’s awareness of various problems facing
children of our time especially OVC and
establish structures and systems to address
children’s challenges.
Speaking at the same occasion, the Minister of
Health and Social Welfare Dr. Mphu Ramatlapeng
said her Ministry will have to change Social
Welfare policy in order to transform the
Department of Social Welfare to be a Social
Development unit to be able to execute this law
effectively.
Dr. Ramatlapeng said efforts to transform the
Ministry have started with deployment of
specific Principal Secretary of Social Welfare
Mrs. Selloane Qhobela to spearhead the process.
She thanked UNICEF Lesotho for taking the
leading role in supporting the success of the
enactment of this Act and all donors and
stakeholders who directly or indirectly
contributed to this historical achievement.
The Minister of Justice and Human Rights Mrs.
Mpeo Mahase – Moiloa said this Act took long
time because it is different and unique from
other Acts as it only focuses on children while
other laws are more focused on adults.
“This Act borrowed from international laws such
as UN Convention on the rights of the child and
other international and local laws but also
taking into consideration Basotho culture and
identity,” she added.
The former Act of 1980 was out dated and had
loop holes where other children’s problems of
our time were not addressed in the former law.
She added that the country has learnt so much
during the formulation of the new law.
“Our role now is to ensure the community at
large is all aware of the new law,” she said.
Other people claim that this law gives children
too much rights that are harmful for their
wellbeing but she assured all that this law will
not temper with guardians who do not abuse
children and only focus to criminals that offend
children’s rights through rape, property
grabbing, child neglect, denies children right
to education and others types of child abuse.
Minister Mahase-Moiloa mentioned that the
objective of this law is to offer full
protection to children with more focus on the
principle of the best interest of the child’.
This principle, she said, talks to all guardians
on whatever decision they make on their children
should be on the best interest of the child.
She said the law also gives children’s rights to
speak for themselves on decisions that
involvethem. This Act is not only focusing on
rights alone but also responsibilities of the
child i.e if the child is afforded right to
education, it means he/she has to study hard and
pass her exams etc.
The Act is however ambitious piece of
legislation that is too costly to implement as
it recommends establishment of different new
structures to protect the welfare of children
such as formation of children’s court to ensure
child friendly court processes and introduce
diversion and restorative justice to ensure
minors are not imprisoned but serve their
sentences out of jail.
The law provides regulations for adoption and
fostering of children, administration of the
property of children by office of the Master of
the High Court office, protect children from
abduction and trafficking, provide protection
for child in need of care and protection, and
responsibilities of the guardian and state to
ensure child protection throughout the country.
The launching was attended by Cabinet Ministers,
representatives from United Nations (UN) family,
senior government officials, Lesotho Mounted
Police Services (LMPS), civil society, children
from Juvenile Training Centre (JTC), children’s
home and other stakeholder who have stake in
child protection issues.
