The vehicle worth M495,067.87 and motorbikes worth M666,666.67 were purchased by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning through Global Fund Coordinating Unit (GFCU) using Global Fund grants to fight HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria.

Speaking at the occasion on behalf of the Minister of Finance, Mr. Sekatle said the donation of vehicles and motorbikes are meant to assist this special unit, CGPU, with means of transport during investigations and follow-up of cases in order to improve service delivery in the police to ensure justice among vulnerable groups particularly children and women.

“I appeal to you to use the vehicles and motorbikes for the intended purposes of carrying-out office duties of delivering justice and create a safer environment for present and future generation,” added the Minister.

Accepting the vehicles and motorbike on behalf of CGPU and Lesotho Mounted Police Services, the Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr. Kizito Mhalkaza thanked the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and Global Fund Coordinating Unit in particular for assisting CGPU with means of transport saying it will help them to speed-up investigations to ensure justice delivery.

“I promise you that the unit will have no excuse to delay children’s cases and make them more vulnerable,” said Mhlakaza. He promised that the CGPU would work hand in hand with Child Help line phone-in reporting services to ensure all referrals from the Child Help-line-calls are attended to with urgency to ensure the safety of children.

The Child and Gender Protection Unit (CGPU) established in 2002 by Lesotho Mountain Police Services of the Ministry of Home Affairs to respond to the increasing cases of abuse, exploitation, neglect and violence against children and women.

With the help of Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), the CGPU unit has now trained police members throughout the country to educate community on child and gender rights as well as to deal with cases related to violence against children and women.

The GFCU Coordinator Mrs. Nkhala Sefako mentioned that the GFCU assisted Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) with resources to sensitize various sectors of society with human rights as well as children and women rights education.

During trainings of members of police, FIDA realized various challenges and gaps that this special police unit, CGPU, experienced in fulfilling their duties of protecting women and children rights whereby transport was among their major challenge. The Ministry of Finance through Global Fund Coordinating Unit finds that it is vital that this important unit is assisted with necessary resources to ensure effective delivery of services to vulnerable groups.

FIDA came up with recommendations to Global Fund Coordinating Unit and therefore the CGPU gaps and challenges were included during the Global Fund Round 7 proposal where today the unit is benefiting from Global Fund round 7 grants and the total budget allocated to assist CGPU is US$366,549.40

The fund is meant to purchase vehicles, motorbikes, camping sets and prefabs as well as to be used in child protection trainings. This project implementation started in July 2008 and so far vehicles and motorbikes are already purchased and handed over to the police while process is underway to purchase camping sets.

Meanwhile FIDA will conduct more gender and child protection trainings for senior members of the police services to be held in Maseru from April 16 -18, 2009 and refresher course for members of CGPU from April 23 -25, 2009.