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Home| Library | Democracy & Human Rights | Info & Comm | Lesotho Democracy Programme | Water LDP Women Empowerment Workshop.Lesotho Democracy Programme held a two day workshop (29th-30th April 2008) for women from various sectors such as Parliament both Senate and National Assembly, women in political parties, women in churches, CBOs such support group and counselling groups, NGOs, media representatives journalist, presenters and researchers, Gender Ministry and Public Service and National University of Lesotho. The workshop was meant to constitute a forum where marginalised groups including women are brought in the mainstream of democracy in Lesotho. The emphasis was on how women can be capacitated in participating in political leadership and decision making positions. Expectation after the workshop was women would have been furnished with necessary skills, motivation, sufficient training, family and society support and self confidence to tackle issues of leadership in political arenas and decision making positions. Topics discussed were the following:
It was learned that in Lesotho women constitute a significant proportion of the population as well as the electorate. However, Basotho are patriarchal society hence the recognised and accepted male dominance of ownership and control which in turn operates and maintains a system of gender discrimination. The system believes in male superiority and deliberate effort is made by society to get everybody to accept men make decisions for the benefit of all and all facets of life including social, political and legal matters. Further, the patriarchal system states that power relations between men and women are underlined by the socio-cultural and institutionalised legal norms that place of women in the position of perpetual minors. Women in Lesotho were accepted in politics and allowed to vote in the 1960s. Since then there has been slow progress which was apparent in 1998 and 2002 elections where women occupied small numbers in parliament despite women higher education attainment and declarations signed by Lesotho to enhance women participation in parliament and decision making position. Changing political situation in Lesotho remains a challenge, which if ever overcome, it will bring a tremendous transformation in the power relations between women and men in the country. However, women have always been powerful in rural development projects and capacitated and empowered to success in politics, and should transfer their leadership skills to high national positions. The 58% of women in Local government is an achievement and a starting point of women empowerment in Lesotho. Nonetheless, gender stereotype that politics is the domain of women still persists and discourages women from taking an active role in this arena. Other reasons inhibiting women’s participation in politics include:
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