Water For Justice

As the country denies the youth their rights.

Too many young people in Lesotho live and exist in the shadows; excluded from crucial national issues and decisions making forums and live beyond the protective environment of family and community and always at risk of exploitation and abuse. The 'invisibility' puts the youth beyond the reach of laws and is even forgotten in public dialogue, national activities and live in empty words. The rights of youth to a safe and healthy childhood are exceptionally seen difficult to protect and explores the causes of exclusion and the plight of youth - such as: neglect, discrimination and HIV/AIDS. Abuse, exploitation and child trafficking are destroying the rights of vast numbers of youth to enjoy a safe, healthy and dignified life.

Furthermore, the role of young people in this political confusion has been considerably negative. Ambiguous as their role may have been, they have been subject of misuse, exploitation and/or abuse by those in leadership, which ultimately obscured or clouded the ideal role of young people in the democratization process. Youth therefore have not been able to understand that they are the potential agents of the human rights discourse. This has been largely because of lack of knowledge on human rights specifically, and generally the responsibilities of the Government towards the fulfillment of these rights.

The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights states in article 3 that, everyone has the right to life, liberty and security and article 5 further notes that, no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) states that Children are entitled to the freedom to express opinions and to have a say in matters affecting their social, economic, religious, cultural and political life. Participation rights include the right to express opinions and be heard, the right to information and freedom of association. According the the convention children have rights to protection from all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and cruelty, including the right to special protection in times of war and protection from abuse in the criminal justice system . The government of Lesotho has also signed and ratified the African Charter Declaration on AIDS and the Child of Africa signed in Tunis (1992) which highlights the need for governments to protect youth against the effects of HIV/AIDS and the same government seems to forget its political as well as socio-economic responsibility towards the youth.

Therefore, TRC through the Human Rights office has engaged in a research which aims at the following objectives

• To establish if youth in Lesotho know what are human rights.

• To establish the attitude of the youth on issues of human rights.

• To establish if the youth in Lesotho know and understand the laws that protects them.

• To establish the kind of abuse and exploitation the youth are exposed to.

• To make recommendation on improving the rights of the youth and their participation in national decision making processes.

The research will be done around High Schools in Maseru, Berea, Mafikeng and Thaba-Tseka . The research will focus on the youth that are between the age of 13- 23 whom are assumed to be more vulnerable to exploitation and neglect

TRC will partner with the following institutions:

• National University of Lesotho

• Limkwokwing University

• Church- youth groups

• Secondary Schools

• Private Colleges

• Child- headed homes

• Youth organisations