The inaugural Lesotho Justice Needs Survey 2024 is set to take place from January 20 to February 10, this year, spanning all ten districts of the country.
This ground-breaking initiative is part of the Project for Reforms and Strengthening of Governance in Lesotho, a European Union (EU)-funded effort to promote the rule of law, good governance, human rights, and gender equality.
The project aims to enhance the efficiency and quality of justice service delivery, improve access to justice, especially for women, children, and marginalised groups, and increase accountability, transparency, and integrity within justice and governance institutions.
The survey will deploy 21 enumerators and seven supervisors, organised into seven teams, to conduct interviews with over 2,300 households, targeting diverse groups, including women, men, inmates, and vulnerable populations.
According to team leader, Chimwemwe Mangeni, vulnerable groups include persons with disabilities, the elderly, sex workers, orphans, prisoners, and victims of abuse.
The survey will assess people’s experiences with and access to justice, aiming to identify key challenges and needs.
Mangeni emphasised the use of international standards in conducting the survey.
He said: “This study ensures access to justice for everyone, including those in vulnerable situations. The findings will provide critical support to the government, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders in developing policies and laws to address identified issues.”
Palesa Mabea, senior statistician at the Bureau of Statistics (BoS) and project coordinator for the Justice Needs Survey, called on Basotho to welcome enumerators and cooperate with them, emphasising that the survey aims to improve Lesotho’s justice system and benefit the country as a whole.
Mabea highlighted that Lesotho is the first country to conduct a Justice Needs Survey, underscoring its significance in addressing the challenges faced by people in accessing justice.
“We will examine all aspects of justice, involving all stakeholders in dispute resolution, such as chiefs, community policing personnel, and families—not just the courts,” she explained.
She further noted that Lesotho’s justice system has faced numerous challenges, drawing international attention. This, she said, prompted the European Union to include the survey as part of its funded project for reforms and governance strengthening.
“The primary issue is the lack of data on our cases, how long they remain in court, the timelines for resolution, and how cases handled by the police are prosecuted or concluded. This study aims to gather opinions and experiences of the Basotho Nation in accessing justice,” Mabea said.
In December 2022, a Service Contract was awarded to International Consulting Expertise (ICE), a Brussels-based company, under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF).
The contract entailed establishing a Programme Coordination Unit (PCU) to oversee the project. The PCU includes two key technical assistants, a Team Leader and a Senior Governance Expert, along with support staff and a facility for 1,500 short-term expert assignments to support program implementation.
The project was officially launched in September 2023 by Deputy Prime Minister, Justice Nthomeng Majara, at Leshoboro Stadium in Mafeteng.
The survey and broader project aim to benefit a range of institutions, including: the judiciary, Master of the High Court, Attorney General, Legal Aid Unit, Director of Public Prosecutions, Lesotho Correctional Services, Probation Unit, and Law Faculty at the National University of Lesotho (NUL).
It will also benefit the Human Rights Unit, Office of Parliamentary Counsel, Law Reform Commission, Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offences (DCEO), Ombudsman, Auditor General, and National Assembly and Senate
This survey is expected to provide valuable insights and data to support reforms, enhance access to justice, and improve governance in Lesotho.
Ntsoaki Motaung is an award-winning health journalist from Lesotho, specializing in community health stories with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as HIV. She has contributed to platforms like “Be in the KNOW,” highlighting issues such as the exclusion of people with disabilities from HIV prevention efforts in Lesotho.
In addition to her journalism, Ntsoaki serves as the Country Coordinator for the Regional Media Action Plan Support Network (REMAPSEN). She is also a 2023 CPHIA Journalism Fellow.
