Relebohile Makhetha and Ntsoaki Motaung
A dire warning has been issued regarding the escalating crisis of child abuse in Lesotho, with a senior government official describing it as a “pandemic”.
This alarming declaration was made during a critical gathering of government ministries, NGOs, and civil society groups on Tuesday this week, convened to address the disturbing surge in child rights violations.
The meeting underscored the urgent need for collective action, a sentiment echoed by a recent statement from the Network of Early Childhood Development of Lesotho (NECDOL) and analysis from a gender and policy expert.
Thae Makhele, Deputy Principal Secretary (DPS) in the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development, delivered a stark address, immediately highlighting the gravity of the situation.
“We are gathered here today because of the alarming and escalating reports of children who are being violated in different ways,” he stated, setting a sombre tone for the proceedings.
Makhele emphasised the dedicated efforts of the National OVC Coordinating Committee (NOCC) in protecting children’s rights, grounding their work in international conventions such as the UN Convention on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1989) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1990).
He stressed that Lesotho had not only ratified these treaties but had also domesticated them through the Children’s Protection and Welfare Act of 2011, establishing a legal framework to guide their crucial work.
Makhele declared: “Violence against children has become a pandemic in our society. Children are being violated within the very spaces they should feel safest, within families, in schools, in communities, and everywhere. The abusers are often those closest to them, parents, guardians, relatives, peers, neighbours, and even strangers.”
He acknowledged the media’s role in bringing these horrific incidents to light, but also issued a heartfelt plea.
“While reporting, we humbly ask that you protect the dignity of a child.” Makhele then revealed chilling statistics from a 2020 survey on Violence against Children, indicating that abuse in Lesotho primarily manifested in physical, sexual, and emotional forms.
“We are all witnesses to the fact that lately, we hardly go through a single day without a report of a child being abused or violated in one way or another.”
He lamented the countless unreported cases, with children suffering in silence.
Makhele described this trend as “deeply disturbing”, particularly for a nation once known for peace and harmony. He made an impassioned appeal to all members of the community to cease child abuse in all its forms, stressing its devastating impact on children’s emotional, mental, and physical development.
“As NOCC, we are here to categorically solicit your support in fighting this monster, aiming to cloud and completely take away the future of our beloved children,” he urged.
“Children are the future of every country, hence, they have to be protected both by the government and society at large,” he said.
He concluded with a powerful call to action, saying: “Let us hold hands in fighting child abuse, raise awareness and condemn acts of child rights violation. It is ENOUGH! Parents, guardians, caregivers, and everyone else, stop child abuse in all its forms.”
Makhele provided crucial resources for reporting abuse, urging everyone to use the Child Helpline Toll-free number: 116, and the Police Toll Free Number (NThuseng): 112.
Adding to the growing chorus of concern, the Network of Early Childhood Development of Lesotho (NECDOL) released a media statement earlier this month, 2025, expressing “deep concern over the escalating violence against children.”
This statement followed recent horrific reports, including the rape of a two-year-old at a day-care and the death of a five-year-old due to teacher negligence, alongside previous cases of rape, murder, and abuse of children under the age of eight.
NECDOL urged authorities to act swiftly to ensure justice and appealed to the community to prioritise the safety and care of young children.
They emphasised that schools and communities, meant to be safe spaces for children’s development, should not become sources of fear.
Echoing the Sesotho proverb, “Ngoana ke oa motse kaofela” (A child belongs to the whole village), NECDOL stressed the collective obligation to ensure children’s safety and protection, stating that “the future of our children depends on the immediate and decisive actions of all of us.”
Evans Munga, a Gender and Policy Expert at Equality Now, provided critical insights into the pervasive issue of sexual violence against children in Africa.
Munga identified several key drivers, including weak legal enforcement, where existing laws are poorly implemented.
He further explained that social stigma and victim-blaming often discourage reporting and shield perpetrators. Cultural taboos surrounding sexuality, particularly involving children, suppress open dialogue.
Patriarchal norms and gender inequality, which disempower girls and normalise male dominance, also contribute significantly. Limited access to education reduces awareness of rights, and poverty increases children’s vulnerability to exploitation and transactional abuse.
Munga stated that these factors, common across many African countries, create an enabling environment for impunity and silence.
Munga highlighted the devastating, lifelong trauma experienced by child survivors of rape, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, social isolation, stigma, and economic hardship due to disrupted education and poor mental health, perpetuating cycles of poverty and vulnerability.
He pointed to effective legal and policy frameworks in other African nations, such as South Africa’s Sexual Offences Act, Kenya’s Children Act (2022), and Nigeria’s Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act.
These successes, he noted, are due to “clear definitions of offenses, survivor-centered procedures, mandatory reporting, specialised courts, and strong enforcement mechanisms backed by political will and multisectoral collaboration.”
Munga also underscored the vital role of international organiSations and NGOs in funding programs, building local capacity, advocating for policy change, and facilitating regional cooperation. He emphasised that early intervention is crucial, as trauma during early childhood can severely disrupt development, and timely support fosters healing, resilience, and long-term recovery.
The grim reality of the escalating crisis is further underscored by recent statistics Newsday gathered from Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) Facebook page between January and April 2025.
According to the statistics gathered, a total of 91 rape cases were brought before Lesotho’s courts, a staggering figure that highlights a worsening crisis of sexual violence across the country.
Even more harrowing is the fact that 34 out of the 91 cases involved children aged between 3 and 18 years.
The youngest victim was just 3 years old, and the oldest was an 87-year-old woman, illustrating the indiscriminate nature of this pervasive violence.
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