A recent United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report, State of World Population 2025, themed “The Real Fertility Crisis”, highlights both the progress and persistent challenges facing Lesotho in the areas of maternal health and sexual and reproductive health (SRH).
While the country has made commendable strides, particularly in the rate of skilled birth attendance, critical gaps remain, especially in reducing maternal mortality and expanding access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education.
Lesotho continues to face a high Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), recorded at 478 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023. The uncertainty range suggests this figure could be as high as 725 or as low as 298, underlining the urgent need to strengthen maternal health services and address systemic healthcare gaps.
On a positive note, 89 percent of births in Lesotho are attended by skilled health personnel, indicating that most pregnant individuals are receiving professional care during delivery, a key factor in reducing risks to both mother and child. The challenge now lies in improving the quality of care and tackling the underlying causes of maternal deaths.
In the domain of sexual and reproductive health, Lesotho reported 3.00 new HIV infections per 1,000 uninfected people in 2023. While this reflects a continued struggle with the epidemic, it also reinforces the need for sustained investment in prevention, education, and treatment programs.
In terms of family planning, the contraceptive prevalence rate among women aged 15–49 stands at 50 percent for any method and 67 percent for modern methods. Although this reflects reasonable uptake, there remains an unmet need for family planning, nine percent for all women and 13 percent for married or in-union women.
Encouragingly, 83 percent of demand is satisfied by modern contraceptive methods.
Lesotho’s Universal Health Coverage (UHC) service coverage index is currently at 53 percent, signaling room for improvement in making essential health services more widely available and affordable.
According to the report, which includes data from 2001 to 2024, Lesotho’s adolescent birth rate is 53 births per 1,000 girls aged 15–19. However, progress has been made in reducing child marriage: the proportion of girls married before age 18 has declined to 13.4 percent in 2024, down from 20.7 percent in 2004 and 24.2 percent in 1999.
Nonetheless, intimate partner violence remains a significant concern. As of 2018, 16.5 percent of women aged 15–49 reported experiencing physical and/or sexual violence from a current or former intimate partner within the previous 12 months.
The report paints a complex picture of progress and persistent inequality. While advances have been made, urgent and sustained efforts are required to improve maternal outcomes, reduce HIV infections, expand reproductive health services, and combat gender-based violence in Lesotho.
Summary
- A recent United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report, State of World Population 2025, themed “The Real Fertility Crisis”, highlights both the progress and persistent challenges facing Lesotho in the areas of maternal health and sexual and reproductive health (SRH).
- While the country has made commendable strides, particularly in the rate of skilled birth attendance, critical gaps remain, especially in reducing maternal mortality and expanding access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health education.
- On a positive note, 89 percent of births in Lesotho are attended by skilled health personnel, indicating that most pregnant individuals are receiving professional care during delivery, a key factor in reducing risks to both mother and child.
Welcome to Newsday Media – Your Trusted Source for News and Insights in Lesotho!
At Newsday Media, we are passionate about delivering accurate, timely, and engaging news and multimedia content to our diverse audience. Founded with the vision of revolutionizing the media landscape in Lesotho, we have grown into a leading hybrid media company that blends traditional journalism with innovative digital platforms.
Our mission is simple: to inform, inspire, and empower our readers by providing comprehensive coverage of local and global events, current affairs, and cultural happenings. Whether you’re looking for breaking news, in-depth analysis, or captivating storytelling, Newsday Media is your go-to destination for all things news-related.
With a dedicated team of journalists, editors, and multimedia experts, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalistic integrity and professionalism. We pride ourselves on delivering content that not only informs but also sparks conversation, fosters understanding, and drives positive change in our society.
From our flagship newspaper to our dynamic digital platforms, we offer a wide range of multimedia content to cater to the diverse interests and preferences of our audience. Whether you prefer to stay informed through print, online articles, videos, or podcasts, Newsday Media has something for everyone.
We believe in the power of storytelling to connect people, bridge divides, and inspire action. That’s why we’re dedicated to providing a platform for voices from all walks of life, championing diversity, inclusion, and authenticity in everything we do.
Thank you for visiting Newsday Media. We invite you to explore our website, engage with our content, and join us on our journey to inform, inspire, and empower our community. Together, let’s shape the future of media in Lesotho.
