Ministry of Justice, Law and Parliamentary Affairs

 Background

In 1995, Cabinet issued a decision (CAB/DEC/11), which amongst others, provided for the establishment of a Human Rights Unit (the Unit) as an arm of Government to promote, protect and monitor the situation of human rights in Lesotho.

 

The decision also provided for establishment of a Human Rights Commission (the Commission) that will effectively promote public awareness and increase public education. The Commission will also investigate human rights violations in all possible places of detention and will recommend or take appropriate action.

 

 Mandate

 

The promotion mandate entails human rights awareness raising campaigns through public gatherings and media usage, production and dissemination of material and facilitating trainings on human rights.

 

The protection mandate of the Unit has entailed the facilitation of domestication of human rights instruments into laws, facilitating putting in place structures for protection of human rights such as the Human Rights Commission and undertaking investigations of alleged human rights violations in, for example, places of detention.

 

The monitoring mandate includes writing and submission of state party reports to treaty monitoring bodies and review of legislation and policies to ensure compatibility with international human rights standards.

 

 Achievements

 Promotion

·        Public gatherings;

·        Peace essays for high school students;

·        Trainings for Law Enforcement Agencies;

·        Trainings for Parliamentarians

·        Trainings for teachers;

·        Trainings for the judiciary;

·        Training for persons with disabilities;

·        Training for inmates;

·        Training for youths;

·        Establishment of Human Rights Clubs in Secondary and High Schools;

·        Celebration annually of international human rights day and

·        Trainings for District Administrator’s, principal and area chiefs, councilors and heads of departments in 3 regions (North, South and Central) on the work and mandate of the Human Rights Commission.

 

 Protection

·        Enactment of the Human Rights Commission Act 2016;

·        Enactment of Human Rights Commission (Selection Process for Members) Regulations 2016 and

·        Review of the Act with the aim of repealing it.

 

 Monitoring

·        Universal Periodic Review Mechanism – 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd reporting cycles;

·        Submission & presentation of initial, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th reports on the Convention of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women;

·        Submission & presentation of the report on the Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers & Their Families;

·        Submission of list of issues on the periodic report on the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights;

·        Submission & presentation of 2^nd to 8^th periodic reports on the African Charter on Human & Peoples’ Rights and

·        Submission & presentation on the initial report on the Protocol to the African Charter on Human & Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.

 

Clientele

The office works with line Ministries, Civil Society Organizations, development partners, international organizations and the general public.

 

Services

The office is also open to the public where they can lodge complains when they feel that their human rights are violated.