Lesotho
Data on women
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Basic information > About parliament
Speaker
Speaker
Sephiri
Enoch Motanyane
(Male)
Year of birth
1939
Additional information
Pursuant to Articles 63 (1) and 64 (1) of the Constitution, the President and Vice-President of the National Assembly may be elected "from among the members of the National Assembly or among other people ".
Secretary general
Secretary General
Lebohang
Fine Maema
(Male)
Notes
Additional information about the Secretary General, in particular regarding their term.
Appointed on 4 Feb. 2013.
Members
Current number of members, by sex
Men
The number of male parliamentarians who currently hold seats in parliament.
92
Women
The number of female parliamentarians who currently hold seats in parliament.
Percentage of women
Calculated by dividing the current number of women by the current number of members.
Age
Average age of all members
Youngest member (years)
Age at the time of the last election or renewal.
Youngest member
Mokhele Moletsane (Male)
Oldest member (years)
Age at the time of the last election or renewal.
85
Oldest member
Moeketse Malebo (Male)
Reserved seats and quotas
Electoral quota for women
Quotas to promote the representation of women in parliament.
Notes
The country has adopted a zebra model proportional party list which provides for the arrangement of candidates in such a manner that a male or female candidate is followed by a candidate of an opposite sex
Elections > Historical data on women
Women's suffrage
Date of independence
For countries that become independent after 1940
1966
Women’s right to vote
Women’s right to vote
Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1966
National or local
Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage
Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Universal
Notes
Suffrage: Additional Notes on right of suffrage
Prior to independence, under British administration, general elections with universal adult suffrage were held on 30 April 1965. This right was confirmed at independence
Women’s right to stand for election
Women's right to stand for election
Year in which women obtained the right to stand for election
1966
National or local
Stand for Election: National or Local
National
Notes
Stand for Election: Additional Notes on right to stand for election
Prior to independence, under British administration, general elections with universal adult suffrage were held on 30 April 1965. This right was confirmed at independence
First woman in parliament
First woman in parliament
Year in which first woman entered parliament
1965
First woman speaker
Year of first woman speaker
Date at which, for the first time in the country's parliamentary history, a woman became Presiding Officer of Parliament or of one of its Houses.
2000
Specialized body - Women's caucus
Lesotho National Women’s Parliamentary Caucus
(February 2018)
The caucus is open to male MPs
No
The caucus is cross-party
Yes
Notes
Cross-party women’s caucus with inclusion of women from both the National Assembly and Senate.
Activities
Issues dealt with by the caucus
The caucus aims to provide the support necessary to promote a gender equality sensitive legislative and policy agenda and also push for women’s health rights issues to be treated with urgency. Women Parliamentarians play a critical role in exerting and maintaining political pressure, influencing and scrutinising policies and stimulating national responses to Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights as well as prevention of HIV and Gender Based Violence.
The caucus condemned child marriages and any form of violation of children’s rights, and it is committed to review of existing laws related to the protection of women and girls with the aim of amending them to ensure they are water tight with harsh penalties for sexual offences, gender based violence and child marriages.
The caucus condemned child marriages and any form of violation of children’s rights, and it is committed to review of existing laws related to the protection of women and girls with the aim of amending them to ensure they are water tight with harsh penalties for sexual offences, gender based violence and child marriages.
The caucus has a strategic plan or plan of action
Yes