Lesotho

Data on women

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Basic information > About parliament

Speaker

Speaker
Mamonaheng Mokitimi (Female)
Year of birth
1970
Additional information
Elected on 11 July 2017, re-elected on 3 Nov. 2022.
See historical data for this field.

Secretary general

Secretary General
Tseliso Molise (Male)
Notes Additional information about the Secretary General, in particular regarding their term.
Appointed on 1 June 2021 for a three-year term.

Members

Current number of members, by sex
Men The number of male parliamentarians who currently hold seats in parliament.
25
See historical data for this field.
Women The number of female parliamentarians who currently hold seats in parliament.
8
See historical data for this field.
Percentage of women Calculated by dividing the current number of women by the current number of members.
24.24% See historical data for this field.

Reserved seats and quotas

Electoral quota for women Quotas to promote the representation of women in parliament.
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 has a strategic plan or plan of action
Yes