DƆNÙESÈ Data Center / Women’s Rights Laws by Country / Lesotho

Southern Africa · Country law profile

Lesotho: women’s rights and civic space laws

Lesotho is party to the Maputo Protocol (2004), CEDAW (1995), the Optional Protocol to CEDAW (2004), the ICCPR (1992) and ILO Convention 190, which it ratified on 15 March 2023. It keeps a reservation to Article 2 of CEDAW to the extent it conflicts with constitutional rules on succession to the throne. Lesotho ratified the Malabo Convention on cyber security in February 2025.

Women leaders at an RFLD convening. RFLD member organisations use these laws in their advocacy. Photo: RFLD, taken with the consent of participants.

At a glance

Capital	Maseru
Legal system	Dual system: Roman-Dutch common law alongside Basotho customary law, under a constitutional monarchy
Official languages	Sesotho, English

Key indicators

25.0% (30 of 120)Women in National Assembly (2026)

Regional and international treaties

Treaty	Status	Reservations or notes
Maputo Protocol	signed 27/02/2004 / ratified 26/10/2004 / deposited 05/11/2004	Not listed among the nine States with reservations (ACHPR, 2026)
CEDAW	signed 17/07/1980 / ratified 22/08/1995	Reservation: not bound by Article 2 to the extent it conflicts with constitutional stipulations on succession to the throne
CEDAW Optional Protocol	signed 06/09/2000 / ratified 24/09/2004
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child	ratified 27/09/1999 / deposited 29/10/1999 (no prior signature recorded)
ILO C190 (violence and harassment)	ratified 15/03/2023
ILO C111 (discrimination in employment)	ratified 27/01/1998
ICCPR	acceded 09/09/1992	None listed
Kampala Convention	signed 20/12/2010 / ratified 19/01/2012 / deposited 20/02/2012
AU Convention on Cyber Security (Malabo)	signed 30/11/2023 / ratified 05/02/2025 / deposited 16/02/2025
Budapest Convention on cybercrime	Not a party or signatory (not listed)

Constitution

Constitution	Constitution of Lesotho, 1993 (amended several times)

National laws

Gender-based and domestic violence

Counter Domestic Violence Act, 2022

Lesotho’s first dedicated domestic violence law, providing protection for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence.

Gaps: Treaty bodies note that gender-based violence remains persistent and call for adequate resources and a disability-inclusive, child-friendly approach to implementation.

Source: acerwc.africa

Rape and sexual offences

Sexual Offences Act, 2003

Main law on sexual offences, covering rape and sexual acts with children.

Gaps: The Act distinguishes between victims below and above 16 years, and the ACERWC recommends aligning protection with the definition of a child as under 18.

Source: acerwc.africa

Sexual harassment

Labour Code Order, 1992 (Order No. 24 of 1992), as amended

The labour framework prohibits sex discrimination in employment and was the basis for workplace protections until replaced by the Labour Act 2024.

Gaps: There are no explicit legal protections against sexual harassment in educational settings.

Source: worldpolicycenter.org

Child marriage and age of marriage

Marriage Act, 1974

Governs civil marriage and its minimum age rules.

Gaps: Customary marriages are exempt from age restrictions, and girls under 16 and boys under 18 may marry with ministerial permission and parental consent.

Source: worldpolicycenter.org

Child marriage and age of marriage

Children’s Protection and Welfare (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (pending)

Endorsed by Cabinet, the bill would criminalise child marriage.

Gaps: Still awaiting parliamentary approval, so child marriage is not yet criminalised.

Source: acerwc.africa

Harmful practices

Protection and Administration of Custom on Initiation School Bill, 2023 (pending)

The bill would criminalise the initiation of children into traditional initiation schools.

Gaps: Pending adoption and implementation.

Source: acerwc.africa

Family and personal status

Legal Capacity of Married Persons Act

Removed the marital power of husbands and the minority status of married women, giving wives legal capacity to contract and own property.

Gaps: Customary law, including the codified Laws of Lerotholi, continues to govern many family matters.

Source: nyulawglobal.org

Inheritance and succession

Harmonization of the Rights of Customary Widows with the Legal Capacity of Married Persons Act, 2022

Grants widows married under customary law inheritance rights and harmonises their status with the Legal Capacity of Married Persons Act.

Source: ohchr.org

Inheritance and succession

Chieftainship Act, 1968, section 10

Regulates succession to chieftainship.

Gaps: Section 10 limits succession to males, which is identified as discriminatory against women.

Source: nyulawglobal.org

Land and property

Land Act, 2010

Recognises joint ownership of land by spouses and created a Land Division of the High Court.

Source: nyulawglobal.org

Abortion and sexual and reproductive health

Penal Code Act, 2010 (Act No. 6 of 2012), section 45

Criminalises abortion with exceptions where a medical practitioner acts to prevent significant harm to the woman’s health or in cases of severe foetal impairment. An exception also applies where the pregnancy results from rape or incest.

Gaps: Health and foetal impairment grounds require written opinions from a second registered medical practitioner.

Source: antislaverylaw.ac.uk

Girls’ education

Education Act, 2010

Makes primary education free and compulsory.

Gaps: Compulsory education ends at 13 while the minimum employment age is 15, leaving a protection gap.

Source: nyulawglobal.org

Political participation and quotas

Local Government (Amendment) Act

Reserves 30 percent of local council seats for women.

Gaps: No equivalent legislated quota applies to the National Assembly.

Source: nyulawglobal.org

Labour and maternity

Labour Act No. 3 of 2024

Replaces the Labour Code Order 1992, extends maternity leave to 14 weeks, grants three weeks after a stillbirth and introduces 14 days of paternity leave.

Source: ensafrica.com

Nationality

Lesotho Citizenship Order, 1971

Governs acquisition and loss of citizenship.

Gaps: It has no provision granting citizenship to abandoned children, and section 10 requires stateless persons to be 18 before applying.

Source: acerwc.africa

Trafficking

Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, 2011, as amended in 2021

Criminalises trafficking in persons; the 2021 amendment redefined trafficking and removed the option of a fine instead of imprisonment.

Source: ohchr.org

Access to justice and legal aid

Legal Aid Act No. 19 of 1978

Establishes a legal aid framework for indigent persons.

Source: nyulawglobal.org

Online violence and cybercrime

No enacted cybercrime law; Cybercrime Bill 2026 and Cybersecurity Bill 2026 in preparation

Cabinet split the earlier Computer Crime and Cyber Security Bill into separate cybercrime and cybersecurity bills, which were under stakeholder consultation in September 2026.

Gaps: Online gender-based violence is not yet addressed by a dedicated statute.

Source: lena.gov.ls

Data protection

Data Protection Act, 2011

Protects the right to privacy through rules on processing of personal data.

Gaps: The Data Protection Commission had not been established as of 2023 because of funding constraints.

Source: ohchr.org

Women and girls with disabilities

Persons with Disability Equity Act, 2021

Provides for equal rights and access for persons with disabilities, including access to schools and public facilities.

Gaps: Implementation is limited by stigma and social exclusion. Inadequate infrastructure is another barrier.

Source: acerwc.africa

Human rights defenders

Societies Act No. 20 of 1966

Governs the registration of societies and associations.

Gaps: Lesotho has no specific law on human rights defenders.

Source: nyulawglobal.org

Human rights defenders

Public Meetings and Processions Act, 2010

Regulates public assemblies and requires advance notice to police, who must respond within 48 hours.

Source: ohchr.org

Vulnerable Groups

Penal Code Act, 2010

The Penal Code is silent on sodomy, and the government told the Human Rights Committee that consensual sexual relations between men have been decriminalised.

Gaps: Experts noted that the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act still allows arrest without warrant for sodomy.

Source: ohchr.org

Social protection

Old Age Pensions Act, 2005

Provides a non-contributory old age pension.

Source: ssa.gov

Older persons

No specific law on older persons

The Old Age Pensions Act 2005 covers pensions only. An Older Persons Protection Bill was drafted in 2019.

Gaps: No law on the rights of older persons.

Source: publiceyenews.com

Recent developments

5 February 2025. Lesotho ratifies the AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (deposited 16/02/2025)
15 March 2023. Lesotho deposits ratification of ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment, with C151 and C187

Being verified. RFLD is checking the laws on the following topics against official texts and will add them to this page: female genital mutilation. Corrections and documents are welcome at programs@rflgd.org.

African Union treaties

Status of 29 African Union treaties as recorded in the official AU status lists published by the African Union Commission. The date of each list is shown: a ratification deposited after that date may not appear yet. 10 of the 13 human rights and governance treaties below are ratified.

AU treaty	Status	AU list dated
Maputo Protocol (rights of women)	Ratified 26/10/2004	19/09/2023
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights	Ratified 10/02/1992	15/06/2017
African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child	Ratified 27/09/1999	14/02/2023
Protocol establishing the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights	Ratified 28/10/2003	14/02/2023
African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance	Ratified 30/06/2010	08/07/2024
AU Convention on Ending Violence against Women and Girls	Not signed	22/05/2026
Protocol on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities	Signed 2024, not ratified	22/05/2026
Protocol on the Rights of Older Persons	Ratified 11/04/2018	22/05/2026
Protocol on Social Protection and Social Security	Not signed	22/05/2026
African Youth Charter	Ratified 31/05/2010	19/09/2023
OAU Refugee Convention	Ratified 18/11/1988	16/05/2019
AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption	Ratified 26/10/2004	14/02/2023
AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo)	Ratified 05/02/2025	02/02/2026

Other AU treaties (16)

AU treaty	Status	AU list dated
Protocol on Free Movement of Persons	Signed 2018, not ratified	08/08/2023
Protocol on the Statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights	Signed 2011, not ratified	18/06/2020
Protocol on Amendments to the Statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights (Malabo Protocol)	Not signed	22/05/2026
Protocol of the Court of Justice of the African Union	Ratified 26/10/2004	18/06/2020
Protocol on the Peace and Security Council	Ratified 30/06/2003	27/04/2022
Protocol to the OAU Convention on Terrorism	Ratified 27/09/2012	15/06/2017
OAU Convention on Mercenarism	Ratified 29/10/1982	15/06/2017
Charter on Decentralisation, Local Governance and Local Development	Not signed	25/03/2022
Charter on Public Service and Administration	Ratified 10/07/2023	08/07/2024
African Charter on Statistics	Ratified 17/04/2014	19/09/2023
Statute of the Pan African Intellectual Property Organization	Not signed	19/09/2023
African Road Safety Charter	Not signed	22/05/2026
Revised African Maritime Transport Charter	Not signed	25/03/2022
Phyto-sanitary Convention for Africa	Ratified 29/10/1982	15/06/2017
Convention establishing the African Centre for Fertilizer Development	Not signed	19/09/2023
Constitution of the Association of African Trade Promotion Organizations	Not signed	16/05/2019

Sources (18)

Other countries in Southern Africa

AngolaCountry law profile BotswanaCountry law profile EswatiniCountry law profile MalawiCountry law profile MozambiqueCountry law profile NamibiaCountry law profile South AfricaCountry law profile ZambiaCountry law profile ZimbabweCountry law profile

Information verified as of October 2026. This page is for information and advocacy and is not legal advice. Laws change: check the official text before relying on it. Part of the DƆNÙESÈ Data Center of the Women Leaders Network for Development (RFLD). See also the Maputo Protocol Hub and the Maputo Barometer.

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