NOT ALL POLICIES AND LAWS ADDRESS SRH - WLSA
	Mohale's hoek, May.22 (LENA) -The Women and Law for Southern Africa (WLSA), National Coordinator, Mrs.Keiso Matashane-Marite says not all policies and laws address sexual and reproductive health (SRH) rights. When presenting findings of a study on laws and policies that affect sexual and reproductive health rights in Lesotho at a one-day workshop for community leaders in Mohale's hoek, Mrs. Matashane-Marite said all eight policies identified focus only on SRH and not rights. She observed that even though most policies are still drafts, they make reference to SRH issues while some directly address them. Mrs. Matashane-Marite therefore appealed to the community leaders to advocate for development of policies that will have no barriers for people especially women and girls to access SRH services. Another facilitator from WLSA, Mrs Libakiso Matlho was of the same opinion, noting that some laws still discriminate against women by regarding them as minors who cannot even make reproductive decisions without their spouses' consent. She added that of the five laws analyzed, two, being Married Persons Equality Bill of 2002 and Sexual Offenses Act of 2003, are not detailed about the SRH issues. Other laws analyzed include the Constitution of Lesotho of 1993, Criminal Procedures and Evidence Act of 1981 and Marriage Act of 1974. The policies include gender and development policy 2003, health and social welfare draft policy 2004, national reproductive health draft policy 2002, national social welfare draft policy 2002, and national adolescent health draft policy 2003. Speaking at the same occasion, Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (LPPA) Chief Executive, Mr. Mofokeng Makhetha said all LPPA services are guided by laws and policies of the country, hence it commissioned WLSA to conduct the study as to have a legislative environment that supports SRH services and ensure accessibility by all. He said the purpose was to ensure that the community knows of the laws and policies that surround provision of such services and advocate for review of those that act as barriers for the people to access the services. Meanwhile the participants recommended that sexual reproduction health education be incorporated into the curriculum where information will be disseminated from early stage of learning. The participants were drawn from Mohale's hoek and Quthing and similar meetings were expected to be held in Leribe and Maseru this week.
	Source: LENA