INVESTING IN THE POWER OF YOUNG PEOPLE

INVESTING IN THE POWER OF YOUNG PEOPLE, TRANSFORMING OUR WORLD
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY 12 AUGUST 2015
COMMEMORATION REPORT—LESOTHO
INTRODUCTION
Today’s adolescents and youth are 1.8 billion strong and form a quarter of the world’s population. They are shaping
social and economic development, challenging social norms and values, and building the foundation of the world’s
future. While notable progress has been made, many young people – especially adolescent girls – are denied the
investments and opportunities that they require to realize their full potential. For millions of young people around the
world, puberty – the biological onset of adolescence – brings not only changes to their bodies but also new
vulnerabilities to human rights abuses, particularly in the arenas of sexuality, marriage and child bearing.
In partnership with young people, national and international organisations, UNFPA assists countries to identify and
implement policies and programs to secure the health, development and human rights of adolescents and youth.
(UNFPA strategy on adolescence and youth)
In this context, as a part of working together with young people to empower them through the various activities,
Ministry of Gender, Youth and Recreation with support of UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund, organized an event
at Maseru, Lesotho on Wednesday 12th August 2015 to commemorate the International Youth Day, under the global
theme, “Youth Civic Engagement” jointly with the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Recreation in Maseru.
The commemoration forgathered the members of parliament, senior government officials, UN representatives, NGO
representatives, and young people including herd boys, young mothers, youth with disability, youth living with HIV,
transsexuals and young community volunteers.
KEY MESSAGE
The commemoration event was an opportunity for the youth to raise their voices and share their experiences and
challenges with the policy makers and other development partners.
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HIV/AIDs
Lesotho ranks at number two among countries with the highest HIV infection
rate and that 21 000 young people have been found to be living with HIV
“At the moment I am living with HIV and
it’s hard to enjoy my rights because of
stigma attached to it.”
- Youth living with HIV
and 12 000 of those are girls. During the event youth living with HIV shared
their heart-rending stories, especially the discrimination and stigma they experience in the communities. The youth emphasized on the need to safeguard their freedom to live without prejudice, ostracism and rejection.
The transgender youth also revealed their challenges and problems coping with their gender identity in the communities where transgender is highly stigmatized. They shared the stories how they were denied to get even the passport
with their gender identity.
SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH INFORMATION AND SERVICES
“Sex without knowledge or guidance is killing us
because we just engage in this without any knowledge.”
- Herd boy
The herd boys requested for
Sexual and
Reproductive Health information and services
since a number of herd boys engage in unsafe
sexual relationships.. They recommended to
the concerned stakeholders to build an easy
mechanism where they can get information,
knowledge and services of HIV/AIDs. They
shared their experiences on how people perceive them which makes it difficult to even
come out from their periphery, meet people and talk about their problems.
DISABILITY
In the country where there is no sufficient
disability friendly infrastructure, people with
disabilities have to experience a lot of
“I live with HIV but it’s hard to follow up the instructions because most people do
not understand my sign language. Even when I was pregnant I could not receive the
prenatal services. The clinics staff do not understand sign language and I don’t
understand theirs. We really need support.”
- Youth living with hearing impairment and HIV
challenges. During the commemoration youth
with hearing impairment focused their challenges including
attending the clinics and hospitals due to the lack of sign language facilitator. They recommended equipping the
various service delivery points to avail the sign
language facility. The young mothers also
recommended having a system for their
empowerment and education. They requested to
make the youth centers more accessible and
services oriented.
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UNEMPLOYMENT
In Lesotho, a total unemployment rate for youth is 13.1 percent
and in general unemployment is higher among females than
males at 16.0 percent and 11.4 percent respectively. During the
discussion participants shared how the unemployment offers the
chances to youth to engage in life threating activities. The youth
participants urged to the government to create more employment
opportunities
and
mainstream
them
in
development process. The youth in Lesotho (15-25 years)
represents
about
a
quarter
(23.5
percent)
of
the
total
population. The unemployment is also another instrumental cause in raising the HIV/AIDs in the country.
“I completed my degree and remained unemployed for full 7 years.
With nothing to do I happened to engage with a 49 years lady who
became my sugar mommy.”
- Unemployed youth
COMMITMENT TO INCLUDE YOUTH IN KEY
GOVERNMENT BOARDS
During the celebration of International Youth Day,
the young people requested the government to
“The government is committed to create an enabling environment for
the youth to overcome their challenges and realize their potentials.”
- The Honourable Deputy Prime Minister
Mr. Mothetjoa Metsing
consider their contributions on all policies affecting
them. The youth also urged the government to
provide them an opportunity to participate in the
decision
making
particularly
those
who
are
economically and socially marginalized in order to
ensure their aspirations in the key government
planning.
In response the Deputy Prime Minister made his
commitment to ensure the inclusion of the youth in
various boards as a way of safeguarding their
views. He also shared his concern on raising the
HIV/AIDs in the country that posed Lesotho at the
number two country and that 21 000 young people
have been found to be living with HIV and 12 000 of
those are girls.
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CONCLUSION
The discussion in the commemoration day shows that there are a numerous challenges that youth in Lesotho are facing
especially in the remote areas of the country. The problem stretches from proper and comprehensive sexuality
education to the unemployment that has posed the country to stand number two with HIV infection in the globe. The day
gathered the ministries to members of parliament, policymakers, civil society, representatives, international
communities, donors to general public together in a place where they discussed about their burning problems.
The positive remarks expressed by the ministries are definitely a good initiative to address the problems raised during
the discussion session. Some of the commitments the ministry made will play an important role to include the youth
agendas as priority of the government actions. The event also gave the opportunity to the marginalized youth such as
herd boys, youth with hearing impairment, youth living with HIV and young mothers to express their challenges and
seek for the solutions.
FOR MORE PICTURES, PLEAE SEE THE PAGES DOWN
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CELEBRATING THE INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY-2015
IN
LESOTHO
International youth day celebration attracted the cross-sectional participants including young people, young mothers, heard boys and beauty queens.
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PARTICIPATION
UNFPA Representative to Lesotho, The honourable Minister of Social Development, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Gender and Youth, Sports and Recreation respectively in the event.
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VULNERABLE AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IN THE EVENT
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Youth participating in the event
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Miss Deaf Africa translating the speech in sign language
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Herd boys in the event
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Young mothers in the event
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY 2015 YOUNG MOTHER AND HEARD BOYS’
PHOTO STORIES FROM THE FIELD
The UNFPA communications team to Lesotho went to the project sites to collect the human stories of different backgrounds including herd boys, young mother,
sex workers and transgender. The stories were displayed at the International Youth Day commemoration.
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EXHIBITION OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND MOTHERS’ STORIES
The honourable Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Gender and Youth, Sports and Recreation, Minister of Social Development and UNFPA Representative to Lesotho observing
the photos and reading the plight of people in marginalized communities displayed in the posters.
THE UNTOLD STORIES
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BRAINSTORMING SESSION
Youth in brainstorming
UNFPA Representative and other members of UN agencies in brainstorming
Participants were directed to different groups to discuss possible solution to address the young people challenges and problems
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Ministers in brainstorming
YOUTH WITH VISIBILITY MATERIALS
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MEDIA PRESENCE IN THE EVENT
The event got the wider coverage from various media houses particularly television and radios.
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Documentary and songs
Presenting sign language songs for hearing impairment youth
Song, delivering the messages on reproductive health and composed and sang by
the young mothers was played during the event.
A documentary was shown during the event on the life of young people in the mountain and young mothers of marginalized communities.
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SPEECHES
The Deputy prime minister giving his closing remarks in the event
The UNFPA Representative to Lesotho giving her speech in the
event
UNFPA Lesotho
staff after the
event at office
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UNFPA
CONTACTS
Delivering a world where
Every pregnancy is wanted
Every childbirth is safe and
Every young person’s
Potential is fulfilled.
UNFPA, United Nations Population Fund
First Floor, United Nations House
Maseru 100, Lesotho
Tel: (+266) 2231 3790
Web: www.unfpa.org
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