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Section 22 confers corresponding obligations on the GoL to form policies and programs
that will ensure a child's survival and development.
The Free Primary Education Act (2001) and the Education Act (2010) also provides for
a child's right to development.
Administration
Lesotho is a subscriber to the UNDP Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) which
provides a good tool for assessment of child development. Achievement of these goals
assists the development of policy which enhances child development.
As previously mentioned, the MOH has a number of policy documents which are aimed
at child survival and development. The Road Map for the Reduction of Maternal and
Child Mortality has renewed a commitment to lower very high rates of maternal, infant
and child mortality. The Reproductive Health Policy 2011 prohibits termination of
pregnancy except on medical grounds. A proposed amendment to the Penal Code
(1993) to allow for termination of pregnancy on grounds of likelihood of the baby having
a disability was voted down in 2012. The Expanded Program on Immunization ensures
every child has doses of vaccines such as polio, Measles Mumps Rubella, BCG,
Cervical Cancer vaccine – HPV at the appropriate times. The prevention of mother to
child (PMTC) guidelines 2013 guides health practitioners in pre and post-natal care of
mothers with HIV and AIDS. The HIV Policy 2013 and Policy for Adolescents Right of
Access to Health Services are self explanatory, comprehensive documents on their
named topics. Management of Survivors of Sexual Abuse Guidelines 2006 is a
document which provides referral mechanisms for the treatment of patient’s mental and
physical health following sexual abuse.
Integrated Early Childhood Care and Development Policy (IECCD) states concisely the
principles on which a child's development is premised. The Free Education Act (2001)
provides education to all children between the ages six (6) and thirteen (13) education
free of charge. Life-skills programs are run in primary schools jointly between MOET
and MOH. They mainstream sexual and reproductive education into classroom
curriculum from class 3 onwards.
Difficulties
Lesotho struggles to provide for the survival and development of its children. It is
plagued by very high rates of HIV and AIDS (23% incidence rate), orphans, malnutrition
and infant death. Maternal and infant mortality are contributed to by the long distances
and difficult terrain women must negotiate to gain access to birthing centres.