He will never forget when as a young police officer, a Gender Based Violence (GBV) survivor who had been profoundly assaulted by her husband decided to withdraw the domestic violence case against the husband but to forgive him.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Strategic Management and Support Services, DCP Sera Makharilele says the issue was then settled and the couple was asked to go back home to live in peace.

“However, the following day, the survivor came back and reported that her husband, who had asked for forgiveness the day before and promised never to assail her again, attacked her, accusing her of reporting him to the police.” To DCP Makharilele, this was a lesson to him that as a Police Officer crime should always be treated as it should, without any emotions, because a fatality could have occurred under the circumstances.

He therefore sees it as extremely important for survivors to report GBV. “GBV has to be reported even if it is to a neighbor or a Chief if not to the police. People should report and stop being concerned about what others would say. In particular, we need to change the mindset of young people. They have to understand that GBV is wrong,” he emphasized.

DCP Makharilele was part of a sensitization meeting for the management of Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) held in July, 2023, focusing on ensuring, among others, improved GBV data quality across all Police Stations and at the national level, as well as improved collaborations and strengthened relations for data sharing.

Since 2020 UNFPA has supported the Ministry of Police (LMPS) through the Department of Crime Statistics Unit and Child and Gender Protection Unit to improve GBV data collection and enhance gender and GBV indicators data. The process started with reviewing and updating data collection tools from different departments of LMPS and led to capacity building of data collection clerks in 2022.

 In addition to the support that UNFPA is providing directly to LMPS, UNFPA has committed to providing technical support to the Global Fund LMPS Project on “Improving GBV Prevention and Management within the LMPS” This project which entails capacity building of LMPS and GBV data management was developed with the support of UNFPA and other UN Agencies.                                                

In 2023 UNFPA has committed to supporting monthly data analysis from the collected data across the country as continued capacity building and stretching of quality data collection initiatives. This monthly exercise will enable the identification of gaps and areas that need improvement while we also strengthen data collection, as it will be done jointly with related.