H. Res. 294 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

July 16, 2007. 

Whereas the Kingdom of Lesotho is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy that has been an independent country 

since 1966; 

Whereas Lesotho is a low-income country with a gross national income per capita of $960 and 50 percent of the 

population lives below the poverty line; 

Whereas, in Lesotho, the HIV prevalence is estimated at 23 

percent for the total adult population and 56 percent for 

pregnant women between the ages of 25 and 29, and the 

current average life expectancy at birth is estimated to be 

34.4 years; 

Whereas the Kingdom of Lesotho, referred to by some as the 

‘‘Kingdom in the Sky’’, was a strong public supporter of 

the end of apartheid in South Africa, and the Government of Lesotho granted political asylum to a number of 

refugees from South Africa during the apartheid era; 

Whereas the Government of Lesotho has demonstrated a 

strong commitment to ruling justly, investing in people, 

ensuring economic freedom, and controlling corruption; 

Whereas the Government of Lesotho has been named eligible 

by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) for a 

Compact of financial assistance that, as currently pro-
2 

•HRES 294 EH 

posed, would strongly focus on improving and safeguarding the health of the people of Lesotho, in addition 

to supporting projects for sustainable water resource 

management and private sector development; 

Whereas, historically, a married woman in Lesotho was considered a legal minor during the lifetime of her husband, 

was severely restricted in economic activities, was unable 

to enter into legally binding contracts without her husband’s consent, and had no standing in civil court; 

Whereas legislation elevating the legal status of married 

women and providing property and inheritance rights to 

women in Lesotho was introduced as early as 1992; 

Whereas for years women’s groups, nongovernmental organizations, the Federation of Women Lawyers, officials of 

the Government of Lesotho, and others in Lesotho have 

pushed for passage of legislation strengthening rights of 

married women; 

Whereas in a letter to the Government of Lesotho in September 2006, the chief executive officer of the MCC stated that gender inequality is a constraint on economic 

growth and poverty reduction and is related to the high 

prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and that inattention to issues 

of gender inequality could undermine the potential impact 

of the Compact proposed to be entered into between the 

MCC and the Government of Lesotho; 

Whereas the MCC’s advocacy of gender equity played a supportive role in the enactment of the Legal Capacity of 

Married Persons Act in the Kingdom of Lesotho, which 

effectively eliminated ‘‘de jure’’ discrimination against 

women in the customary law system; 
3 

•HRES 294 EH 

Whereas the Legal Capacity of Married Persons Act was 

passed by the Parliament of Lesotho and enacted into 

law in November 2006; 

Whereas the MCC has already provided assistance to further 

full and meaningful implementation of the new law; and 

Whereas the MCC has promulgated and is currently implementing a new gender policy to integrate gender into all 

phases of the development and implementation of the 

Compact between the MCC and the Government of Lesotho: Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) applauds the enactment of the Legal Capacity 

of Married Persons Act by the Kingdom of Lesotho; 

(2) lauds the Kingdom of Lesotho for demonstrating its commitment to improve gender equity; 

(3) encourages the Kingdom of Lesotho to continue 

its effort to ensure gender equity; and 

(4) commends the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) for developing and implementing policies to 

advance gender equity in the Kingdom of Lesotho and 

other countries eligible for financial assistance from the 

MCC. 

Attest: 

Clerk.