IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 294 

Commending the Kingdom of Lesotho, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, for the enactment of a law to improve the status of married 

women and ensure the access of married women to property rights. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 29, 2007 

Ms. WATSON (for herself, Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota, and Ms. CLARKE) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Commending the Kingdom of Lesotho, on the occasion of 

International Women’s Day, for the enactment of a law 

to improve the status of married women and ensure 

the access of married women to property rights. 

Whereas International Women’s Day, observed on March 8 

each year, has become a day on which people come together to recognize the accomplishments of women and to 

reaffirm their commitment to continue the struggle for 

equality, justice, and peace; 

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

since 1966; 


bajohnson on PROD1PC60 with BILLS
2 

•HRES 294 IH 

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 proposed, 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; 


bajohnson on PROD1PC60 with BILLS
3 

•HRES 294 IH 

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 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; 

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; and 

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: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals of International Women’s 

3 Day; 


bajohnson on PROD1PC60 with BILLS
4 

•HRES 294 IH 

1 (2) applauds the enactment of the Legal Capac2 ity of Married Persons Act by the Kingdom of Leso3 tho; 

4 (3) lauds the Kingdom of Lesotho for dem5 onstrating its commitment to improve gender equity; 

6 (4) encourages the Kingdom of Lesotho to con7 tinue its effort to ensure gender equity; and 

8 (5) commends the Millennium Challenge Cor9 poration (MCC) for developing and implementing 

10 policies to advance gender equity in the Kingdom of 

11 Lesotho and other countries eligible for financial as12 sistance from the MCC. 

Æ 


bajohnson on PROD1PC60 with BILLS