H. Res. 294 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
July 16, 2007. 
Whereas the Kingdom of Lesotho is a parliamentary constitu-
tional monarchy that has been an independent country 
since 1966; 
Whereas Lesotho is a low-income country with a gross na-
tional 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 Govern-
ment 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-
•HRES 294 EH 
posed, would strongly focus on improving and safe-
guarding 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 con-
sidered 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 hus-
band’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 organi-
zations, 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 Sep-
tember 2006, the chief executive officer of the MCC stat-
ed 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 sup-
portive 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;
•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 imple-
menting 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 Leso-
tho: 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 dem-
onstrating 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 Corpora-
tion (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.