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Training for Senators
12 July, 2011
The Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) became
the focus of attention when Senators and Senate staff from the
Parliament of Lesotho gathered on July 6th to receive
training on how the Senate can engage with the MDG’s. The training
was provided by UNDP Regional Service Centre for Eastern & Southern
Africa, with Lesotho being one of the first six countries in the
region to receive training.
This training comes at a time when Lesotho is
successfully on-track to achieve two of the MDG’s, MDG 2 [Universal
Primary Education] and MDG 3 [Gender Equality]. However, other MDG’s
require renewed effort if they are to be achieved by the 2015
deadline. In particular, MDG 5 to improve maternal health is
presenting a challenge with one out of every 32 mothers in Lesotho
dying of pregnancy or child birth related conditions.
With effective governance being a key underlying
mechanism for achieving the MDG’s, Parliament has a lead role to
play in terms of oversight, legislation and leadership. The training
provided many practical ideas for how the Senate can help ensure
that Lesotho meets its MDG commitments. The establishment of MDG
committees, the use of MDG progress reporting and the examination of
national legislation and budgets to ensure an MDG focus are all
opportunities for parliament to accelerate progress on the MDG
promises.
The empowerment of women in society was
highlighted in the training as a key factor in achieving the MDG’s.
With women disproportionately represented amongst the poor, progress
toward gender equality will be progress toward the MDG’s. Engaging
with the MDG’s through the Human Rights Based Approach was
also an important part of the training, allowing parliament to
identify who in Lesotho is being left behind when it comes to the
MDG’s.
At the conclusion of the workshop, one Senator
commented “We knew about the MDG’s but not how they related to us,
it has been an eye-opener to the role parliament must play in the
MDG’s”
Patrice Lucid, Elections & Parliamentary Affairs Officer, UNDP
Lesotho |
