Situational analysis of services for orphans and other vulnerable children in Lesotho: final report

Abstract

Lesotho is an impoverished country (labelled a Least Developed Country by the United Nations (UN)) with a population of 1.8 million people 70% of whom are under the age of 18 years old (BOS, 2007). Poverty levels are very high and are mostly driven by high levels of unemployment. The unemployment rate in Lesotho is conservatively estimated at 35% (BOS, 2007). Lesotho has the third highest HIV prevalence rate in the world with an adult HIV sero-prevalence of 23.2% (BOS, 2007; Khobotlo et al., 2009). The socio-economic impacts of the epidemic have been devastating, such that HIV/AIDS has reduced life expectancy of Basotho to 40 years. There has also been an unprecedented increase in the number of orphans 19% of children under the age of 18 years have lost both parents. AIDS is largely responsible for the increase in the rate of orphan prevalence. According to Khobotlo et al. (2009), AIDS accounts for 80% of orphan cases in the country. While these figures are worrying, the consolation is that it can almost certainly be assumed that orphan-focused interventions will reach mainly AIDS-orphaned children without further programmes having to be devised. Against this backdrop, the MOHSW commissioned a study to conduct an analysis of service provision for OVC as part of the comprehensive situation analysis of OVC in Lesotho. The study's aim is to help guide effective implementation of OVC programmes, identify service gaps and priorities for new areas of intervention, and provide recommendations on how to make service provision to OVC more effective and efficient.