Lesotho, our small mountain kingdom, is facing difficult times. Every day, ordinary people struggle to get by, but it is rural women who feel the weight of these challenges the most. They work tirelessly to keep households and communities going, yet they are the ones most often pushed aside when it comes to opportunities and decisions that shape their future. Unemployment is one of the biggest challenges we face today. For years, the textile industry under AGOA has been a lifeline for thousands of women, allowing them to earn something to support their families. Now, there is fear that AGOA might not be renewed. If that happens, close to 12,000 women will lose their jobs, joining the many who are already unemployed. The government has promised 70,000 jobs, but so far these promises have not come to life. Even worse, most of the jobs created through construction benefit men, since these companies are often owned by politically connected elites. Once again, women are left behind.
At the same time, we are seeing worrying signs of shrinking freedoms in our country. Political activists, journalists, and even young people who try to hold the government accountable are being silenced or captured. For rural women, this means their struggles remain invisible. When they raise their voices about the lack of land, healthcare, education, or fair markets, no one listens. The silence from leadership grows louder as people’s frustrations deepen.
The decline in essential services makes life even harder. Health facilities often run out of medicine and lack enough staff to care for patients. For women in rural areas, this means walking long distances only to return home without help. Education, too, is failing our children, especially girls who are most at risk of dropping out. Agriculture, the backbone of rural life and country, is also neglected. With little support, women farmers are left to battle poor soils, climate change, and limited resources on their own.
Adding to these struggles are cross-border challenges with South Africa. Many women survive through small-scale trading, buying goods across the border to sell back home. But recently, traders have been harassed, threatened, and even had their vehicles taken by taxi associations in South Africa. These women are left vulnerable in a foreign country, simply trying to provide for their families. Although there have been speeches from government officials, no real solutions have been put in place to protect these traders.
What hurts the most is the silence of leadership. With all these problems—job losses, unemployment, collapsing health and education systems, agriculture in decline, and cross-border threats—there is little action from those in power. Rural women are left to carry the heaviest burdens alone.
But this is not a call for pity. Rural women are not asking for handouts. They are asking for fairness. They want equal access to jobs, safe opportunities for trade, healthcare for their families, and education for their children. They want investments in agriculture that support small farmers and allow them to feed their families with dignity. They want their voices to be heard when decisions are made about the future of this country.
Lesotho cannot move forward while leaving its women behind. Rural women make up more than half of our population, and their survival is directly tied to the survival of the nation itself. If we continue to ignore them, we risk not only worsening poverty but also undermining the stability of the country.
It is time for change. It is time for action—not just promises. Rural women in Lesotho deserve better. They deserve to be recognized, supported, and protected. Their strength has kept this nation standing through countless challenges, and now, the nation must stand with them.
