LESOTHO: OBLIGATION OF FY06 DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS FUND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000455 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/RSA; AFR/DP/PAB; AND AFR/SD GABORONE FOR USAID/RCSA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAID SOCI XA LT SUBJECT: LESOTHO: OBLIGATION OF FY06 DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS FUND (DHRF) II REF: HARPOLE/AF-HRIGHTS-DL E-MAIL DTD AUGUST 24, 2006 ¶1. Total FY06 allocation received for Maseru Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF) is USD 30,000. USAID legal and accounting offices have reviewed the draft agreements and the USAID accounting office is expected to finalize the obligations upon notification of signing of agreements by post. Five DHRF projects are being funded for the entire amount and the agreement date for all was September 13, 2006 . It is anticipated that projects will be completed by September 30, ¶2007. ¶2. Project details follow: ¶A. 632-DHRF-06-001 - The Law Office Project Description: As an integral part o the Attorney General's Chambers falling under the Ministry of Law and Constitutional Affairs, the Law Office is the government department under the Ministry of Law and Constitutional Affairs whose main function is to assist with prosecution of cases on behalf of the state in subordinate courts. The department has offices in all ten districts of Lesotho that are plagued by the shortage of law books for research so as to enable them to make reasonable arguments for the courts of law to reach a just decision. In administrative law parlance, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is referred to as the office of impartiality. The Director of Public Prosecutions serves in this high office without fear, favor or prejudice. This is clearly exemplified by the Ministry's Mission Statement which runs thus: "we, the Ministry of Law and Constitutional Affairs, are committed to providing timely and efficient legal services to government and the public with the aim of upholding the Constitution and the rule of law, and promoting good governance". The Law Office requests financial support to purchase law books. No USG funds will be used to assist law enforcement entities, as proscribed by US law and regulations. Amount of Grant: $5,000.00 ¶B. 632-DHRF-06-002 - Ts'epong Counseling Center Project Description: Empower women to regain their positive self-image through training. Training activities are to conscientize women to shun acts of violence and produce a cadre of women who will fill positions in governance in the local structures as well as national government so creating women who can impact on the legal systems and administrations that discriminate and impact negatively on gender equality. Amount of Grant: $10,000.00 ¶C. 632-DHRF-06-003 - Transformation Resource Center (TRC) Project Description: Formed in 1979, TRC is an ecumenical and non-governmental membership organization that serves a resource center for all those committed to work for Peace, Justice and Participatory Development in Lesotho and throughout the region. It operates the following four projects: Work for Justice, Democracy Project, Resource Center, and Lesotho Highlands Water Monitoring, Advocacy and Empowerment Project. Grant funds will be used to hold three two-day workshops for 50 people to provide them with conflict management skills so that they may be able to practice those skills in their communities, homes, at work and in schools. Targeted areas are Thaba Bosiu, Matsieng and Ha Maama. It also aims at enhancing civic and voter education towards building effective participation of citizens in governance issues. Introduction of conflict management in these three ward councils will help the councilors to develop strategies and skills that help them prevent, manage and resolve conflicts constructively and non-violently. Amount of Grant: $5,000.00 ¶D. 632-DHRF-06-004 - Maseru Women Senior Citizens' Association Project Description: Grant funds will be used to fulfill the organization's objective that women in the target areas of Maseru, Mafeteng, Mohale's Hoek, Quthing and Thaba Tseka know their rights as women regarding land ownership and inheritance (Customary and Roman Dutch Laws). A series of training workshops for members, local leaders and communities in the above districts are planned to be carried. Amount of Grant: $7,000.00 ¶E. 632-DHRF-06-005 - Lesotho Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (LCN) Project Description: LCN is an umbrella body for NGOs in Lesotho whose main responsibility is to provide support services to the NGO community at large. Project components and activities consist of the following: review of the voter education material, development of the voter education material, training of trainers on voter education, voter education of the electorates, training of elections' observers, elections campaigns forums, electoral process monitoring teams, elections observers deployment, electoral process evaluation conference, and electoral process evaluation in readiness for the 2007 General Elections. Amount of Grant: $3,000.00 ¶3. Fund citations for the above are: Appropriation 726/71021; Activity No. 6980588.32; FUND DV/2006; and EOC MASERU 00000455 002 OF 002 ¶4100200. MURPHY