Lesotho Water and Sanitation Policy.

The objectives of the Lesotho Water and Sanitation Policy (LWSP) are to promote: a) the proper management of the country’s water resources and its sustainable utilization; b) adequate and sustainable supply of potable water and sanitation services to all of the population of Lesotho; c) coordination and coherence in the management and development of water and other related natural resources, in order to maximize the resultant socio-economic benefits without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems; and d) harmonisation of processes and procedures followed by different development partners and other stakeholders in order to optimise available internal and external resources as well as ensure timely implementation of sector programmes.
Policy statements with related objectives and strategies are set out in these areas: 1) Water resources management; 2) Water supply and sanitation services; 3) Water and environment; 4) Transboundary water resources; 5) Sector wide approach; 6) Stakeholder involvement; 7) Institutional arrangements and legislative framework.
These are the objectives for water resources management: to enhance the conservation and protection of the country’s water resources and to promote its sustainable management; and to improve the assessment of the nation’s surface and ground water resources. Related strategies include: to expand and maintain existing country wide monitoring networks and systems for effective assessment of national water resources; to develop and maintain a management information system for all water sector related data for ease of storage, retrieval, manipulation and dissemination; to develop and implement a communication strategy for effective flow of data and information at different levels with a view to avoiding duplication of efforts and increasing sharing of knowledge and experience, efficiency and collaboration; to promote integrated planning, development and management of water resources at different levels and in different sectors to maximize benefits arising from hydropower, tourism, flood control, irrigation, water supply, water bottling, water for export and others to enhance complementarity and synergies; to encourage water conservation through the promotion of rainwater harvesting to further increase utilizable water resources; to introduce water use charges taking into account the economic value of water without however compromising the ability of poor communities to utilize water for domestic and other productive purposes.
In the field of governance, the policy aims to ensure participatory approach with effective involvement of all stakeholders at different levels in water resources management and development in order to ensure sustainability of sector programmes. This encompasses promoting the participation of Non-Governmental Organizations, Community Based Organisations and civil society in integrated water resources management.
A gender approach is adopted: the policy states that women and girls continue to play a central role in the provision, management and safeguarding of potable water. The pivotal role of women as providers and users of water and as guardians of the living environment requires enabling policies and strategies to empower them to participate at different levels of decision-making in water resources management and development and to share in the benefits of water utilization on the basis of equity.