The relationship between gender based violence and women’s education in Lesotho: change or continuity?

Thandie Hlabana, National University of Lesotho
Tiisetso Makatjane, National University of Lesotho

Gender based violence (GBV) is a global phenomenon with dire effects on society. In Lesotho, there has been increasing reports of GBV in an era of female empowerment and legislation that criminalise GBV. This research is interested in unpacking the relationship between GBV and women’s education in Lesotho. This is particularly interesting because literacy rate of women is 21% greater than that of men in Lesotho. Literature suggests that women’s education reduces the experience of GBV through empowerment, autonomy, and access to information and other resources. However, this research uses a mixed methods approach to argue that women’s education also puts Basotho women at risk of experiencing GBV due to the continuing traditional practices that foster female subordination in the both the household and society. We use data from the 2009 Lesotho DHS and in-depth interviews with both of women and men to offer a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon.