In its 21st Annual General Meeting (AGM) and the 11th NGO Week in December 2010, the Lesotho Council of NGOs (LCN) resolved to strengthen ties with various stakeholders in order to improve civic engagement, accountability and effective governance. These include improving linkages between secretariat and member NGOs and strengthening partnerships with relevant government ministries and development partners. This is done to advance debate, engagement and monitoring of national policy issues.

On this annual event that was held in marking 20 years since LCN’s establishment, members further sought to demand statutory bodies and state organs’ accountability, responsiveness and transparency such as establishment of Human Rights Commission and National Planning Board as provided for by the Constitution.

The AGM and NGO Week are two of the major events in the LCN calendar as it is at this time (end of year) that the NGO community annually converge to reflect and discuss some of the major issues forming the national agenda as emanating from national programmes and policy papers such as National Vision 2020, APRM and Poverty Reduction Strategy (PSRP).

Apart from deliberating on topical issues such as ‘improved food security and poverty eradication, challenges of the economic development in the wake of a dwindling resources, promoting a responsive education system, human rights in times of HIV/AIDS and building stable democracy and good governance emanating from the programme the AGM produced a new board that will oversee and supervise the strategic vision of the organization for the next two years (2011-2013).

Elections of the board included filling up the positions of the President, deputy president, treasurer and the six sectoral commissioners.

The membership and sectoral engagement of LCN is clustered into 6 sector commissions based on mandates and programmatic orientation of members. The purpose of the commissions is to cluster organisations with a similar mandate together to facilitate programming and coordination.

Following are the new board members:
President: Mr. Lira Theko
Deputy President: Mr. Molefi Mafanti
Treasurer: Ms. Thusoana Ntlama
Health and Social Development Commissioner: Mr. Lemohang Molibeli
Disaster Management and Humanitarian Relief Commissioner: Ms. Matseko Thulo
Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Commissioner: Mr. Sechaba Mokhameleli
Economic Justice Commissioner: Mr. Daniel Maraisane
Women and Children Commissioner: Mrs. ‘Masenate Moremoholo
Democracy and Human Rights Commissioner: Mr. Mabusetsa Lenka

The Lesotho Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (LCN) is an umbrella organization for NGOs in Lesotho. It was established in May 1990 with an objective of providing supportive services to the NGO Community. The Council implements this through networking and leadership training and development, information dissemination, capacity building, coordination, advocacy and representation when dealing with the government and the international community.