PRIMARY SERVICES

The Constitution of Lesotho 1993

Section 147 (1) There shall be a Police Force for Lesotho that shall be responsible for the maintenance of law and order in Lesotho and shall have such other functions as may be prescribed by an Act of Parliament.

Police Service Act 1998

General functions of police service

Section 4 The police maintained under section 3 shall be called the Lesotho Mounted Police Service, and it shall be deployed in and throughout Lesotho to

·         Uphold the law,  
·         To preserve the peace,
·         Protects life and property,
·         To detect and prevent crime,
·         To apprehend offenders, bring offenders to justice, and for associated purposes.
 

General duties of police officers

Section 24 (1) It shall be the duty of every person attested as a police officer to serve the person of Lesotho in that office, diligently, impartially and ,with due regard to the Constitution to:

a) Preserve the peace and maintain law and order;

b) Prevent all offences against persons or property;

c) Detect offences apprehend offenders and bring them to justice;

And, while he holds that office, to the best of his skill and knowledge, discharge all the duties of that office faithfully according to the law.

ACTION RESEARCH

We conduct research on legal issues that have an effect on our people’s lives which need to be analyzed for reform. We are currently conduction a research on the extent and impact of Human Trafficking in Lesotho. The publications that WLSA publishes are a direct result of a research on the theme of the particular publication. We conduct action research to improve the way the public address issues and solve problems. We engage in interactive inquiry process that balances problem solving actions implemented in a collaborative context with data-driven collaborative analysis or research to understand underlying causes enabling future predictions about personal and organizational change and law reform where necessary.

INFORMATION, DOCUMENTATION AND DISSEMINATION

We provide information to the public through simplified legal documents and through public gathering and training workshops. We host a number of radio programs and Television programs to inform the public about legal issues that affect them. Documentation: after every research the information is documented and published for public consumption.

LEGAL ADVICE AND SERVICES

With the Trained Professional Legal personnel in our office we provide legal advice on all legal issues to people who come to our offices for assistance. We advise them on what is the legal solution to their problems and direct them to further assistance where our services do not suffice. We do act as mediators where possible. To reach an amicable decision without necessarily going to court.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

We provide training to the community as a form of dissemination of information and we train different people and organizations on different aspects of the law.

LOBBY AND ADVOCACY

Because we are an organization that strives for the realization of women’s rights which were ignored for a long time we attempt and do succeed to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators to incorporate women in their policies. We influence legislation on behalf of a special interest making sure that others' interests are duly defended or even simply making sure that minority interests are fairly defended against mere tyranny of the majority. We aim to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an asset of interest. Advocacy can include many activities that a person or organization undertakes including media campaigns, public speaking, commissioning and publishing research or poll or the 'filing of friend of the court briefs'.