USAID/Lesotho Khutlo Project Formative Research Report

This Formative Research was carried out to collect and analyse baseline information to determine the magnitude and drivers of violence against the LGBTQI+ community and cishet women and girls, to map community-based networks and establish local GBV resources, to gather relevant data for key project indicators to depict the actual situation in the project  areas and to create a benchmark for evaluating the project measuring results, to inform the development of key program social behavior change (SBC) materials, and, to identify any potential challenges or barriers to success that may need to be addressed before implementing the Khutlo Activity. The findings of the Formative Research will be used by Sonke, Pact and other relevant stakeholders to establish the baseline markers for the project’s key performance indicators and guide project implementation. This research study looks into the under explored issue of GBV targeting the LGBTQI+ community in Lesotho, as well as exploring the context of GBV among cishet women and girls, specifically focusing on the three districts of Maseru, Leribe and Mokhotlong. This executive summary provides an overview of the key findings, implications, conclusions, and recommendations arising from the research.