Last week, the Trust was invited by Lesotho's Ministry of Law and our partner organisation, The People’s Matrix, to deliver hate crimes and communications training in the capital Maseru. The meetings were attended by legislators, government officials, and leaders representing a broad range of civil society who benefit from protective laws. The team - comprising Emma Eastwood, our Head of Strategic Communications, our Southern Africa Senior Associate, Lesego Nchunga, and Professor @MarkaaWalters, a global expert on hate crimes from @SussexLaw - also met with the Attorney General to explore options for advancing hate crime legislation in Lesotho.

When supporting governments with protective legislation, we understand that drafting is just the starting point. For a law to be truly effective, it must be clearly understood and effectively enforced. That’s why, where possible, our technical support goes beyond the drafting process to include assistance with implementation. In March, six months after the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill was enacted in Seychelles, our Deputy Head of Legal, Rosie Brighouse, Senior Legal Consultant Wendy Boucrot, and Professor @MarkaaWalters travelled to the country to provide training to the Attorney General’s Office and the Seychelles Police Force on recognising hate crimes and applying the new legislation.