The European Union (EU) in Lesotho recognises the vital role of young people in shaping their future and is committed to ensuring their meaningful participation in decision-making. This commitment is reflected in initiatives such as the Youth Sounding Board (YSB), support for youth-led organisations, and programmes that create economic opportunities and foster international exchanges.

One key initiative is the Youth Power Hub, a collaborative effort between the EU, UNICEF, and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). This platform empowers young people in Lesotho to actively engage in policy discussions, ensuring their voices influence development agendas and their participation is sustained in shaping solutions for the country's progress.

Pitso is the Sesotho word for traditional community gatherings to discuss issues of concerns and take collective decisions. A first Pitso was held in September 2024, using the Youth4Foresight approach. On 29 January  2025, another Youth Pitso session was held at Thaba-Bosiu under the theme “High-Level Panel Discussion on the Enabling Environment for Youth Empowerment and Development .” The session provided a platform for policy-makers, youth leaders, and stakeholders to engage in transformative discussions on youth empowerment, national budgeting, and governance.

UNICEF Lesotho, 2025

Key dignitaries, including the EU Ambassador to Lesotho, H.E. Paola Amadei, the Minister of Youth, Gender, and Social Development, Hon. Pitso Lesaoana, and the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Social Cluster Committee, Hon. Mokhothu Makhalanyane, attended the event. They led the plenary dialogue, engaging directly with participants on critical youth development issues.

As a follow-up to the Youth Pitso, the Parliamentary Social Cluster Committee invited youth-led civil society organisations (CSOs) to review and provide constructive input on the National Youth Bill. The CSOs welcomed this opportunity to help shape the legislation and emphasised the need for continued youth mobilisation and engagement in matters affecting them. The consultations began on 10 February 2025, focusing on strengthening the legal framework for public participation in planning, budgeting, and broader development processes. At least 18 Youth-led CSOs provided testimony to having fully exploited the opportunity to provide meaningful inputs to the Youth Bill during social cluster committee consultations at central and local government level.

Plant One Tree, 2024

The European Union’s initiatives in Lesotho reflect a strong commitment to youth empowerment and inclusive development. Through the Youth Power Hub, in collaboration with its partners, the EU provides a dynamic platform for young Basotho to actively shape national development conversations, including by incubating, accompanying and building the capacity of 32 youth-led CSOs across the country. This approach ensures that youth play a pivotal role in driving sustainable, inclusive development solutions. By supporting initiatives such as the Youth Sounding Board (YSB - Youth Pitso), the EU strengthens its partnership with Lesotho while fostering the growth of youth organisations, expanding economic opportunities, and promoting meaningful engagement in governance. With the aim to integrate various EU support to youth in Lesotho, the last pitso saw also the participation by a Study in Europe Alumni. The Study in Europe Alumni network was created in November 2024 to keep in contact with Basotho and European Alumni from Erasmus+ or EU bilateral exchange programmes in higher education connected to Lesotho. Since then, alumni have animated information session on Erasmus and exchange programmes together with the EU Delegation and the Erasmus national Focal Point. All these integrated efforts set a benchmark for inclusive and participatory development across the region.