Lesotho: Lives forgotten by new inheritance law

In the celebration of #lesbianvisibilityweek, we recognise how Lesotho’s new Administration of Estates and Inheritance Act, 2024, reframes lesbian visibility as power, showing that recognition in law is not only symbolic, but it also determines who is protected, remembered, and allowed to belong. While the Act was celebrated for advancing gender equality by recognising daughters and children born outside marriage as rightful heirs, it continues to exclude same-sex couples, leaving lesbian partners legally invisible when a loved one dies without a will. 

Through the lived experience of surviving partners who lost homes, shared property, and dignity after the death of a partner, the story exposes how love without legal recognition becomes vulnerability.  Visibility must go beyond being seen; it must include access to rights, protection, and the power to inherit, build, and sustain a family. It positions inheritance not simply as a legal issue, but as a question of equality, dignity, and economic justice, reminding us that true inclusion means recognising lesbian lives and relationships as valid, valuable, and deserving of protection under the law.

Read more here: https://newsdayonline.co.ls/lives-forgotten-by-lesothos-new-inheritance-law/