UNFPA Hands Over Equipment to Lesotho for 2026 Population and Housing Census

The United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency (UNFPA) has officially handed over tablets and other equipment to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. The equipment will support preparations for the 2026 Population and Housing Census.

Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. Rets’elisitsoe Matlanyane, said the tablets will be used to prepare for the census. She noted that the census is a key tool for analyzing national trends, including unemployment, and will temporarily employ around 8,000 people, mostly youth. The census is scheduled for April 2026.

Dr. Matlanyane highlighted that the census is a significant step toward understanding the nation’s needs, demographics, and living conditions. The data collected will inform government policy, guide resource allocation, improve service delivery, reveal disease trends to aid the health sector, and strengthen national planning across all sectors. She emphasized that the census will also tell the story of Lesotho’s people and communities.

UNFPA Representative to Lesotho, Mr. John Kennedy Mosoti, stressed the importance of inclusive participation. He said everyone must be counted to ensure the data accurately reflects the nation’s population.

Both the Ministry and UNFPA described the census as central to national development. The information collected will support evidence-based policy-making, guide decisions on healthcare, education, housing, and infrastructure, and help identify disease trends and health needs.

The handover of equipment marks a critical milestone in Lesotho’s preparations for a comprehensive and effective census in 2026.