- More than eight in 10 Basotho (85%) say they or a household member went without a cash income at least once during the past year, while 60% experienced shortages of food and half went without needed medical care (50%) and water (50%) at least once (Figure 1).
- About six in 10 Basotho (59%) experienced moderate or high lived poverty during the previous year, meaning they frequently went without basic life necessities. This is an 11-percentage-point decrease compared to 2020 (Figure 2).
- Moderate/High lived poverty was more common in rural areas than in cities (67% vs. 49%) and among women than among men (62% vs. 54%) (Figure 3). o Citizens with no formal education or only primary schooling report the highest levels of lived poverty (76% and 66%, respectively, compared to 33% of those with post-secondary qualifications). o Older Basotho report higher levels of moderate/high lived poverty (64%, compared to 50% of respondents aged 18-25 years).
- Unemployment is the most important problem that Basotho want their government to address, cited by 63% of respondents as one of their three priorities (Figure 4). o Unemployment is followed by infrastructure/roads (47%), water supply (23%), electricity (20%), and poverty (18%).
- Majorities of Basotho say the government is doing a poor job of creating employment opportunities (87%), improving the living standards of the poor (68%), providing water and sanitation services (65%), providingMajorities of Basotho say the government is doing a poor job of creating employment opportunities (87%), improving the living standards of the poor (68%), providing water and sanitation services (65%), providing reliable electricity (58%), and maintaining roads and bridges (58%) (Figure 5). reliable electricity (58%), and maintaining roads and bridges (58%) (Figure 5).
About six in 10 Basotho experienced moderate or high lived poverty during the past year, a significant improvement compared to 2020, a recent Afrobarometer survey shows.
Reflecting shortages of basic life necessities such as food, water, and a cash income, moderate/high lived poverty was most common among rural residents, women, the elderly, and those with no formal education.
The proportion of Basotho who suffered frequent deprivation of basic life necessities peaked in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, but has since decreased steadily.
Unemployment tops citizens’ list of priorities for government action, and an overwhelming majority say the government is performing poorly on creating jobs for its people.
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