Poverty

Mauritius is committed to eradicating the relative poverty in the country. It is in this context that the Ministry of Social Integration and Economic empowerment has been created following the May 2010 general elections.

In line with the policy of the Government to eradicate poverty and to empower women to become self sufficient and more economically independent through income generating activities, various micro credit schemes are being provided. The programmes aim at alleviating poverty, raising standard of living and improving the status of women.

Mauritius, conscious that poverty affects more particularly women, has taken several initiatives at the national level to target women in the various poverty alleviation programmes: The Empowerment Programme enunciated in the 2007/08 budget is reinforced by the National Empowerment Foundation. This permanent structure paves the way for sustained support to those unemployed women who are above 45 years as compared to men of 50 years. The Empowerment Programme will thus address a gender gap in favour of women.

The creation of the Eradication of Absolute Poverty Programme (EAP) with an envelope of 395 million Mauritian rupees³⁵ in the 2008-2009 budget is testimony that Government’s policies are consistent with macroeconomic frameworks. Fully conscious that, climate change and food and energy crises can have gender related impact, the Government has set up in 2008 a Food Security Fund to cater for programmes pertaining to these issues. The Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare is a member of the said Committee and its involvement is focused on preventive and informative measures to sensitise women

34 Ibid.

35 Approximately $ 12.7 million

on the wise consumerism. The Home Economics Section of the National Gender Machinery is presently encouraging women to initiate kitchen gardening projects for their daily livelihood.

The Women and Children’s Solidarity Programme was created under the vote of the Prime Minister’s Office in the Financial Year 2007/2008 with a view to providing to Non-Governmental Organizations that are deeply committed to helping women and children who are victims of abuse and violence is highly commendable and does come at an opportune time since the need for more specialized spaces as well as informed services is increasingly being felt. The initial provision of Rs.25M³⁶ has been increased to Rs.50M in Financial Year 2008/2009.

A Special Collaborative Programme (SCP) for Support to Women and Children in Distress was introduced in July 2009, with an envelope of Rs. 200 million (USD 7 million). It provides a grant ceiling of 2 million Mauritian rupees (USD 67 000) to Non State Actors (NSAs) implementing projects to integrate women and children in distress into the mainstream of society. For the first round of offers under the SCP, 17 NSAs have received grants to the tune of 20.4 million Mauritian rupees³⁷.

3.5.4. Women’s rights

Conscious of the need to address the issue of violence against women in a comprehensive manner, the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare has adopted a broad framework to respond to domestic violence.

[...] Victims of domestic violence may be given legal assistance and psychological counseling depending on cases. In case victims decide to proceed to court level, they are provided with services of barristers as and when required at court level.

under the Protection from Domestic Violence Act, assistance to children victims of abuse as well as temporary accommodation in the shelter.

At present, the concept of Shelter in Mauritius is only focused on providing a temporary security place for battered women. There are two shelters to cater for victims of domestic violence. The Ministry is proposing to construct an additional shelter for women and children in distress.

Rehabilitation of victims of domestic violence is ensured through psychological counseling by a pool of Psychologists employed by the Ministry on permanent establishment. Moreover, under the Families in Distress Scheme, women victims of Domestic Violence who for various reasons cannot return to their previous residence are temporarily placed at a shelter following an Interim Protection Order. Upon their discharge from the shelter, they are given a one off allowance of Rs. 3000 to meet their immediate needs. In addition, in view of offering quality services to clients of Family Support Bureau, the Ministry has commissioned an evaluation of its Family Support Bureaus, which provide support to women victims of violence.

With a view to addressing the problem of domestic violence, a National Domestic Violence Committee comprising senior officials from different Ministries, department and NGOs has been set up in February 2009 by the Ministry to promote and adopt a coordinated approach in dealing with the scourge of domestic violence.

The National Domestic Violence Committee has as objective to ensure the coordination at central level and advise on policy matters relating to domestic violence; to assess and monitor the effectiveness of the Area Domestic Violence Committees (ADVC), which have been set up in the six (6) Family Support Bureaux of the Ministry.

The ADVC has been set up with key stakeholders from different Ministries and Departments to organize case conferencing in regard to actions taken by each

stakeholder on cases of domestic violence. The main objectives of the ADVC are inter-alia, to:

• Reduce and prevent the incidence of domestic violence;

• Provide accessible, reliable, timely and coordinated guidance on cases of domestic violence and ensure victims receive appropriate treatment and care; and

• Create an environment free from any forms of violence for the family and the community.

Women who are victims of violence and who are not in gainful employment are referred to the 13 Employment Information Centres of the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment (Employment Division) for any possible employment opportunities. [...]

With a view to strengthening public awareness campaigns to combat domestic violence, the Ministry of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare is proposing to work with the Local Government Authorities to reach the community and people at grassroot level to sensitize them on issues relating to domestic violence. To enable officers working in the community to become well versed with our services and legislation pertaining to domestic violence, training programmes will shortly be organised at national and regional levels.

Through intensified campaigns, victims of domestic violence will be further informed on their rights to support services available on a 24-hr basis which will enable them to report cases easily.

[...] the Ministry will shortly come up with a new project known as “Youth Empowerment Programme to Combat Domestic Violence”. This programme will

and women to sensitize them on issues pertaining to domestic violence and involve them in the fight against domestic violence.

With a view to eliminating discrimination against women, especially in the workplace, the following measures have been taken at the level of the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations & Employment:

(i) in the recent review of two Remuneration Regulations in the Field Crop and Orchard and Livestock sectors, the discriminatory provisions prescribing wages on a gender basis have been removed. The wages are now prescribed on a job content basis;

(ii) in order to ensure equal opportunities for women and men in the labour market, provisions have been incorporated in the new Employment Rights Act (No. 33 of 2008) to the effect that no worker shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by his employer in his employment or occupation; [...]

(iii) specific provisions have been introduced in the Employment Relations Act 2008 for the protection of fundamental rights of workers. Section 29 of the new Act provides that every employee shall have the right to establish or join, as a member, a trade union of his own choice, without previous authorisation and without distinction whatsoever or discrimination of any kind including discrimination as to occupation, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, colour, race, religion, HIV status, national extraction, social origin, political opinion or affiliation.

(iv) Moreover, a specific provision has been made in the Employment Rights Act 2008 for protection against sexual harassment which affects women mainly.

Severe penalties are laid down whereby any person who commits such an offence shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding 75.000 Mauritian rupees and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years³⁸.

38 Ibid.

3.5.5. Rights of the child

In order to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against the child in the family, the community, and at state levels, various mechanisms are in place and are effective. [...]

To create public awareness, sensitization and awareness campaigns targeted towards children are carried out on a regular basis through media by way of radio and television programmes. Talks are delivered to school children at primary and secondary levels and to parents, in regions at risks; and to the community at large with a view to sensitizing them on the protective needs of children against all forms of harm and abuse. [...]

Police Officers visit schools and deliver talks and lectures on a regular basis on child abuse and services available for the protection of children. [...]

Communities are being sensitized on the phenomenon of child abuse with a view to enabling them to initiate actions at their end when children are at risk. A surveillance mechanism has also been set up in high risk areas. A Capacity Building programme has been launched in May 2008.

Professionals such as Family Welfare & Protection Officers, Child Welfare Officers, Police Officers, Probation Officers, Medical Social Workers and NGOs working with children have been trained by a local consultant with a view to providing better services to victims of CSEC. The training programmes are ongoing. [...]

So far, a total of 831 Police Officers (both male and female) have been trained in course including Trafficking in persons and Sensitisation against sexual exploitation and abuse of minors. [...] Since January 2008, 500 crackdown operations have been

operations are seen to contribute in an efficient way to prevent young persons from playing truancy and loitering thereby getting involved in illicit activities [...]³⁹.

The Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act was passed on 21 April 2009. The objectives of the Act are to give effect to the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in persons; prevent and combat trafficking in persons; and protect and assist victims of trafficking. It provides for repatriation of victims of trafficking, and return of victims of trafficking to Mauritius, as well as compensation to victims of trafficking.

The Employment Rights Act 2008 defines a ‘child’ as ‘a person under the age of 16’

and a ‘young person’ as a ‘person, other than a child, who is under the age of 18’.

Section 12 (1) of the Act prohibits the employment of children whilst Section 12 (2) (a) prohibits the employment of young persons on work which is likely to jeopardise the health, safety, physical, mental, moral or social development of the young person. A child under the age of 16 cannot be employed even as an apprentice. The Employment Rights Act 2008 provides for penalties for failing to comply with any provision of the Act, that is, a fine not exceeding Rs 10,000⁴⁰ and a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year.

Officers of the Inspection and Enforcement Section of the Ministry effect systematic visits at undertakings and all places of work, thus covering both the formal and informal sectors of employment to detect and sanction cases of child labour.

Whenever a child is found in illegal employment, the employer is required to discontinue such employment and criminal action is taken against the employer accordingly⁴¹.

39 Ibid.

40 Approximately $ 330

41 Government of Mauritius, op. cit.