Africa-Press – Mauritius. Certificates were remitted yesterday, by the Minister of Public Service, Administrative and Institutional Reforms, Mr Teeruthraj Hurdoyal, to a first batch of 26 public officers of the Human Resource (HR) Cadre who followed a one-day training programme on gender mainstreaming.
The award of certificate ceremony was held in Port-Louis. The objectives of the course were to provide insights of fundamental human rights instruments that speak of women’s rights and gender equality and familiarise participants with an understanding of the gender concept and key-related terminologies.
It also aimed at enabling participants to identify gender gaps within their respective departments and adopt gender sensitive approaches/actions in addressing these issues.
In his address, Minister Hurdoyal highlighted that the training programme on gender mainstreaming is placing the promotion of gender equality at the core of Government’s agenda.
He recalled that in November 2020, the Prime Minister’s Office came out with the National Strategy and Action Plan of the High-Level Committee on the Elimination of Gender-Based Violence in Mauritius and that his Ministry was given the privilege to be the Lead Agency for implementing activities recommended in the National Strategy and Action Plan.
He indicated that so far, some 400 public officers have received training. The Minister pointed out that HR officers are in a unique position to prioritise equality for employees to feel respected and valued and have the significant responsibility to integrate gender equality in all decisions, policy formulation, planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation cycle.
To ensure that Government’s vision pertaining to gender equality is translated into actions in the Service, he stressed, it was necessary that HR officers are imparted with necessary knowledge on gender mainstreaming activities and be equipped with required skills for effective and sustainable implementation of the gender equality principles across the public service.
According to him, the training programme will enable trainees to improve and acquire the necessary skills and competences to participate actively in the improvement of the public service.
In addition, the Minister reiterated his Ministry’s commitment to promote a gender-equal public service and urged the trained public officers to apply what they have learned in the exercise of their duties.
