Africa-Press – Mauritius. A workshop on international conventions relating to gender-based violence (GBV), a joint initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade and the United Nations in Mauritius, kicked off, this morning, at Le Sirius, Labourdonnais Hotel, Caudan, Port-Louis.
The Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mr Alan Ganoo, and the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Mrs Christine Umutoni, were present during the launching ceremony.
In his address on the occasion, Minister Ganoo underlined that GBV is the most dehumanising form of gender oppression and is a calamity in every society and country.
Violence against woman and girls is an extreme manifestation of gender inequality and systemic gender-based discrimination, he highlighted. Mr Ganoo underlined that women’s rights are integral to the universal human rights.
Government’s priority is to uphold gender equality, empower women, and protect children for a fairer society, he said. Mauritius, he underlined, has remained true to its pledge to curb GBV and has become a party to a number of conventions on human rights, both on regional and international fronts.
The most recent convention ratified by Mauritius is the ILO Convention No. 190, the first international treaty to address violence and violence in the world of work, he pointed out.
Furthermore, the Foreign Affairs Minister stated that the National Strategy and Action Plan on the elimination of GBV was launched in 2020 which is a testament to Government’s commitment to deal with this issue.
He recalled that the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, has also set up a ministerial committee on the elimination of GBV last year, with the aim to propose a National strategy and Action plan which will be holistic, integrated, and based on an analysis survey framework to contextualise policy development, allocate resources efficiently, respond to new legislative framework, and strengthen institutions for improved service delivery.
Speaking about the impacts of COVID-19, Minister Ganoo highlighted that the pandemic has given rise to an increasing number of cases of GBV which has been aggravated by the fragile economic environment that affects more women.
According to him, despite these constraints, women should be given the necessary support in the form of laws, policies, and programmes that must be put into place in line with international agreement.
He expressed gratitude to the UN which has been a steady partner in the development agenda of the country. We will continue with this strong partnership to achieve all sustainable development goals (SDGSs), he stated.
Speaking about the workshop, he said that it reflects Government’s engagement to achieve SDG 5, that is gender equality. This workshop will enable participants to learn about international laws and how to adapt them to suit our unique Mauritian laws, he added.
As for Mrs Christine Umutoni, she underlined that Mauritius has set a good example in the region and in the African continent for its commitment taken to curb GBV through its National strategy, Action plan, and related activities.
She further spoke of the need for all stakeholders to work together to address this issue and underlined that awareness is key. Victims, she said, need to know where to go, where to voice out, and how to speak out. She also affirmed that people’s understanding of the issue is the beginning for change.
