PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Mauritius: Mauritius celebrates International Women’s Day
Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA) - On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, celebrated Wednesday, the Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has said “gender equality is not a privilege, it is a right; we need to promote and inculcate a culture of gender parity and respect for women.”
Speaking at an official function to celebrate the vent in Pailles, near Port-Louis, Mr Jugnauth noted the contribution of women to the socio-economic development of the country and their fight for their own rights, including that to work.
On the introduction in January of the nine-year schooling programme, he said this is a revolution for the education sector in the country, and underlined the importance of raising children with the right values to bring about, in the future, a more respectable society.
Mr Jugnauth underscored the necessity to eliminate discrimination and protect women against any form of violence, and announced the setting up of several hotlines with a view to combatting domestic violence and facilitating access to assistance and protection.
The Prime Minister listed a series of measures taken by the Government to achieve gender parity. These include the order for public companies listed on the Stock Exchange to have at least one woman on their Board of Directors; the setting up of a Parliamentary Gender Caucus to ensure that gender equality issues are addressed, mainstreamed into policies, legislation and parliamentary processes; the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for gender equality to conduct research and recommend measures to achieve gender parity; and the implementation of the gender responsive budgeting mechanism to address the needs of men and women equitably.
Also speaking, Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare Minister Fazilah Daureeawoo, appealed for a change in mindsets and attitudes to attain gender equality, and consequently a fairer and more just society.
She made a plea for girls and boys to have the same opportunities and status as well as equal access to education.
International Women’s Day is commemorated on 8 March annually to celebrate the achievements in favour of women as well as reflect and develop strategies and actions plan to address gender gaps and achieve gender equality.
-0- PANA NA/VAO 8March2017
Speaking at an official function to celebrate the vent in Pailles, near Port-Louis, Mr Jugnauth noted the contribution of women to the socio-economic development of the country and their fight for their own rights, including that to work.
On the introduction in January of the nine-year schooling programme, he said this is a revolution for the education sector in the country, and underlined the importance of raising children with the right values to bring about, in the future, a more respectable society.
Mr Jugnauth underscored the necessity to eliminate discrimination and protect women against any form of violence, and announced the setting up of several hotlines with a view to combatting domestic violence and facilitating access to assistance and protection.
The Prime Minister listed a series of measures taken by the Government to achieve gender parity. These include the order for public companies listed on the Stock Exchange to have at least one woman on their Board of Directors; the setting up of a Parliamentary Gender Caucus to ensure that gender equality issues are addressed, mainstreamed into policies, legislation and parliamentary processes; the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for gender equality to conduct research and recommend measures to achieve gender parity; and the implementation of the gender responsive budgeting mechanism to address the needs of men and women equitably.
Also speaking, Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare Minister Fazilah Daureeawoo, appealed for a change in mindsets and attitudes to attain gender equality, and consequently a fairer and more just society.
She made a plea for girls and boys to have the same opportunities and status as well as equal access to education.
International Women’s Day is commemorated on 8 March annually to celebrate the achievements in favour of women as well as reflect and develop strategies and actions plan to address gender gaps and achieve gender equality.
-0- PANA NA/VAO 8March2017
