The Ministry is responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies for the rights and welfare of women, children and families.
It comprises four main units, the Gender Unit, the Child Development Unit, the Family Welfare Unit and the Planning and Research Unit which promote the empowerment of women, the protection and development of children and family welfare.
OUR VISION
To have a society which is free from violence, exploitation and discrimination based on sex, where the fundamental rights of women and children are respected and where human values within the family and the civil society are cherished.
OUR MISSION
To frame and execute policies and programmes geared towards upgrading the status of women, children and family, to safeguard their rights, to protect them against all kinds of abuse and discrimination.
OUR OBJECTIVES
To implement policies, programmes, projects and activities geared towards:
(i) protection of women and children against violence and abuse;
(ii) promotion of the welfare of women, children and families;
(iii) safeguarding the rights of women and children; and
(iv) economic empowerment of women through basic skills development and entrepreneurship development.
OUR CORE VALUES
We are guided and fully subscribe to the Code of Ethics developed for Public Officers
We practise and promote the following values:
• We are committed to provide a quality service to our customers;
• We strive to meet set targets;
• We work as a team and share acquired experience;
• We ensure that all customers are treated in all fairness;
• We are result-oriented; and
• We are committed to the principles of good governance.
We cater for specific groups such as women, children, family members and the community at large through a decentralized network of services.
CHARTER COVERAGE
The Citizen’s Charter is a valuable guide which provides useful information on the services and activities of the different units of the Ministry.
UNDER THIS CHARTER WE PLEGDE TO:
• Provide information on our various services to the public
• Provide information on how to have access to the various services of the Ministry
• Set standards and targets for our services
• Provide information on addresses/telephone numbers of sections/persons to be contacted if the public has to report cases of child abuse, domestic violence, child neglect, child abandonment and any other related complaints.
GENDER UNIT
In line with the National Constitution, Human Rights Instruments and Conventions that the Republic of Mauritius is party to at the global and regional levels, the Gender Unit serves as an institutional and coordinating mechanism to the National Gender Machinery for the implementation and monitoring of gender mainstreaming strategies for the empowerment of women and promotion of gender equality and equity. In order to respond to changing gender relations and socio economic conditions, programmes of the Gender Unit are further guided by the National Gender Policy Framework (2008).
The Gender Unit has adopted a two pronged approach to development, namely through:-
(i)
outreach activities undertaken at grass-root level through the 15 Women Centres, two Empowerment Centres, one Regional Development Centre and one National Women Development Centre; the National Women ‘s Council (NWC); the National Women Entrepreneur Council (NWEC); and some 1050 Women’s Associations with respect to capacity building, service delivery and sensitisation campaigns geared towards the empowerment of women (The list of Women Centres is at Appendix 1); and
(ii)
gender mainstreaming at policy, programming and output level with Ministries/ Departments and other stakeholders in line with the National Gender Policy Framework and the recent reform towards effective public financial management systems
empower women through capacity building and sensitisation programmes to enhance their lifestyles and status in society;
(ii)
promote an entrepreneurship culture amongst women to encourage them to engage in income-generating activities for their sustainable livelihoods and alleviation of poverty;
(iii)
inculcate skills such as leadership and decision-making to enable women to be active participants and equal beneficiaries of services and resources at community level; and
(iv)
mobilise women for advocacy and lobbying to promote women’s issues on the national agenda.
(b)
Mainstream Gender at Policy/ Programming level and act as a monitoring body
(i)
design and elaborate a policy and institutional framework for gender mainstreaming and monitoring at national level;
(ii)
act as the coordinating body for gender mainstreaming and gender issues for national development programmes;
(iii)
facilitate the development of gender based analysis through gender disaggregated data in policy development, planning and programming;
(iv)
develop capacity of stakeholders to mainstream gender at policy and programming level;
(v)
provide technical support and backstopping to stakeholders to develop their respective gender policies in line with the programme based budgeting exercise thereby sustaining gender sensitive budgeting;
(vi)
monitor and evaluate the implementation of gender and development interventions and strategies;
(vii)
serve as main channel of communication with implementing, financing, regional and international partners; and
(viii)
maintain a plethora of gender related information through an integrated knowledge management/ information system.
Whilst working towards women’s empowerment, the Gender Unit serves as a focal point and provides the following services and facilities through its decentralized services:-
Skill Development Programme/Training Programmes in various fields such as ;-
Physical Well-Being/Sports; Health Care/Body Care; Cookery; Educational Skills: Adult Literacy; Information Technology, Handicraft and other related crafts
Sustained Information, Education and Communication(IEC) campaigns are regularly conducted on important and sensitive issues related to women which include women’s rights, gender equality, health issues amongst others
Various Associations and clubs are also attached to these Centres, namely, Agricultural Clubs, Women’s Associations, Women Sports Associations, Kites clubs, IT clubs and Weight Management Clubs.
Conscious of the need to promote a forum where women (both rural and urban) can participate actively in decisions related to their welfare and empowerment, this Ministry through the Gender Unit has set up Participatory Advisory Committees (PACs) in each Women Centre since November 2007. The PAC comprises representatives of various stakeholders and interest groups at local and community levels. PACs also act as an interface between the National Gender Machinery (NGM) and the community by adopting a bottom-up approach to national development whereby strategic and practical needs of the rural and urban community, in particular women, are taken into consideration. An Action Plan (2009-2010) in the different areas of development prioritized by PACs has been elaborated and is being implemented accordingly.
In line with the second objective, the Gender Unit also aims at mainstreaming gender at policy/ programming level and acting as a monitoring body. For the period 2005-2009, the following actions have been taken to ensure the realisation of the set objective:-
The Gender Focal Point (GFP) mechanism has been revived. There are presently thirty-three GFPs in line Ministries and departments, including representatives from civil society organisations. GFPs have already received basic gender training on gender mainstreaming.
Various publications related to the promotion of gender equality have been published and are being widely distributed as means of sensitization and awareness of gender issues
A National Gender Policy Framework (NGPF) has been designed as an overarching framework that provides the guiding principles, broad operational strategies and institutional arrangements for achieving gender equality at the national level. The NGPF was approved by the Government and has been launched in March 2008 and it further sees implementation in line with the current reforms of the Government towards performance management and programme based budgeting.
In that respect, as part of strategic budgeting initiatives, key entry points for engendering of the Programme Based Budgeting (PBB) exercise have been identified with pilot Ministries. These include, inter- alia, the preparation with Ministries of their respective gender policies and sector strategies in line with the NGPF and PBB.
Pilot Ministries have been provided with technical gender expertise to guide them in the process of aligning budgets to sectoral strategies within the context of the NGPF and international commitments made towards a human rights based and gendered approach to development.
Sectoral guidelines to assist Ministries/ departments to develop their respective gender policies have been produced to ensure effective implementation of the NGPF through programme based budgeting. This Ministry has also been working with eight (8) Pilot Ministries to engender their Programme Based Budgeting (PBB).
A Gender Information System which is an online web-interface, allowing interaction among GFPs, will also be operational shortly.
The Home Economics Unit is a sub-section of the Gender Unit. It organises outreach capacity building programmes, service delivery (Weight Management Clubs, Agricultural Clubs) and undertakes sensitisation campaigns, through a network of around 150 centres spread over the whole island.
The aim is to empower the community members both socially and economically with a view to enhancing their quality of life.
Programmes run are free of cost and cover a wide range of domains such as Healthy Eating, Home Management, Child Development, Floral Design, Pastry and Dessert, Food Preservation, Home Decoration and Curtain Making.
The Child Development Unit (CDU) offers a decentralised service to the public through its six (6) Family Support Bureaux (FSB) scattered across the island. The list of the FSBx is at Appendix II.
Services Offered:
A Hot Line Service: 113
A 24-hour service is offered through Hotline 113 where the public can report anonymously or non anonymously cases of children at risk. On receipt of such cases, we intervene promptly to put the children in security.
Psychological and Legal Counselling
Children victims of abuse as well as their families are offered the assistance and counseling of psychologists and legal advisers at Family Support Bureaux.
Tardy Declaration of Birth
Arrangements are made for the registration of all reported tardy declarations of birth of children in Mauritius within the shortest delay.
Foster Care
Children who are victims of child abuse/neglect are placed in foster care for a period varying from 14 days to 2 years, thus giving them the opportunity to grow in a normal family environment.
Early Childhood Development (ECD)
In the field of ECD, we organise various activities for children in the age group 0-3 years aimed at promoting their overall development.
We organise basic courses of 4 months’ duration in ECD for Managers/ Caregivers of registered Day Care Centres (DCCs) to equip them with the required knowledge, skills and competences to enable them to work professionally.
We monitor closely all the registered DCCs to ensure that proper child care services are being provided and that norms are being complied with.
Drop in Centre
We assist children victims of sexual abuse including those who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation and help them reintegrate in the mainstream of the society. Free legal assistance, psychological counseling and rehabilitation services are also provided to these children at the above Centre.
National Parental Empowerment Programme
It provides parents appropriate developmental skills so that they are empowered to manage their parental problems and will create awareness and understanding of the rights of the child among parents and the community.
Community Child Protection Programme (CCPP)
The CCPP has been set up at community, district and national level to act as a surveillance mechanism to identify children at risk and victims of abuse and involve community action in the prevention of child abuse and rehabilitation of children, victims of abuse and neglect.
The Child Mentoring Programme
We provide the opportunity to children facing difficulties to get guidance and care from a role model, the child mentor. The trusting relationships between the child and the mentor promotes about positive changes and outcomes in the life of the child being mentored.
Crackdown Operations
We organise Crackdown Operations at regular intervals to ensure that young persons and students are attending schools during normal school hours. Such operations contribute in an efficient way to prevent young persons from playing truancy and loitering so as to avoid them getting involved in illicit activities and be exposed to risks of abuse.
Alternative Care
As a measure of last resort, children who are at risk in their family environment or in any other environment where there is no family, are removed and placed as follows:
(i) in shelters which provide temporary accommodation, after the issue of an Emergency Protection Order; and
(ii) in other Residential Care Institutions which provide more permanent residential care facilities following Committal Orders. These institutions are Charitable Institutions/ Non Governmental Organisations which work in collaboration with the Ministry and declared as place of safety as per the Child Protection Act.
The Family Welfare and Protection Unit operates through a network of six (6) Family Support Bureaux (FSBx) and provides services for children and adults victims of violence, abuse, neglect or having psychological, family and legal problems. The list of the FSBx is at Appendix II.
Services Provided:
Family Counselling Service
• We provide information to the public as well as legal and psychological counselling.
• We provide individual and mass counseling on all family-related problems.
• All counselling sessions are carried out in strict confidentiality by a Family Counselling Officer, backed up by a Psychologist and/or a Legal Resource Person.
• As far as possible, we strive to arrange appointments with the Psychologist and/or Legal Resource Person within the shortest delay possible. Special attention is given to emergency cases.
Protection against Domestic Violence
• Victims of domestic/family violence are given the necessary assistance by our Family Welfare and Protection Officers in the drafting of affidavits in their application for Protection Order at Court level. They receive legal assistance whenever required.
• Our Family Welfare and Protection Officers are responsible for the enforcement of the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act.
• We provide information to any member of the public on the subject of Domestic Violence.
Training and Capacity Building
• We conduct specific training programmes on a regular basis to develop the relevant expertise of our personnel and service providers.
• Training programmes are also been conducted with the local government, religious bodies and other stakeholders in order to sensitise them on the issue of domestic violence.
Feedback and Suggestions
• Feedback and suggestions on the services provided are welcomed. Suggestions Boxes are available in all the FSBx.
The Planning and Research Unit acts as a coordination and support unit which provides technical back up to all the Units and para-statal bodies operating under the aegis of the Ministry. It is also responsible for the preparation of policies, programmes, projects, action plans and reports on issues relating to women, child development and family welfare. It establishes base line data on women, family and children in the fields of health, education and employment amongst others.
WOMEN CENTRES
Opening days and hours: Monday to Friday from 0845 hrs to 1600 hrs
Appendix I
SN
Name
Address
Tel No. (230)
1.
France Boyer de la Giroday Women Centre
Paillote Municipal Complex, Quatre Bornes
427 9845
427 9644
2.
Indira Gandhi Women Centre
Royal Road, Riv. du Rempart
412 7565/Fax
412 4109, 412 4808
412 6642
3.
Lady Sushil Ramgoolam Women Centre
Royal Road, Bambous
452 0460/Fax
4.
Flacq Women Centre
Near Auguste Volaire Stadium, Flacq
413 2124/Fax
413 9754, 413 9728
5.
Rose Hill Women Centre
Labourdonnais Street,
(Opp. Orian Centre), Rose Hill
89 KB)
