The Gender Unit
		Introduction
		Services and Facilities
		A Change in Appellation - From Women's Rights to Gender Equality
		Capacity Building Programmes
		African Women's Decade (AWD) 2010 - 2020
		List of Names of Women Centres

  Introduction 

In line with the National Constitution, Human Rights Instruments and Conventions that the Republic of Mauritius is party 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 is further guided by the National Gender Policy Framework (2008).

	The Gender Unit has adopted a two pronged approach to development, namely through:-
	Outreach activities undertaken through the 16 Women Centres (view list), 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 1200 Women’s Associations with respect to capacity building, service delivery and sensitization campaign geared towards the empowerment of women with a view to: empower women through capacity building and sensitization programs to enhance their lifestyles and status in society promote an entrepreneurship culture amongst women to encourage them to engage in income generating activities for their sustainable livelihoods and alleviation of poverty inculcate skills such as leadership and decision-making to enable women to be active participants and equal beneficiaries for services and resources at community level; and mobilize women for advocacy and lobbying to promote women’s issues on the national agenda
	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
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	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 level
	(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
	(viii)	Maintain a plethora of gender related information through an integrated knowledge management/ information system
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Services and Facilities

	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; Home Economics; Educational Skills: Adult Literacy; Information Technology and other related crafts
	Information, Education and Communication(IEC) campaigns are conducted on important issues related to women which include Women’s rights, gender equality, health issues amongst others
	Various Associations and clubs are also operational at the level of Women 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 decision 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 PAC has been elaborated and is being implemented accordingly.
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	The Gender Focal Point (GFP) mechanism has been revived into gender cells.
	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.
	Four 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.
	To date the following four (4) Pilot Ministries have formulated their sectoral gender policies with the technical assistance of this Ministry, an International Consultant on Gender and the UNDP namely, Ministry of Youth and Sports; Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment; Ministry of Education, Culture and Human Resources; and Ministry of Women’s Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare with the assistance of an International Consultant on Gender.
	This Ministry has also been working with eight (8) Pilot Ministries to engender their Programme Based Budgeting (PBB). As at date, programmes of those Ministries namely Civil Service and Administrative Reforms; Finance and Economic Development; Youth and Sports; Education, Culture and Human Resource; Social Security, National Solidarity and Senior Citizens Welfare & Reform Institutions; and Agro-industry, Food Production and Security have been engendered. This process will be replicated in other Ministries in due course.
	In order to strengthen its existing mechanism the Ministry held its first meeting on the National Steering Committee for Gender Mainstreaming on Thursday 08 July 2010 under the chairpersonship of Hon (Mrs) S.Bappoo. The Steering Committee (SC) has the following objectives: closely monitor and evaluate the overall implementation of the NGPF with regards to progress made towards- (i) formulation of their sector-specific gender policies and (ii) engendering selected programmes in their PBB exercise; provide guidance, and wherever necessary, new strategic orientations for the effective implementation of the National Gender Policy Framework; iprovide a forum for exchange of views and discussions on current and emerging gender issues and on engendering of the Programme Based Budgeting exercise, amongst others; identify gaps towards successful implementation of the National Gender Policy Framework and provide solutions for redressing gender gaps; establish, where necessary sectoral working groups at the level of Ministries, to formulate gender policies; and promote a culture of gender responsiveness at the work-place
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A Change in Appellation - From Women's Rights to Gender Equality

	In 2008, with the impetus gained from the different gender mainstreaming programmes and in light of the international trend towards implementing gender equality, a National Gender Policy Framework was adopted and the Women`s Unit of the Ministry was renamed as the Gender Unit.
	The change in appellation of the Ministry therefore follows suit. The appellation of the Ministry is aligned to the appellation of the Gender Unit. The Ministry will continue to acts as the National Gender Machinery that will monitor the implementation of gender sensitive policies and programmes for both women`s empowerment and gender equality.
	The objective of the Gender Unit is now two-folds – (i) programmes pertaining to women`s empowerment and (ii) implementation of gender mainstreaming strategies.
	Institutionalizing gender equality does not mean that women`s rights are no longer guaranteed or relevant. Women`s rights are still being violated daily and the Ministry will continue to safeguard these basic human rights, as women`s empowerment will ultimately lead to gender equality.
	Gender Equality should also not taken as a concept that will fragment the women`s movement in Mauritius, it will, nevertheless contribute to the empowerment of women and achieve their equal status with their male counterparts.
	Concurrently, Mauritius is witnessing a change in gender roles and reverse gender gaps. The Gender Unit will implement programmes to redress these inequalities. Examples of reverse inequalities include the fact that girls are systematically performing better than boys in terms of educational attainment.
	Henceforth all policies, programmes and activities of the Ministry will adopt a GAD approach to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG 3 – Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women), as well as to contribute to a modern and equal society.
	The Ministry has already started a nation- wide campaign to explain the rationale behind the change of appellation aimed at conveying a strong message that the Ministry will work towards a gender inclusive society.
	In fact, following the change of appellation of the Ministry of Women`s Rights,Child Development and Family Welfare to that of the Ministry of Gender Equality,Child Development and Family Welfare, a National Awareness Campaign on Gender Equality was launched on 24 June 2010.
	Subsequently, four regional activities were held to sensitize the public at large on the concept of Gender Equality. These were as follows: - Lady Sushil Ramgoolam Women Centre on 29 July 2010 - Flacq Women Centre on 12 August 2010 - Pamplemousses Youth Centre on 19 August 2010 - Mahebourg Social Welfare Centre on Thursday 26 August 2010
	Furthermore, talks on Gender Equality have already been carried out at the level of Women Centres by Family Welfare and Protection Officers and they are as follows: - Baie du Tombeau Women Centre : 20 July 2010 - Britannia Women Centre : 17 August 2010 - Tranquebar Sub Women Centre : 18 August 2010 - Paillotte Women Centre : 18 August 2010 - Pont Lardier Empowerment Centre : 20 August 2010 - Lallmatie Women Centre : 23 August 2010 - Abercrombie Women Centre : 24 August 2010 - Rose Hill Women Centre : 24 August 2010 - Richelieu Women Centre : 26 August 2010 - Indira Gandhi Women Centre : 26 August 2010 - Triolet Women Empowerment Centre : 27 August 2010 - Notre Dame Women Centre : 31 August 2010 - Dagotière Women Centre : 31 August 2010 - Floréal Women Centre : 01 September 2010 - Rose Belle Women Centre : 15 September 2010
	With a view to sensitizing women, through Open and Distance Learning, on their entrepreneurship development, the Gender Unit in collaboration with the National Productivity and Competitiveness Council (NPCC) worked out a DVD entitled “Support Services for developing women-owned enterprises”. The project was funded by the Commonwealth of Learning with the NPCC acting as a facilitator. The launching of the DVD took place on Friday 16 April 2010 at the Floréal Women Centre. The DVD will be a useful tool at the Information Desks set up in each Women Centre. The Gender Unit is envisaging to vulgarize the use of IT by women on a wider range of issues.
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Capacity Building Programmes

	The Gender Unit organized the training of the FWPOs in “Effective Public Speaking” on the 17 and 18 June 2010 at the Floréal Women Centre.
	A Training of Trainers in Gender Equality was held on the 15 July 2010 to enable FWPOs and Officers working in Social Welfare Centres and Community Centres to act as Resource Persons so that a maximum number of people are sensitized on the concept of gender equality.
	A two-day Capacity Building Programme for members of the Participatory Advisory Committee (PAC) was held on the 16 and 17 September 2010 with a view to provide them with the necessary skills to enable them to fulfill their roles and responsibilities effectively.
	Moreover, the following publications have been published for the period March 2010 - September 2010: - A magazine entitled “Speeding up Change for Inclusive Development” was launched on the occasion of the International Women`s Day on the 08 March 2010. - A brochure on “L`Egalité de Genre” was launched on the 24 June 2010 to sensitize the public on the concept of gender equality. - A brochure on “Coin des Plantes Aromatiques et Médicinales” was launched during the inauguration ceremony of Notre Dame Women Centre on the 30 September 2010.
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African Women's Decade (AWD) 2010 - 2020

	The African review of the Beijing Platform for Action (Beijing + 15), Banjul, November 2009, recognizes that there has been progress made towards enhancement of women. However, significant progress remains to be done by African countries to meet their commitments on gender equality and women`s empowerment. At the Extra Ordinary Meeting of Ministers of Gender and Women Affairs in December 2008, the African Union Ministers for Gender and Women`s Affairs called on the African Union (AU) to declare 2010- 2020 as the African Women`s Decade. The Gender Unit organized the training of the FWPOs in “Effective Public Speaking” on the 17 and 18 June 2010 at the Floréal Women Centre.
	The central theme of the AWD is “Gender Equality and Women`s Empowerment: A Bottom Up Approach”
	The Decade will be implemented in Two Phases. Phase 1 will be from 2010 -2015 and Phase 2 will be from 2015-2020. There will be a mid decade review in 2015 and a final review in 2020.
	Ten thematic areas have been identified by the African Union which need to be addressed during the Decade; namely : (1) Fighting Poverty and Promoting Economic Empowerment of Women and Entrepreneurship. (2) Agriculture (3) Health (4) Education, Science and Technology (5) Environment and Sustainable Development (6) Peace and Security (7) Governance and Legal Protection (8) Finance (9) Women in Decision-making position (10) Young Women Movement
	The first meeting of the African Women`s Decade Coordinating Committee (AWDCC) was held on Thursday 05 August 2010 under the chairpersonship of Hon (Mrs) S.Bappoo, G.O.S.K, Minister of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare. Following the meeting, it was agreed that nine working groups will work on a specific thematic area of intervention. Moreover, each working group will submit a work plan including actions to be implemented in the short, medium and long term which will be formulated for release at the launching of the Decade scheduled for Thursday 21 October 2010.
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List of Names of Women Centres

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