Women in Mauritius

As in other industrializing countries, the role of women in Mauritius is changing rapidly. A major force for change has been the rapid influx of women into the many jobs created in the 1980s in the export processing zones. Although low-paying for the most part, the jobs allow women formerly confined to the roles of mother and wife to gain a certain degree of personal and social freedom. In 2008, Mauritius established the Employment Rights Act which forbids any form of discrimination within the workplace and stipulates equal remuneration for work of equal value.[2] Under this act and the Civil Code, both females and males, regardless of their marital status, have the legal right to choose their own profession [3]

In the postcolonial era, women in Mauritius saw great difficulty in gaining positions of power. Mauritius' culture was founded upon the British colonial model until their independence that modelled their society on a male hegemony at all levels of its structure.[4] During the 19th-century Mauritian law stated that women should be treated as the inalienable property of their husbands [5] The government has taken measures to promote equality of the sexes by repealing discriminatory laws dealing with inheritance and emigration. In 1989 the government appointed equal opportunity officers in the principal ministries to deal with women's issues. Reports by the Ministry of Women's Rights and Family Welfare and others indicate, however, that violence against women is prevalent. The increased employment of women has created the need for more child-care services and for more laborsaving devices in the home. The Domestic Violence Act has given protection to domestic violence victims and has helped women in issues with inheritance and emigration.[6]

Today, women in Mauritius are more independent than they used to be some 30 years ago. Mauritius also has got its first Lady President, Mrs Ameena Gurib-Fakhim and the first Lady Speaker, Hon.Mrs Maya Hanoomanjee, in 2014.

In 2016, the Ministry of Gender Equality requested the withdrawal of an advertisement by Coca-Cola which was considered "sexist" following a complaint from a gender consultant. In March 2018, a new law was established to form the National Women’s Council as a platform for women to voice out their needs and aspirations.[7] In order to address issues like violence against women, trafficking of women, and the promotion and protection of rights to sexuality and sexual and reproductive health, in May 2018, a joint monitoring framework agreement on the gender action plan was signed with the European Union.[8]