On the 25 of November 2024 the United Nations in Mauritius joined with the Australian High Commission, U.S. Embassy, European Union and French Embassy to hold a high-level panel discussion to kickstart the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Taking place each year the 16 Days is global campaign bringing the spotlight to the most pervasive breaches of human rights - violence against women. The campaign commences on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and ends on 10 December, Human Rights Day.As we approach the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2025 – a visionary blueprint for achieving gender equality and women’s and girls’ rights everywhere; globally an estimated 736 million women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life. That is an astounding 30% of women aged 15 and older. This figure does not include sexual harassment.[1] The women in Mauritius fare no better with the latest available figures showing that around 24% of women had experienced some form of GBV. and it should be noted that cases of violence and abuse within the confines of a home, cases against vulnerable people such as people with disability are often unreported.[2] This comes at a significant cost not just to the women concerned but to their families, their communities and to the country. With GBV - No One Wins; Everyone Loses.The UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritius & Seychelles, Ms. Lisa Singh in her opening remarks reiterated the United Nations Commitment to Leave No One Behind in this fight against violence: "Let us remember that the 16 Days of Activism is not just a campaign; it is a call to action every single day of the year!  Fighting this requires addressing deep-rooted systemic biases and therefore need for partnership with all stakeholders to change attitudes, improve access to opportunities, transform societies where equality, dignity, and respect prevail."To set the scene for the panel discussion, the Australian High Commission previewed a series of short videos under its Green Flag Project, a campaign to promote male allyship as an essential and often overlooked lever for impactful strategies to fight against GBV. The objective is to encourage positive masculinity and healthier gender roles. This campaign is run in collaboration with local non-governmental organization (NGO), Passerelle.The panel discussion entitled “Breaking the Silence - Exploring solutions to end Gender-Based Violence” provided the opportunity to start a conversation on strategies to address violence against women and girls in society and catalyze action. Recognizing that issues such as GBV impact all of society, therefore, require a whole of society approach the panelists and audience participants comprised representatives from government, the diplomatic community, civil society and the private sector. Regarding the existing Mauritian policies and laws panelist Ms. Mokshda Pertaub, Director, M Power (NGO) underscored that although laws exist against GBV on the ground implementation of these laws from the frontliners to the law courts does not always provide the necessary support to the victim. She also highlighted that the level of violence has escalated and ‘femicide is a reality in Mauritius.’According to a study conducted by Business Mauritius over 75% of female respondents and around 60% of male respondents perceive a worsening in sexist behaviours and sexual harassment at work. As such, Mr. Kevin Ramkaloan, CEO, Business Mauritius shared that one of the key conclusions of the study is that inequalities are not defined by the workplace but by societal attitudes, which need to be addressed if we are to overcome GBV.Despite the legal framework aimed at addressing GBV, the Head of the Family Welfare and Protection Unit, Mrs. Jayseeree Bhunjun highlighted that challenges persist, including the lack of mandatory reporting for domestic violence, ingrained societal norms against gender equality, inconsistent data collection, insufficient multi-agency collaboration, and gaps in stakeholder capacities. Mrs. Bhunjun underlined that the Ministry is working on a new Domestic Abuse Bill and Multi-Agency Technical Committees will be established to enhance service delivery and monitor the enforcement of agreed protocols. She highlighted there are however already programmes such as ‘Men as Caring Partners’ set up which aim to change societal attitudes towards women and challenge patriarchal norms.High Commissioner, H.E. Ms. Kate Chamley outlined the alarming rates of gender-based violence globally, including in Australia, and discussed her country’s new strategy titled “Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality” designed to drive action on women’s safety, sharing and valuing care, economic equality, women’s health, and women’s leadership, representation and decision making. It’s really a call to action for the whole community and the whole economy.”U.S. Ambassador to Mauritius, H.E. Mr. Henry Jardine shared, “The United States is committed to continuous efforts to address the scourge of gender-based violence through educational programs, advocacy, and support for victims.  Through the U.S. Department of State’s exchange programs, we send young Mauritian professionals to the United States every year. They gain valuable insight that enables them to impact their local communities. Over the last decade, the U.S. Embassy has hosted workshops to strengthen the capacity of police, prosecutors, and healthcare professionals to prosecute sex traffickers and care for victims of gender-based violence.”While Mr. Marios Vitos, Charge d’Affaires, a.i., Delegation of the EU to Mauritius underscored “The EU through its actions both domestically and across the world sends an unwavering message that all forms of sexual and gender-based violence are unacceptable and must be met with accountability measures. In Mauritius, the dedicated annual Gender Policy Dialogue with the Ministry of Gender Equality & Family Welfare, bears testimony of our joint efforts to place gender equality and girls and women's empowerment at the top of our agenda.”The panel discussion sparked a lively Q&A session with the audience regarding the significant tangible and intangible costs of GBV to the victims/survivors, and communities and an exploration of opportunities for concrete action. The French Embassy representative highlighted that “…women's rights and gender equality is a first-rate priority of [France’s] foreign policy. France is in the process of finalizing a new strategy for feminist diplomacy. It uses all the instruments at its disposal to combat violence against women. This year, France initiated a laboratory for the rights of women online, a project involving various stakeholders, such as States, international organisations, NGOs, digital platforms and researchers.”The United Nations in Mauritius will continue to take joint action with our partners to raise awareness and engage youth around GBV issues with an academic University Quiz Challenge to be held on Day 15 of the 16 Days of Activism (09 December). ******************************************************************End Notes:[1] UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls | UN Women – Headquarters[2] PMO - National Strategy TP FINAL WEB.pdf (govmu.org)What is GBV?Gender based violence involves any harmful threat or act directed at an individual or group based on actual or perceived biological sex, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation and/or lack of adherence to varying socially constructed norms around masculinity and femininity. Find out more about the UNite Campaign and Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.