Balaclava, Mauritius: 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.Globally an estimated 736 million women—almost one in three—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 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 gender-based violence, - No One Wins; Everyone Loses.The UN Resident Coordinator, 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 with local non-governmental organization (NGO), Passerelle 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 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 comprised representatives from government, the diplomatic community, civil society and the private sector. Issues such as the actual effectiveness of the implementation of laws to support the victim; enhance service delivery to victims/survivors and monitor the enforcement of agreed protocols; societal attitudes which create an enabling environment for violence; and best practice to address gender-based violence were explored. 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.  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 “In Mauritius the EU’s dedicated annual Gender Policy Dialogue with the Ministry of Gender Equality & Family Welfare, bears testimony of 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.” The United Nations in Mauritius will be collaborating with our partners on Day 15 of the 16 Days to raise awareness and engage youth around GBV issues with an academic University Quiz Challenge.***************************************************************************End Notes:Panel:Ms. A. Veerasawmy, Director Gender Links (Moderator)H.E. Ms. Kate Chamley, Australian High CommissionerH.E. Mr. Henry Jardine, U.S. Ambassador to MauritiusMr. Marios Vitos, Charge d’Affaires, a.i. of the Delegation of the European Union to MauritiusRepresentative from the Ministry of Gender Equality (tbc)Ms. Mokshda Pertaub, Director, M PowerMr. Kevin Ramkaloan, CEO, Business Mauritius.********************************************************************************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.
 [1] UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls | UN Women – Headquarters[2] PMO - National Strategy TP FINAL WEB.pdf (govmu.org)

03 April 2024: The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) for Mauritius and Seychelles is having their Annual Retreat entitled “Delivering Stronger, UNited for People, Prosperity and Planet” from the 3rd to the 5th of April of 2024 in Mauritius.  Bringing together UN agencies and their partners – Government, private sector and civil society - to strengthen cooperation and identify opportunities for new collaboration. This Retreat 2024 is a chance for shared learning and for enhancing UNCT collective engagement to streamline and focus efforts towards achieving national development priorities and Agenda 2030. During the Opening Ceremony at Maritim Hotel, Balaclava Ms. Lisa Singh, UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritius and Seychelles highlighted this as a pivotal moment for the UNCT. It marks the first cycle of implementation of the new Cooperation Frameworks for sustainable development signed last year with the governments of each country.  The Resident Coordinator highlighted:“Given the uniqueness of SIDS, many UN agencies have developed and are developing their SIDS strategy to better address their higher-than-average vulnerabilities to exogenous shocks. We also need to go beyond the small states narrative, for SIDS are more than small islands but large ocean states.”Hon. Sylvestre Radegonde Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Seychelles who joined online underlined:“Through strategic planning and evidence-based approaches…we have the opportunity to affect change for every Seychellois and Mauritian. The loss and damage fund, the multi-dimensional vulnerability index and the outcomes of the forthcoming SIDS4 Conference are tangible steps that  will supercharge the breakthroughs needed by us to achieve the shared vision of Agenda 2030 of leaving no one behind.   By analysing our challenges and successes we pave the way for the strategic implementation of this Cooperation Framework.”In his opening remarks the Hon. Maneesh Gobin Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade of Mauritius and Government of Seychelles emphasized:“Small Island Nations like Mauritius have unique inherent vulnerabilities which are often overlooked when it comes to resource mobilisation for development.  We need to go beyond the GDP per Capita criteria and rapidly devise a vulnerability index tailored specifically for SIDS which will enable small islands to mobilise the adequate resources needed to address the urgent development challenges and the existential threats posed by climate change. This should be a priority at the forthcoming SIDS4 Conference in Antigua and Barbuda.”The panel discussions which are being held during the Retreat with representation from across sectors focus conversation on key headlight issues for each pillar of the Cooperation Framework (People, Prosperity, and Planet). They will provide a platform for strategic dialogue to enhance collaboration across the UNCT to collectively deliver on the commitments made in the Cooperation Frameworks for each country.With less than ten years left to achieve the SDGs, challenges have been clearly identified, and interventions targeted to maximize effectiveness. To that end, the Retreat 2024 for Mauritius will be forward-looking, aiming to catalyse action that is strategic, succinct, adaptable, and results-oriented and which integrates Leave No One Behind (LNOB) as the core unifying principle. WHEN: Wednesday 03 April – Opening Ceremony @9:30 am & Friday 05 April – Closing Ceremony @12pmKEY SPEAKERS: UN Resident Coordinator for Mauritius & Seychelles Ms. Lisa Singh; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Hon. Maneesh Gobin Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade of Mauritius  and Hon. Sylvestre Radegonde Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Seychelles; Mr. Antonio Pedro, Deputy Executive Secretary, UNECA,  Mr. Yacoub El-Hillo, Regional Director DCO Africa.  

Mauritius is one of 14 States to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during its upcoming 45th session from 22 January to 2 February 2024. The first, second and third UPR reviews of Mauritius took place in February 2009, October 2013, and November 2018, respectively.   The UPR Working Group is comprised of the 47 Member States of the Human Rights Council. However, each of the 193 UN Member States can participate in a country review.   The documents on which the reviews are based are: 1) national report - information provided by the State under review; 2) information contained in the reports of independent human rights experts and groups, known as the Special Procedures, human rights treaty bodies, and other UN entities; 3) information provided by other stakeholders including national human rights institutions, regional organizations, and civil society groups.   The three reports serving as the basis for the review of Mauritius on 24 January can be found here.   Location: Room 20, Palais des Nations, Geneva   Time and date: 9:00 – 12:30, Wednesday, 24 January 2024 (Geneva time, GMT +1 hour)   The UPR is a peer review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States. Since its first meeting was held in April 2008, all 193 UN Member States have been reviewed thrice. During the fourth UPR cycle, States are again expected to spell out steps they have taken to implement recommendations posed during their previous reviews which they committed to follow up on and highlight recent human rights developments in the country.   The delegation of Mauritius will be led by Mr. Maneesh Gobin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade.   The three country representatives serving as rapporteurs (“troika”) for the review of Mauritius are Brazil, Burundi and the United States of America.   The webcast of the session will be at https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1p/k1p87orzs9   The list of speakers and all available statements to be delivered during the review of Mauritius will be posted on the UPR Extranet.    The UPR Working Group is scheduled to adopt the recommendations made to Mauritius on Friday, 26 January 2024 between 15:30 and 18:00. The State under review may wish to express its positions on recommendations posed to it during its review.   // ENDS // For more information and media requests, please contact Pascal Sim, HRC Media Officer, at simp@un.org; Matthew Brown, HRC Public Information Officer, at matthew.brown@un.org and David Díaz Martín, HRC Public Information Officer at david.diazmartin@un.org.   To learn more about the Universal Periodic Review, visit www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-main

Port Louis, Mauritius – 24 July: Consultations for the first major international conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) since the global pandemic opens in Port Louis, Mauritius on July 24.   At the meeting, the small island nations of the Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea (AIS) will meet with international partners to review sustainable development progress and propose new partnerships and solutions in advance of the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States in Antigua and Barbuda in 2024.   SIDS are in the crossfires of multiple crises: climate change, inequality and the economic and social repercussions of COVID-19, especially related to debt. COVID-19 hugely impacted all SIDS, especially the collapse in tourism that left large holes in coffers and severely set back efforts to invest in the Sustainable Development Goals, including climate action.   “Small Island Developing States are in the midst of a global crisis,” said Hon. Alan Ganoo, Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade of Mauritius. He continued, “We must send a collective message reaffirming our determination to address the complex challenges that we face.”   The eight AIS countries—Cabo Verde, Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Maldives, Seychelles, São Tomé e Príncipe, and Singapore—represent significant differences in exposure to climate change, natural hazards, and global markets. Since independence, some have developed strong economies, but their size and geographies leave them vulnerable to economic and ecological shocks.    Climate-related disasters such as severe storms, floods, and drought have almost doubled over the last 20 years, and they affect SIDS like no other countries. In a sudden-onset disaster, SIDS can lose everything overnight.   SIDS are responsible for only 0.2 per cent of global carbon emissions and yet suffer most from the impacts of climate change. The constant cycle of disaster and recovery leaves them weakened and unable to build resilience.   “The eight SIDS spread between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and the South China Sea are as diverse as communities can be,” said Li Jinhua, United Nations Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, and Secretary-General of the 2024 SIDS Conference. “The United Nations is committed to supporting these islands in their quest for a more resilient and sustainable future. They may be geographically remote, but their problems are not theirs to face alone.”   19 per cent of the coral reefs in the world are in SIDS’ waters. The combined Exclusive Economic Zones of Mauritius and Seychelles – the waters they control – are bigger than the size of India. The meeting will assert that a sustainable future for the planet relies on a renewed and strengthened partnership between all island nations and the international community.   The Mauritius meeting is the first regional review meeting on the path to the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, taking place in Antigua and Barbuda in 2024. Further regional meetings will be held this summer in Tonga for the Pacific region and in St. Vincent and the Grenadines for the Caribbean. These meetings will be followed by a final interregional gathering in Cabo Verde.   The Antigua and Barbuda conference next year will undertake a comprehensive review of the implementation of the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (S.A.M.O.A.) Pathway, a major international development compact agreed in 2014.   The Mauritius meeting will adopt an outcome document with recommendations that will feed directly into preparations for the 2024 Conference. The meeting will bring together ministers and senior government officials from SIDS across the region alongside representatives of development partners and the UN system.   For more information UN 2024 SIDS Conference: www.un.org/smallislands     Social media Please follow any highlights and updates for the 2024 SIDS Conference using the hashtags #SIDS4 and #SmallIslands.   On Facebook: United Nations, Global GoalsUN, UN DESA, OHRLLS
On Twitter: @UN,  @GlobalGoalsUN, @UNDESA, @SustDev, @UNOHRLLS   Media contact Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States | Conor O’Loughlin | conor.oloughlin@un.org