Mauritius urged to strengthen women?s participation following elections

Date: July 7, 2005

The Gender and Media Southern Africa (GEMSA) Network today joined the people of Mauritius in celebrating the increased number of women who won in the 4 July general elections, but cautioned that Mauritius had still failed to achieve the thirty percent regional target. GEMSA urged Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam to take this into account in cabinet positions and the position of Speaker of the new parliament that are still to be announced.

Despite a gloomy pre-election forecast, a total of 12 women out of 16 that contested have scored victories and will now sit on the Legislative Assembly. The proportion of women in the national assembly has increased from 5.7 to 17 percent. Mauritius shifts up the Southern African Development Community (SADC) ranking from last to 6^th position.

The full statement reads as follows:

“GEMSA wishes to extend its heartfelt congratulations to the women and people of Mauritius on its recent successful general elections during which a total of 12 women were voted into the Mauritius Legislative Assembly. We applaud all the 16 women who stood as candidates for positions in the Assembly. We note with great joy that this is the first time in the history of Mauritius that this many women will sit on the Assembly.

Although falling below the 30 percent target set by SADC leaders in the 1997 SADC Declaration on Gender and Development, this increase in women representatives is as one of the election victors, Kalyanee Virahsawmy said, “…a victory for women and the people of Mauritius.”

Virahsawmy herself made history by becoming the first person to win an election in a constituency that has been dominated by the Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) for over 30 years. Apart from four women candidates, all the other eight women came either first or second. And President of the Mauritius Media Watch Loga Virahsawmy said this year’s election result is “a clear indication that women did their campaign really well and have been accepted by the general public.”

We support Media Watch, a constituent member of GEMSA, in its call to the new Prime Minister, Dr. Navin Ramgoolam, that as he prepares his list of cabinet hopefuls, he considers nominating more women to cabinet portfolios.

We also understand that the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly is appointed by the Prime Minister. We urge Dr. Ramgoolam to consider appointing a woman as Speaker.

This Mauritius election victory comes at an opportune time, as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State prepare for their annual summit in Gaborone in August.

This year, 2005, is the deadline set by SADC for achieving at least 30 percent women in all areas of decision-making. GEMSA, in partnership with seven other regional NGOs and international organisations has been conducting an audit of performance against this and other targets set in the SADC Declaration on Gender and Development. Among the calls that will be made at the summit will be for the thirty percent target to be increased to 50 percent.

For more information contact

Colleen Lowe Morna, Chair GEMSA 082-651-6995; clmorna@mweb.co.za

Or Janet Karim, GEMSA Network manager, 27 (0) 11 622 2877; gemsa@genderlinks.org.za

Mauritius urged to strengthen women?s participation following elections

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