Mauritius sets up high-level committee to address violence against women

Port Louis, Mauritius (PANA) – Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth has  set up of a high-level committee in his Office to deal with the problem of violence against women.

Speaking in the context of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, marked annually on 25 November,  Mr Jugnauth indicated that the committee will have the responsibility to look into the problem of violence against women, identify the causes and review existing strategies.

He said that violence against women is a violation of human rights  and urged every Mauritian to remain engaged to the noble cause of combating this scourge.

“This fight against violence is not only the battle of the Government or the non-governmental organisations but it concerns one and all including the civil society”, he emphasised.

The Prime Minister said actions need to be taken both for victims of domestic violence and offenders as well as “they are sick and need treatment, and need to realise that what they are doing is barbaric”.

For her part, Minister for Gender  Equality, Mrs Kalpana Koonjoo-Shah, said that violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today.

“These remain largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it,” she said.

The minister encouraged women to come forward and report cases of violence against them.

According to her, since January 2019 to date, some 1,495 cases of violence against women have been reported. “One case of domestic violence is one too many, the minister stressed.

-0- PANA NA/AR 25Nov2019