Loga Virahsawmy
8 August 2007
opinion
Port Louis — When it comes to gender equality, legislation and awareness is vital, but the budgets to back them up are what has the potential to transform reality. Gender blind budgets have been to the detriment of women all over the world.
Although there is no magic recipe for a successful gender budget, Mauritian Finance minister Rama Sithanen put his money where his mouth in the island's 2007-2008 budget. His move is an example of a SADC country acting on Article 15 of the draft Protocol that will oblige member states to ensure specific budget allocations for achieving gender equality, as well as ensuring that women and men benefit equally from the allocation of resources within and between sectors.
For the first time in the history of Mauritius, a whole chapter in a budget speech covers breaking cultural barriers for women and challenging stereotypes. The female unemployment rate is 15.5% compared to 5% for men, the minister pointed out. "The higher female unemployment rate is a gender gap that we must urgently close, because it will worsen income disparities and create other gender inequalities."
There continues to be a lot of gender stereotyping when it comes to the workplace. According to Sithanen said, "We must break the cultural barriers that keep women from taking jobs theirs, sisters do overseas such as electricians, plumbers, tile layers, drivers, painters, metal working and gardeners. Employers also must end any prejudice against employing women in these activities."
He added: "To achieve this revolution we must first provide adequate possibilities for training women in those occupations that traditionally have gone to men only." The Industrial and Vocational Training Board and the association of construction will soon launch training programmes for women to learn various trades in the construction section.
The budget also mentions positive discrimination in favour of women. A women and children solidarity fund to the tune of Rs25 million has been earmarked for projects run by NGOs that support survivors of gender violence.
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