A one-day workshop on "Empowering Industry Through Equality: A Gender-Inclusive Future" with the aim to revamp the Gender Policy of the Industry Division at the Ministry of Industry, SME and Cooperatives, was launched, today, at the Ravenala Attitude Hotel in Balaclava.
The Minister of Industry, SME and Cooperatives, Mr Sayed Muhammad Aadil Ameer Meea and the Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mrs Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, were present on the occasion.
The workshop was facilitated by Miss Winfred Lichuma, an experienced Gender Consultant, who has been deputed by the European Union to assist the Mauritian Government in mainstreaming gender policies across all sectors of the economy.
Participants were briefed on several topics namely gender concepts; gender gaps in the manufacturing sector; legal and policy framework; role of technology in advancing gender policy; addressing Gender-Based Violence in business and work places; and Gender Responsive Industrial future.
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In his address Minister Ameer Meea underscored that gender equality constitutes a main thrust of Government Programme 2025-2029 focusing on the achievement of a more inclusive and just society. Each Ministry is allocated a dedicated budget to take actions to contribute towards Gender Mainstreaming. This initiative emanates from the National Gender Policy 2022-2030 and has as objective to achieve a gender-inclusive society in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5.
The National Gender Policy 2022-2030, said the Minister, offers a formal framework that lays down the collective commitments of Government institutions to work towards eliminating gender-based discrimination. As a stakeholder, each Ministry is required to formulate its Gender Policy based on its own specificities, he added.
With regard to the workshop, he pointed out that it is an opportunity to identify gender gaps in the manufacturing sector, and come up with solutions to address these gaps for enhanced productivity at work. He also emphasised Government's vision to empower women and increase their participation in the manufacturing sector.
The Minister further said that a plethora of support measures is in place to accompany women entrepreneurs to forge towards setting up of their own business for self-empowerment and economic independence. Several schemes such as the SME Start-up Programme; the Business Transformation Scheme; and the Market Readiness Scheme have been put in place for women entrepreneurs. He rejoiced that Mauritius is an active member of the SheTrades Global Initiatives, which is a flagship programme of the International Trade Centre, to enable women entrepreneurs to have access to market and a network of international buyers which can contribute to a more gender-balanced economy.
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For her part, Minister Navarre-Marie recalled that Government is committed to creating inclusive environments that promote equal opportunities and participation especially when the industrial world is transitioning into a stronger, sustainable and resilient one. This includes tackling systemic inequalities, ensuring fair pay and adequate representation, and promoting a culture of respect and inclusiveness within workplaces and industries, she said. Forty-eight gender units have been set up in various Ministries and Departments to this end.
According to Mrs Navarre-Marie, women entrepreneurs are an important source of untapped economic growth and have a key role in ensuring progress of the country. It is therefore crucial to tap into the potential of women and adopt a more modern and innovative vision in our actions to promote better integration of women in our industries.
My Ministry is positioning itself as a channel for empowering women entrepreneurs through various programmes and initiatives, she pointed out. On that score, the National Women Entrepreneur Council will be called upon to play a key role in supporting our women entrepreneurs by offering training, advice and tools to help them excel in their businesses.
