Most citizens say women should have the same chance as men of being elected to public office.
Key findings
- In Seychelles, women are as likely as men to have post-secondary education (49% vs. 47%).
- Almost unanimously (96%), Seychellois say it is rare or unheard of for families to prevent girls from going to school because they prioritise boys' education.
- But one in seven citizens (14%) say schoolgirls "often" or "always" face discrimination, harassment, or requests for sexual favours from their teachers.
- Among working-age adults, women are as likely as men to have full-time employment (70% vs. 69%).
- A lack of remote or flexible work arrangements is most frequently cited as the main barrier to women's entry and advancement in the workplace.
- Only one in 25 respondents (4%) report that women are "often" or "always" prevented from taking paid employment by their husbands or family members.
- Most Seychellois (93%) say women should have the same chance as men of being elected to public office.
- Men are 5 percentage points less likely than women to endorse equal opportunity in politics (90% vs. 95%).
- One in four Seychellois (26%) say women "often" or "always" experience sexual harassment in public spaces, such as in markets, on the street, and in public transport.
- A majority (62%) of citizens say women and girls are likely to be believed if they complain of discrimination or harassment.
- But fully three-fourths (75%) say the police and courts should do more to protect women and girls from discrimination and harassment.
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Seychelles performs well on a variety of gender-equality indicators. According to the 2023 Gender Development Index and the 2023 Africa Gender Index, Seychelles has achieved gender parity in education, health, and economic participation (UNDP, 2023; African Development Bank, 2023). Seychellois women surpass men in attaining postgraduate education (52% vs. 48%) and in owning key assets, such as bank accounts (94% vs. 86%) (National Bureau of Statistics, 2024). As of 2024, women occupied 52% of managerial positions, up from 40% in 2020 (National Bureau of Statistics, 2025).
Even so, Seychelles faces disparities in political representation. In the September 2025 elections, women secured just 27% of parliamentary seats, down from 44% in 2011, when the island nation ranked fifth globally in female representation (Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2011, 2025). President Patrick Herminie's new cabinet, unveiled in November 2025, includes eight women (57% of positions) and has been lauded as a step in the right direction (Cosmo Creole, 2025).
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The 2016 Seychelles Gender-Based Violence National Baseline Study revealed that women are more likely than men to experience sexual harassment in the workplace, at school, and in other public spaces (18% vs. 14%) (Gender Secretariat, 2016). Moreover, the 2024 Women, Business, and the Law Index points out the absence of legislation addressing workplace sexual harassment, underscoring the need for stronger protections for Seychellois women (World Bank, 2024).
Findings from Afrobarometer's 2025 survey in Seychelles show that women and men have equal levels of educational achievement and employment, and nearly all citizens say boys' education is rarely or never prioritised over girls'. However, significant minorities report that sexual harassment of women and girls in public spaces, including schools, is common.
A majority of citizens say women and girls are likely to be believed if they report incidents of discrimination or harassment, but most also think the police and courts need to do more to protect them from such treatment. And while Seychellois overwhelmingly support women's equal chance at being elected to public office, men are somewhat less likely than women to endorse equality in politics.
Anne Okello is the assistant project manager for East Africa
