The Australian Consultant, Mr Jason Mayer, met the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, wednesday, at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis, to, among others, provide the latter with updates regarding the implementation of the National Strategy and Action Plan on the elimination of Gender-based Violence.
The aim of the meeting was also to find solutions to bottlenecks preventing the proper implementation of the strategies therein.
In a statement following the meeting, Mr Mayer highlighted that he was in Mauritius to meet with the four Technical Working Groups, which were each looking at an element of the National Strategy and Action Plan on Elimination of Gender-based Violence in Mauritius.
Mr Mayer underscored that he provided Prime Minister Jugnauth with an update on the progress being made, and discussed the way various Ministries were working together and achieving the targets set by Cabinet. He also indicated where the challenges of moving forward were likely to be, which, according to him, would be consistent with any other social change.
The Primary Prevention Technical Working Group 1, he observed, reported that some 80% progress were being made in the activities, with about 16% having been completed. However, he cautioned, despite being steady, progress would also be hampered by the COVID-19 situation implications. “It is thus critical and important that there is the highest level of political will so that meaningful change can take place”, he added.
Furthermore, Consultant Mayer underlined, that following the meeting with the Prime Minister, he would continue to meet with the Technical Working Groups so as to identify and address some of the issues they might currently be experiencing. He also stated that, like anywhere else, the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on any particular form of gender-based violence as the perpetrators, or the survivors, were not able to leave their homes. As such, pointed out Mr Mayer, stakeholders were doing their best, through different initiatives, so as to support survivors of gender-based violence.
