International Day Against Violence Against Women 2008
“Human Rights for Women – Human Rights for all: UDHR60”

An official function will be held at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture, Phoenix on Monday 24 November 2008 at 1030 hrs to commemorate the International Day against Violence against Women 2008.

	Clip on “Strategies adopted by the Ministry to Combat Domestic violence”
	On this occasion a clip on “Strategies adopted by the Ministry to Combat Domestic violence” mounted by the Mauritius College of the Air with a view to sensitising the public at large on the scourge of domestic violence shall be launched.
	Display of Banners
	Banners made by members of the Zero Tolerance Clubs to promote peace and harmony in the society will be displayed at the venue
	Publications
	The Ministry will also officially release the following booklets on 24 November
	(1) Practical Advice on Domestic Violence
		The booklet aims at sensitising the public at large on issues pertaining to domestic violence and on the assistance provided to victims for their rehabilitation. It provides some common questions that victims/general public have on domestic violence and uses a step-wise approach to guide a victim of domestic violence on how to use the law to protect herself /himself from the abuser.
	(2) Coaching Boys into Men
	The booklet is targeted for boys. It seeks to encourage men to inform male adolescents and other young men that violence is not equal to strength. Emphasis is placed on values such as respect, honor and responsibility in the booklet to encourage men not to commit/perpetrate any forms of abuse towards women. By encouraging men to use positive messages to teach and coach their sons/ brothers/ nephews it seeks to turn them into healthy young men and responsible citizens of tomorrow.
	Cultural Items
	The Rasika Dance Academy and the Diversity Dance Workshop will also perfom on the day

The Ministry launched a National Action Plan to Combat Domestic Violence in 2007. In order to consolidate its implementation the Ministry together with Gender Links and Gender Media Southern Africa (GEMSA) has organised a workshop on “Strategic Communications Planning on the National Action Plan to Combat Domestic Violence and IT for Advocacy & Capacity Building”. The workshop has brought together some 30 participants from various sectors including Ministries/Departments, civil society, media, the private sector, religious leaders and other stakeholders who are collaborating in the implementation of the National Action Plan.

At the end of the workshop, participants came up with a communication strategy for popularising the National Action Plan to Combat Domestic Violence.

Participants were also trained on the use IT for advocacy with emphasis on running of on-line campaigns and the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to promote debate and empower women to speak out against violence.

A workshop on “Media Training on Reporting Gender-based Violence” has been organised jointly by the Ministry and Gender Links and GEMSA at the Media Trust, Port Louis.

This workshop is in line with the recommendations of the National Action Plan, namely the development of a Code of Ethics on responsible coverage of domestic violence by the media. The main objectives of the Workshop were -

(a) to train media practitioners on how to write first hand accounts of women and men who have been affected by gender-based violence; and

(b) to develop a strategy on how training on covering of gender –based violence is built into mainstream media training.

Some 10 journalists and representatives of gender activists working in the area of gender-based violence participated in the workshop.

To sensitise religious bodies and community leaders with a view to breaking down taboos of domestic violence, the Ministry is also organising a workshop with representatives of religious organizations on 25 November 2008 at La Flore Mauricienne. A booklet on “Domestic Violence and Communities of Faith - Engaging Religious Organisations in the fight Against Domestic Violence” will be launched in order to sensitise religious organisations on the issue of domestic violence and also to equip them with skills to deal with victims and their families.

Given that the Police Department is one of our key partners in the fight against domestic violence, the Ministry in collaboration with the Police will organising a “Sensitisation Workshop on Handling of Domestic Violence Cases” to sensitise officers of the Police Force on issues pertaining to domestic violence at the SSU Head Quarters ,Line Barracks .

A Partnership against Domestic/Family Violence Committee was set up in 2004, with a view to encourage the adoption of a coordinated approach to combat domestic/family violence among all stakeholders concerned.. In this respect, a Protocol of collaboration with this Ministry was signed by the following members

(i) Commissioner of Police
(ii) Commissioner of Prisons
(iii) Senior Chief Executive, Ministry of Health and Quality of Life
(iv) Senior Chief Executive, Ministry of Education, Culture and Human Resources
(v) Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity & SCW & RI
(vi) MACOSS
(vii) Media Watch Organisation
(viii) Prevention information et Lutte Contre Le Sida (PILS)
(ix) SOS Femmes

In view of reviving the Partnership, the Ministry has launched for another call for projects proposal for financial year 2008/2009. An amount of Rs 350,000 has been earmarked in this respect.

Members of the Partnership Against Domestic/Family Violence Committee have been invited to submit project proposals at latest by 14 November 2008.