Planning and Research Unit
Background
The Planning and Research Unit (PRU) act as a co-ordination and support unit which provides technical back up to all the units and parastatal bodies operating under the Ministry in the designing of policies, programmes, and projects for the promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women, protection and development of children, safeguarding, family ties and enhancement of the well-being of the community and the population at large.
It is also responsible for the preparation of short, medium and long term plans of action and reports on issues relating to women, child development, family welfare and community development. It also acts as a liaison with government institutions and non-state actors on pertinent issues relating to this Ministry.
The PRU also establishes base line data on women, family and children in the fields of health, education and employment amongst others and produces an annual report “Statistics in Mauritius-A Gender Approach” for dissemination. The Planning and Research Unit also acts as a liaison with government institutions and non-state actors on pertinent issues relating to this Ministry.
As from 17 August 2020, the scope of the Unit has been extended to include the Licensing of Place of Safety, Residential Care Institutions and Registration of Child Day Care Centres.
It ensures that
(i) the norms and standards of the Residential Care Institutions, whereby children victims of violence are placed, are met to provide a continuum of care.
(ii) Child Day Care Centres are fully compliant with the prescribed norms and standards as laid down in the Child Day Care Centres Regulations 2022 under the Children’s Act 2020.
The PRU also establishes base line data on women, family and children in the fields of health, education and employment amongst others and produces an annual report “Statistics in Mauritius-A Gender Approach” for dissemination. The Planning and Research Unit also acts as a liaison with government institutions and non-state actors on pertinent issues relating to this Ministry.
Responsibilities
• To prepare short, medium and long term plans of action and reports in areas of gender, child development, family welfare and community development and to advice on policies.
• To monitor and evaluate programmes, projects and schemes aimed at the development of gender, children and the community at large.
• To establish base line data on women, family and children in the fields of health, education, employment etc.
• To liaise with Government institutions and Non-Governmental Organisations for the elaboration, implementation and monitoring of schemes, programmes and projects in areas of women empowerment and gender equality child development, family welfare and community development.
• To initiate studies /research for the promotion of social/cultural development, and situation analysis on the children, family and women and to disseminate the findings accordingly
• To design social policy aiming at promoting the development and well-being of women, families and children.
PLANNING AND RESEARCH UNIT
(1) In November 2021, a Feasibility Study for the Setting up of an Integrated Shelter for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence in Mauritius which was commissioned by the Ministry was submitted.
(2) The 6th and 7th Combined Periodic Report of Mauritius to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child was examined on 17 and 18 January 2023. Mauritius was applauded in the field of Children’s Rights.
(3) A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between this Ministry and the Mauritius Research Innovation Council to set up the Gender-Based Violence Observatory (GBVO) which is operational since 23 December 2021.
(4) A Gender Country Profile (GCP) for the period 2021-2027 which was funded by the European Union was presented on 12 May 2022. The GCP includes an updated sectorwise gender gap analysis in line with the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III. The GPA III is an ambitious vision on gender equality and women’s empowerment for EU external action.
(5) The 5th EU- Mauritius High Level Policy Dialogue took place on 09 November 2022. Through this dialogue, the Ministry and the EU agreed on key objectives and actions to be monitored jointly for the promotion of gender equality, women’s economic empowerment and protection of children.
(6) During the financial year July 2021 to June 2022, 82 Child Day Care Centres were registered.
International Instruments
Mauritius, through the Ministry has ratified several important international human rights instruments. It acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in July 1984 and ratified the Convention in 1985. The Optional Protocol to the CEDAW was ratified in October 2008.Mauritius is also a party to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action that emerged out of the 4th world conference on Women held in 1995 and which affirms the commitment of states to adhere to the 12 critical areas of concern regarding women and gender.
Mauritius is also a signatory of regional instruments such as the SADC Gender and Development Declaration of 1997 as well as the Addendum on the Prevention and Eradication of Violence Against Women and Children along with other African Heads of States. As such, Mauritius is under the obligation to take appropriate measures towards the empowerment of women.
Mauritius has ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1990. The Optional Protocol to the CRC on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts was ratified on 12 February 2009 and the Optional Protocol to the CRC on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography was ratified on 14 June 2011. A Third Optional Protocol on a Communications Procedure to the CRC was signed on 13 August 2012.
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