Women can be part of the solution

You name it and you will see that women are the primary victims on any social problems. The recent report of the World Bank makes me shiver. I am now questioning myself if Mauritius is a good place for women. The report not only highlights the gender gap but shows that women are those most affected by poverty. This growing gender gap is alarming.  Have the authorities ever tried to investigate into the root-cause of all these problems so that sustainable actions can be put in place ? I am not sure. The authorities will certainly keep on saying that social aid is on the increase and uniforms and school materials are given to children from poor families. Is this not a quick fix approach to seal our lips ? It is worrying to read in the report that « the incidence of poverty was higher among people living in female headed households ». The report goes further to say that most of female headed households are not educated. This is indeed cause for concern as girls are more educated than boys. If we keep on with our one size fits all approach, women will find themselves in a dire situation. A situation that will perpetuate as the system of education is producing illiterate people. Mauritius is most probably the only country in the world where the mother tongue is not used in schools. Social aid has not curbed down poverty. On the contrary, according to the World Bank Report, relative poverty has increased over time from 8.5% to 9.8% and middle class families might find themselves in this category.  Poverty is not only a question of being able to keep the pot boiling. We must have a holistic approach and look at poverty and gender based violence, poverty and climate change, poverty and health, poverty and literacy. The pictures of the recent floods due to climate change are desolate. Social aid to victims of climate change is not enough. We need long term strategies. Climate change affects men and women differently. Given the gender inequalities, climate change places a greater burden on women.  Women are affected differently being given their societal and cultural roles in the families and the communities. Have we ever thought of gender sensitive climate policies ? Women are absent at the discussion table except to serve tea to the men. Women especially those at grassroots can certainly help at decision making levels if they do get a place at that table. We have to learn from other countries. Instead of doing her University studies like all her friends at Lycée des Mascareignes,  Stacey Henrisson is in her tomb. She went through the most horrific murder by somebody who was supposed to protect her, Jayraj Sookur, her step farther. Stacey knew she was in danger. She went to the police for help. She was only 16 years old and the police could not take her complaint. Her life could have been saved if there were proper structures in place at all police stations to protect women and girls, who are the most vulnerable. We do have a Police Family Protection Unit and unless proven wrong children do form part of a family. Why can’t the police help them? There is the law and the spirit of the law. In cases of emergency when lives are at stake, we certainly cannot be so rigid. For God’s sake let us all do something. Walking with our white flower does bring awareness but this will not stop cases like Eleana Gentille, 11 years old who was raped and murdered in April 2015;   Marie Anita Jolita, two years old, raped, sodomised and murdered in 2006; Annegenia Jennia Arekion, four years old, who died in the hospital in 2006 after sexual abuse. As for Joannick Patricia Samuella Martin, seven years old, she was raped and burnt alive by her uncle in 2010. The atrocious murder of so many women and young girls in paradise island, Mauritius, is so horrific that one would believe that Mauritius is a stage and we are all taking part in one of those Fox Crime serials. On 9th September 2014, Jayshree Sohun was violently assaulted to death with a knife by her husband. The scene occurred right in front of her two children. During the same year a 37 year old husband killed his wife and cut the body to pieces with a grinder. Voices of Women, especially those at grassroots levels must be heard. They must form part of high level meetings when Climate change, poverty, gender based violence, violence against children and other social issues are discussed. Giving a seat to NGOs in these Committees will certainly contribute to find concrete solutions.