The Prime Minister Commits to Stronger Policies Against Gender-Based Violence

As part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence organized by the National Assembly of Mauritius and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam inaugurated an interactive multimedia exhibition on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, at the Sir Harilall Vaghjee Memorial Hall in Port Louis. During the event, Prime Minister Ramgoolam and several dignitaries also signed a commitment.

The Deputy Prime Minister (DPM), Paul Bérenger, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms. Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra, the Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Ms. Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, along with various ministers and members of the National Assembly, the UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Alka Bhatia, and other notable figures were also present.

In his speech, the Prime Minister emphasized the need to ensure that gender-based violence is reduced or eliminated. "Any responsible government must develop strong and effective policies to address this issue efficiently," he stated.

Dr. Navin Ramgoolam pointed out that Mauritius is the first country to establish a dedicated ministry for combating gender-based discrimination and to adopt strategies to assist victims of gender-based violence. He praised the Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare for the restructuring work accomplished so far and reminded that other ministries are also involved in the fight against gender-based violence, which affects all communities and social strata.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister acknowledged that the government alone cannot effectively combat gender-based violence and called on every citizen to contribute to eliminating violence against women.