Roundtable Discussions Renew Efforts to Combat Gender-Based Violence in Rodrigues

On December 8, 2025, a special day was organized in Rodrigues at the Sir Harilal Vaghjee Memorial Hall as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign, followed by a roundtable discussion on the state of GBV in Rodrigues.

The event was attended by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms. Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra; the Minister of Information Technology, Communication, and Innovation, Dr. Avinash Ramtohul; Members of Parliament and the Parliamentary Gender Caucus; as well as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative for Mauritius and Seychelles, Ms. Alka Bhatia. Young recruits from the Rodrigues police force were also present.

Initiated by the Speaker and the Parliamentary Gender Caucus, with support from the UNDP, the campaign aims to raise public awareness about preventing all forms of violence in Mauritius, with a particular focus on GBV.

In her speech, the Speaker emphasized that gender-based violence affects individuals from all communities and social groups, regardless of their socioeconomic background, ethnicity, religion, or geographic location. She called for collective action to eliminate all forms of violence.

Regarding the rise of cyber violence, Ms. Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra noted that the increasing reach of the internet, mobile technologies, and social media has fueled a rise in online abuse targeting women and girls. This emerging global threat, she warned, has severe economic and societal repercussions.

The Speaker highlighted the artwork on GBV displayed at the venue, noting that the pieces not only depict violence, challenge victim-blaming, but also encourage resilience and social transformation. She commended the artists for their significant contribution to the fight against GBV through creative expression.

In her remarks, Ms. Alka Bhatia praised the initiative, describing GBV as a "widespread violation of human rights." She outlined the UNDP's global efforts to combat GBV by supporting legal reforms, strengthening police and institutional capacities, empowering survivors, integrating GBV prevention into development programs, and addressing new challenges such as digital violence. She also highlighted key obstacles in Rodrigues, namely deeply ingrained societal norms, patriarchal beliefs, many victims' financial dependence on their abusers, and gaps in service coordination.