First ever national gender policy launched |29 November 2016

Minister Adam addressing the gathering

Officials of the social affairs department of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, partners and invited guests, gathered at the Avani Seychelles Barbarons Resort & Spa on Friday for the launch of the first National Gender Policy (NGP) by the department and presentation of the preliminary findings of a gender-based violence (GBV) survey.

Participants renewed their pledge to UNITE for Peace campaign, to work towards bringing an end to GBV in all its form.

A copy of the national policy was also distributed to all present and banners were distributed to representatives of all three arms of government – legislative, executive and judiciary.

The meeting was graced by the presence of the Minister for Health and Social Affairs Jean-Paul Adam, outgoing Australian ambassador to Seychelles Susan Coles, ambassador for women and children affairs Erna Athanasius, members of the National Assembly and other dignitaries.

As pointed out by the special advisor in the department of social affairs Marie-Josée Bonne in her introduction, the policy had had multi-sectorial consultations over a number of years hence the reason why many sectors are represented at the launch.

The policy has come at a time where the world over, action is being galvanised towards ending violence against women.

She said it is an opportune time for us as a nation to also reflect on specific ongoing and future actions.

Describing further the policy, Mrs Bonne said it begs the whole Seychellois society to look at all our men, women, girls and boys as equal contributors and beneficiaries of national development.

It has as mission to seek to achieve gender equality and equity as enshrined in our constitution, as enshrined in international, regional, continental human rights instruments that Seychelles is party to, which has specific goals to provide some national guidelines for institutionalising and operationalising as a integral component of our sustainable development.

She said Seychelles was talking about integrating gender and sustainable development before the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There were five specific policy objectives which ensure the mainstreaming of gender perspectives into all policies, structures, systems, programmes and activities in order to make them gender responsive and contribute to the effective achievement of sustainable socio-economic and political development. It is to harmonise legislative and administrative frameworks with international and sub regional gender-related instruments to achieve set targets on gender equality and equity. Also provide an overarching framework to guide state and non-state actors in the attainment of gender equality and equity; promote equal representation and participation of women and men at all levels and sectors of decision-making and ensure that gender equality is championed in all agendas while also ensuring the generation of sex-disaggregated data.

“There are eleven different chapters. These chapters have to do with governance, legal rights, education and training in work place, health including HIV. We have taken all these elements, and together with stakeholders we have seen what characters really impact on that changes in our society, on the men and women’s conditions. We have also set the objective that will assist us towards achieving such changes,” said Mrs Bonne.

She added it will be necessary to develop action plans which are linked to those objectives in the policy.

In his address Minister Adam said the new policy is being launched in a specific context where the rest of the world is talking about equality between men and women, elimination of legal and cultural barriers that keep women and girls behind.

“Seychelles is proud that all its citizens, irrespective if you are a man or a woman, have the right in front of the law. We are proud our citizens have the same opportunity to participate, contribute and gain in the development of our country. But this doesn’t mean everything is perfect. There are many challenges ahead,” the minister said.

Even though many women are equal, he said there too many girls and women suffering from domestic violence, an issue the minister said should be addressed.

The minister also said there are too many single mothers being victim of poverty.

“In a society where education is free, where all basic services are in place and where economic opportunities are accessible to all individuals, nobody should be living in poverty. Therefore we must question ourselves what are the causes of such situations, what creates marginalisation. While on the other side too many young boys are falling victims to drug and alcohol abuse, too many are not succeeding in schools and in consequence compromise their future,” Minister Adam said.

The minister also commended men who have taken on many more domestic roles and are not just breadwinners. And in school, children are being taught to dream to be what they want to be no matter if they are male or female. Gender, the minister said, should not define your future.

He also remarked that we should always be guided by the noble principle where no Seychellois should be left behind.

“Gender is this about the tasks, functions and role that are given to women and men in society, in public and private. The launch of this policy today is significant and very relevant. We will all agree that in Seychelles the tasks, functions and role given to women and men, have changed and they are continuing to change,” said Minister Adam in his opening remarks.

He reminded all of the presence of women in various functions and positions in life.

“We all rejoice and are proud of their remarkable achievements and they are professionals and are contributing towards the economic development and growth,” Minister Adam said.

Colleen Lowe Morna of Gender Links from South Africa presented the key findings of the GBV/Relationship survey. (Seychelles NATION will come back on these results)