Handing over ceremony for the “Gender Policy for Rodrigues”

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Handing over ceremony for the "Gender Policy for Rodrigues"

18.09.2025 Press and information team of the Delegation to Mauritius and Seychelles

• Honourable Mrs Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare;
• Honourable Franceau Grancourt, Chief Commissioner, Rodrigues Regional Assembly;
• Honourable Mrs Marie Christiane Agathe, Commissioner for Women's Affairs and others, Rodrigues Regional Assembly;
• Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Guests,
  Members of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly, and Esteemed Partners

It is a great honour to address you today on a matter of profound importance-not only for Rodrigues Island but also for the broader vision of sustainable and inclusive development that the European Union supports.

I am pleased to share this platform with the Honourable Minister to advance gender equality through effective sectoral policies.

Across the world, including Europe, Mauritius and Rodrigues gender disparities persist. They affect education, employment, healthcare, and participation in decision-making processes.

This imbalance limits the empowerment of women and girls and ultimately holds back the full potential of our society as a whole.

The European Union recognizes that gender equality is not a standalone goal but a cross-cutting issue. It must be integrated into every sectoral policy-from agriculture and fisheries to education, health, and economic development so that outcomes are both sustainable and transformative.

The European Union is committed to working hand in hand with the Rodrigues Regional Assembly, local stakeholders, civil society, and communities to:

1. Promote Equal Access to Education and Skills Development
   Ensuring that girls and young women have equitable opportunities to acquire education and vocational training unlocking a new generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals.

2. Support Economic Empowerment of Women
   From fisheries to tourism, by improving access to finance, market opportunities, and entrepreneurship training.

3. Enhance Participation in Governance and Decision-Making
   Increasing women's representation in leadership positions at all levels strengthens policy-making and ensures that the needs and perspectives of all citizens are reflected in Rodrigues' future.

4. Improve Health and Social Services with a Gender Lens
   Tailoring healthcare and social support services to address gender-specific challenges will promote wellbeing and reduce vulnerabilities, particularly among marginalized groups.

The European Union is proud to have supported the elaboration of a proper gender policy 2025-2030 for the Rodrigues Regional Assembly. I trust this framework will accelerate mainstreaming by addressing not only the symptoms but also the root causes of inequality.

Honourable Minister

Chief Commissioner

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Sustainable Integrated Development Plan for Rodrigues - the SIDPR - Funded by the European Union - is a visionary framework that reflects both the hopes of this island community and our shared commitment to sustainable, inclusive, and resilient development.

But sustainable development can only be achieved when women, men, girls and boys participate equally.

Why must we integrate gender perspectives into the SIDPR?

Because women in Rodrigues play critical roles - as farmers, fishers, entrepreneurs, caregivers, and community leaders.

By embedding gender considerations in the Sustainable Integrated Development Plan, we can:

• Empower Women Economically through access to finance, training, and markets;

• Improve Social Services and Healthcare tailoring
  women and girls, including maternal health, gender-based violence prevention, and social protection;

• Enhance Women's Participation and leadership; and

• Promote Gender-Responsive Climate and Environmental Policies.
  

The integration of gender perspectives is not an additional task but a fundamental approach that strengthens every sector of development.

The European Union has already supported women empowerment in Rodrigues through various actions and programmes be it national and regional (I am thinking of Smartfish and ECOFISH, Switch Africa Green, the Decentralised Cooperation Programme (DCP - very well-known here), migration circulaire, ENFA OI).

Let us continue this partnership - government, civil society, and communities - to build a Rodrigues where every person, regardless of gender, has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to a vibrant, sustainable future.

I thank you for your attention.

offers a pathway to address these challenges through integrated, sectoral strategies that promote environmental stewardship, social equity, and economic prosperity

In closing, I urge all stakeholders to embrace this vision and commit to collaborative action. Gender equality is not just a moral imperative-it is a strategic investment in the sustainable future of Rodrigues Island.

Thank you.

Let me recall that this is our first event with the Honourable Minister and Honourable Junior Minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare. And it is taking place only few weeks after the celebration of the International Women's Day.

I am proud to be among you this morning for the launching of the 3-day workshop on the integration of gender perspectives into all aspects of policies, institutions and actions.

Capacity-building for integrating gender perspectives is not a luxury; it is a necessity.

Our goal this morning and over the next three days is therefore clear - gender equality must be embedded at every level of decision-making and in every sector of society.

In the European Union, we are committed to ensuring that no woman is left behind.

On International Women's Day 2025, the European Commission adopted the EU Roadmap for Women's Rights.

The Roadmap addresses some of these women's rights:

• freedom from gender-based violence;

• the highest standards of health;

• equal pay and economic empowerment;

• equal representation and political participation;

• work-life balance and care;

• and other areas like gender mainstreaming, financing, and gender-sensitive data collection, research, and design.

Clearly, from the Roadmap, gender mainstreaming remains central to the European Union.

Gender mainstreaming is not just a policy tool. It is a fundamental approach that influences every level of decision-making - from local administrations to the highest echelons of government.

It is about ensuring that gender perspectives are at the heart of every decision, every strategy, and every solution we design and implement.

At the European Union, we are fully committed to making gender mainstreaming a part of every facet of our work. We have seen the value of integrating gender equality into all sectors, and we are determined to continue strengthening the capacity of our institutions and that of our partners in our external actions!

We are glad that under our Cooperation Facility with the Government of Mauritius, we have been able to mobilise Mrs Winfred Lichuma - gender expert - as resource person to deliver this 3-day training programme.

Through this capacity-building initiative on gender mainstreaming, we want to inculcate the idea that gender equality must be integrated into all policies, programmes, and actions, ensuring that women and men have equal access to opportunities and benefits.

This initiative is part of a long-term technical assistance programme for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare that is being implemented since last year as a result of our High Level Policy Dialogue on Gender.

I wish to remind that the dedicated gender policy dialogue has allowed us to identify challenges and gaps in the achievements of SDG 5 towards gender equality. In this context, we have mobilised several short-term experts to provide assistance on the revision of the Protection from Domestic Violence Act, drafting of several legislations, capacity-building on gender-based violence, to name a few.

Honourable Minister,

Honourable Junior Minister,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Gender inequalities are deeply ingrained in our societies, affecting all aspects of life: from economic participation, to healthcare, to education, to political representation. These inequalities do not arise by accident; they result from long-standing structural and systemic issues that must be addressed through strategic, deliberate, and informed action.

To address these challenges, we need knowledgeable, skilled individuals - policymakers, civil servants, business leaders, and community advocates - who can

• analyze the gendered impacts of policies,
• design interventions that promote equality,
• and create environments where everyone, regardless of gender, can thrive.

Moreover, institutional capacity is equally important. Governments, public institutions, and organisations must be equipped not only with the tools to address gender inequality but with the internal structures that promote gender-sensitive decision-making and accountability.

The training initiative that gathers us this morning and over the next three days is targeting essentially the Gender Focal Points of line ministries to create a network of expertise that can drive forward real change.

The initiative will cover a wide range of modules from Gender Policy Commitment-Legal and Policy Frameworks; Tools to Conduct a Gender Analysis; Gender-Sensitive /Responsive Planning; Gender-Responsive Budgeting to Gender-Sensitive Monitoring and Evaluation system and Dealing with Resistance.

As we continue our journey to equality, we must reinforce our commitment to gender mainstreaming in all of our institutions, actions, and partnerships. Training is one of the most important tools in our arsenal to make this a reality. We therefore count on your full participation to make this training a success.

Conclusion

In closing, I want to thank each and every one of you, in particular the Honourable Minister, for your dedication and for the role you play in this crucial work.

Gender mainstreaming is at the heart of our efforts and I am confident that, with your continued support and commitment, we will achieve a future where gender equality is a lived reality for all.

I thank you for your attention.