Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Gaël Rangain
Published on 2024-03-08 08:00:52
The female wing of the Confederation of Workers in the Public and Private Sectors (CTSP) is calling on the government to introduce a law to compel companies to employ a certain percentage of women. Speaking at a press conference yesterday at the CTSP headquarters in connection with the celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8th, the leaders of the female wing believe that this positive discrimination is necessary, as 55% of the unemployed are women.
Karen Le Merle, one of the officials of the CTSP’s female branch, points out that Mauritius is facing a demographic problem on one hand, and on the other hand, young people under the age of 35 are encouraged to seek employment abroad. “In addition to this, the majority of available job offers are related to the male gender. Unemployment affects 55% of women in the country, but the debate revolves more around the number of women who have become ministers or candidates. There is no structure that promotes women’s development to ensure equality with men,” she adds. It is for this reason that the government must legislate to impose hiring in companies.
Deeana Ragoo-Rajcomar, another leader of the female wing, questions whether democracy truly exists for women in the hope that their voices are heard. The answer is no, she says. “Do you know that to this day, there is no Remuneration Order (RO) for women working in the service sector? Do you know that women working as cleaners, assistants for dentists, and lawyers are paid the minimum wage? The majority of women are employed in the free zone sector, and the irony is that their RO has not changed since 1984,” she highlights.
“It has been said that by March 2024, the basic salary will be set by trade. This gives hope, especially since this amendment has already been made to the Workers Rights Act. Now we hear that Business Mauritius is lobbying for this amendment not to be introduced. Where are these women from the government and the opposition? Why are they not reacting?” emphasizes this leader.
For Anaïs Jean Louis, one of the speakers at the press conference, it is important to consider the role of women in the context of International Women’s Day. “Are the measures taken by the Ministry of Gender Equality sufficient to end discrimination between women and men? The only solution the Ministry of Labour has found to help unemployed women is to offer training courses in pastry and cooking so that they can earn a living,” she protests, adding, “Is a woman’s role limited to the kitchen?”
Anaïs Jean Louis also emphasizes, “We have seen reports stating that women have become chauffeurs or work in the construction sector. Training courses should be provided so that women can become operators. We reject the idea of allowing the hiring of foreign domestic workers, as there is no law to protect them.”
Read the original article(French) on Le Mauricien
