Seychelles National Gender Report for the Elaboration of a sub-regional IOC Gender Strategy September 2008 GENDERCOI/SEZ/JB Table of Contents Acknowledgements ________________________________________________________ 4 Acronyms_______________________________________________________________ 5 List of Tables and Figures____________________________________________________ 6 Executive Summary (in French)________________________________________________ 7 Chapter 1: Context and Introduction 1.1 Introduction, Context and Objectives of Study____________________________________ 9 1.2 Methodology__________________________________________________________ 9 1.3 Brief Country Profile_____________________________________________________ 9 Chapter 2: Gender Profile – the Country in Figures 2.1 Table on human resources: capabilities________________________________________ 11 2.2 Table on economic resources: opportunities_____________________________________ 12 2.3 Table on social resources: agency____________________________________________ 13 Chapter 3: Evaluation of Gender Profile 3.1 Social Aspects - Capacity__________________________________________________ 14 3.1.1 Household composition_________________________________________________ 14 3.1.2 Education - general ___________________________________________________ 15 3.1.3 School Enrolment and National Educational Attainment__________________________ 15 3.1.4 Curricula and Gender in Education_________________________________________ 17 3.1.5 School Dropouts _____________________________________________________ 19 3.1.6 Health - general _____________________________________________________ 19 3.1.7 Birthweight of Infants, Stunting and Underweight - under 3 years of age _______________ 19 3.1.8 Maternal mortality____________________________________________________ 20 3.1.9 Other women‟s health issues_____________________________________________ 0 3.1.10 Contraception _______________________________________________________ 22 3.1.11 Abortion ___________________________________________________________ 23 3.1.12 HIV/AIDS and HIV Incidence 2003 to 2007 __________________________________ 24 3.1.13 National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan 2005-2009 and Implementation of the Abuja Declaration__ 26 3.1.14 Gender norms that increase vulnerability to HIV _______________________________ 28 3.1.15 Access to treatment with ARV for pregnant women and women generally _______________ 29 3.1.16 Men as a vulnerable group_______________________________________________ 29 3.1.17 Gender-based violence_________________________________________________ 29 3.1.18 Support to Victims of Gender Violence_______________________________________ 31 3.1.19 National Plan against Domestic Violence_____________________________________ 32 3.2 Economic Aspects – Opportunities___________________________________________ 33 3.2.1 Poverty ___________________________________________________________ 33 3.2.2 Migration _________________________________________________________ 34 3.2.3 Trafficking _________________________________________________________ 35 3.2.4 SADC Trade Protocol (reduction of tariffs and enabling free movement of labour and capital within SADC countries)______________________________________________________ 35 3.2.5 Cost of living - Food prices etc ___________________________________________ 36 3.2.6 Sectors that are fundamental to the economy _________________________________ 37 3.2.7 Female and male labour force participation___________________________________ 38 3.2.8 Labour legislation ____________________________________________________ 40 3.2.9 Informal sector (cottage industries and bazars) _______________________________ 41 3.2.10 Social services spending ________________________________________________ 42 3.2.11 Economic policies_____________________________________________________ 42 2 GENDERCOI/SEZ/JB 3.2.12 Capacity for consistent application of gender perspective to policy decision-making in areas related to macro-economics, trade, employment and structural adjustment policies_____________ 44 3.2.13 Assessment of equity impacts ____________________________________________ 44 3.2.14 Equality advocates in international trade policy discussions________________________ 44 3.2.15 Main environmental challenges and role of women ______________________________ 44 3.2.16 Measures that exist to mitigate impact of climate change __________________________ 45 3.3 Political Aspects - Empowerment____________________________________________ 45 3.3.1 Women‟s participation in politics __________________________________________ 45 3.3.2 Effects of administrative decentralization ____________________________________ 45 3.3.3 Access to justice _____________________________________________________ 46 3.3.4 Initiatives to promote women‟s leadership ___________________________________ 46 3.3.5 Religion and public life_________________________________________________ 47 3.3.6 Role of civil society ___________________________________________________ 47 3.3.7 Coordination mechanisms for NGOs________________________________________ 47 3.3.8 National and regional networks (to promote gender equality)_______________________ 48 3.3.9 Concertation mechanism between civil society and government_____________________ 48 Chapter 4: Analysis of national strategies for Gender 4.1 National Framework for the promotion of gender equality and parity____________________ 49 4.2 Sectoral strategies and gender______________________________________________ 49 4.2.1 The Plan of Action for Gender Equality in Education 2002 - 2015____________________ 4.2.2 Domestic Violence Strategy______________________________________________ 4.2.3 The Environmental Management Plan of Seychelles 2000 - 2010; Thematic area 1: Society, Population and Health (including Gender)_________________________________________ 4.2.4 The National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Policy________________ 4.2.5 Health Strategic Framework 2005-2010, Second Draft____________________________ 4.3 Application of CEDAW and other international/legal instruments ______________________ 51 4.4 Summary of current national projects_________________________________________ 52 Chapter 5: Conclusions and Recommendations 5.1 Progress made, lessons learnt and gaps that still exist_______________________________ 53 5.2 Priority areas and recommendations__________________________________________ 54 5.2.1 Women in decision-making _____________________________________________ 54 5.2.2 Gender-based violence or Domestic violence __________________________________ 55 5.2.3 Economic empowerment of women _______________________________________ 55 5.2.4 Food security_______________________________________________________ 56 5.2.5 Gender-disaggregated data _____________________________________________ 56 5.3 Examples of good practice and gender strategies _________________________________ 58 5.3.1 Cottage industries____________________________________________________ 58 5.3.2 Concessionary credit agency_____________________________________________ 59 5.3.3 Health care for pregnant women__________________________________________ 59 5.3.4 Education programme to improve the performance of boys at school __________________ 60 5.3.5 Health information and data system________________________________________ 61 Annexes: 1. Terms of Reference 2. List of resource persons ___________________________________________________ 62 3. Population by Administrative Divisions________________________________________ 64 4. List of women‟s/gender associations __________________________________________ 65 5. Sample list of projects funded through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs____________________ 67 6. Copy of section on Gender mainstreaming, HRDP 1994- 2000__________________________ 69 7. Bibliography ___________________________________________________________ 74 3 GENDERCOI/SEZ/JB Acknowledgements This report was prepared by Janick Brû Rosalie who wishes to thanks all those who in one way or another helped in providing information to put together this report. Their names appear in Annex 1. Apologies for any names that may have been overlooked! Special thanks go to various people working in the following organisations or independently: The UNDP Office in Seychelles which gave invaluable clerical and other office support The Gender Secretariat and various divisions in the Department of Social Development of the Ministry of Health and Social Development The UNRC Office in Mauritius, which was constantly present throughout the exercise The Indian Ocean Commission Secretariat which also hosted the Methodology Seminar at the end of August 2008 in Quatre Bornes, Mauritius The international consultant for the project, for her warm and friendly support The relevant authorities in Réunion for their welcome, and good food, during the regional validation workshop in December 2008, and last but not least, The other national consultants whose ideas were often very useful and who quickly became „comrades-in-arms‟! 4 GENDERCOI/SEZ/JB Acronyms AGDI African Gender Development Index APSHF Association for the Promotion of Solid and Humane Families ARH Adolescent Reproductive Health ARV Anti-Retroviral ASFF Association of Solidarity for the Family AU African Union BIPA Bilateral Investment Promotion Agreement CCA Common Country Assessment CCA Concessionary Credit Agency CDCU Center for Communicable Diseases Control Unit CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women COMESA Common Markets for Eastern and