Observatory on Gender-Based Violence

Brief Description

The Observatory on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) has been set up by the Ministry of of Gender Equality, Child Development and Family Welfare with a collaboration of the UNDP. It is intended to be composed of representatives from both the public institutions and the civil society and is intended to be a body of advisory nature in order to increase understanding of the actions carried out in matters related to GBV, analyse its evolution and guide the public policy decisions on GBV. Moreover, it will also have the capacity to make urgent progress in the integration of the data of the different organisations’ registers already in existence, thus improving their operation and complementing them with the results which can be provided by the sociological research mechanisms at more disaggregated levels and in more details. The main objectives of the Observatory are:
i. To understand the reality and the evolution of the situations of GBV in the Republic of Mauritius; and
ii. To make recommendations and proposals to improve the services and facilities offered by the public institutions and civil society in the field of GBV.

The functions of the Observatory with respect to its objectives are:
i. To design and ensure maintenance of a computer application integrating data relating to situations of GBV in the Republic of Mauritius.
ii. To act as a permanent body for the gathering and analysis of the information available in the different fields of attention to situations of gender-based violence.
iii. To make recommendations and proposals aimed at improving the information indicators and systems used by the services in matters of violence against women.
iv. To participate in and maintain relations with other similar institutions. To learn about their experiences and the reforms undertaken and proposed in other administrations.
v. To propose the carrying out of studies and technical reports for the diagnosis and evaluation of the extent and evolution of the situations of gender-based violence.
vi. To analyse the adaptation of the comprehensive measures aimed at victims of genderbased violence, investigating their consequences and effects and examining the examples of good practice.
vii. To make recommendations and proposals aimed at promoting improvements in the range of different resources which affect the field of gender-based violence in the Republic of Mauritius and to transfer them to the relevant institutions.
viii. To provide a forum of exchange and communication facilitating the works of study and analysis of research groups in the area of gender-based violence.