Transcript PowerPoint
Seychelles 50-50. Challenges in Achieving
Gender Equality
Mahrookh Pardiwalla. April 2016.
Geographical Location and Map of Seychelles
122? islands. Total land area 455km2
EEZ of 1.3 million km2 of ocean.
Mainstay of Economy: Tourism & Fisheries: (Blue Economy Concept)
127,998 visitors in 2015. Over 90% of production and consumption
goods imported. Highly vulnerable to external shocks.
Protection of Environment: 46% of land protected legally in form of national parks and
reserves. 2 UNESCO World heritage Sites
VICTORIA- THE
CAPITAL
Ranked 64th on Human Development (UNDP) HDI 0.722 . Classified as High Human
Development Country. (2015 Human Development Report)
GDP per capita (US$)- 14,918.4 High inequality in income
Low unemployment rate (4.3%) High dependence on expatriate workers 16,000
Republic. Gained independence in 1976. Young country . Multi party democracy adopted
in 1993. (learning)
Population – Mixed Origin. (African, Indian, European, Chinese) Metissage. Live
harmoniously together.
Mother Tongue: Kreol , English and French are national languages
Population 2014, (‘000)
Age comp
Male
Female
Total
All
45,278
46081
91,359
Under 15
9,977
9,889
15-49
24,589
23,903
50-64
7,731
7897
Over 65
2,981
4,392
Smallest in Africa, 12th Smallest in the World
Slow population growth rate 1.2 Total Fertility Rate 2.3 (2014)
Life expectancy at birth: Male 68.4, Female 78.3
Total Fertility Rate 2.4
% of Female headed Households 58% (HBS 2013).No of households 24,770
(2010)
Weak family structures: 76.9% children born out of wedlock in 2014
Legal Framework for Gender Equality
Facilitative framework for gender equality
Constitution provides for gender equality and
protection of women against all forms of
discrimination including sex.
Party to all the important international human rights
conventions. CEDAW ratified in 1991.
National machinery for promotion of gender (limited
staff and budget) campaigns, training
Women’s Advancement/Empowerment
Great strides made in education , (almost 100% parity in access at
all levels.) Free and compulsory education for 11 years)
More girls in tertiary level education, scholarship schemes, better
academic results in all subject areas, higher adult literacy rate
Higher life expectancy ; maternity leave (12 weeks) & generous
social welfare benefits
Good health indicators; Very low maternal mortality rates
More women entering the labour market. LFPR 62.1 in 1994 to 74 in
2010. (Males 68.1-79.2)
More women taking up positions of responsibility-government, civil
society)
WOMEN IN DECISION MAKING POSITIONS
Post Title
Ministers (including VP)
Principal Secretary
Chief Executive Officers
Members of the National
Assembly
Director General
District Administrators
Judges of Court of Appeal
Judges of Supreme Court
Magistrates
Central Bank Governor
Ombudsman /HR Commissioner
Mayor of Victoria
Leader of Government Business
Ambassador
Female
Male
Total
% Women
3
9
20
10
12
32
13
21
52
23%
42.8%
38.5%
14
20
17
1
2
2
1
1
1
18
15
7
4
6
2
32
35
24
5
8
4
43.8%
57.1%
70.8%
20.0%
25%
50%
5
9
14
35.7%
Persistent barriers
Glass ceiling: Good academic results not translated into better life chances
Stereotyping in subject/career choices, underrepresentation in technical/vocational
areas- prospects for prospering in blue economy related fields ?
Women clustered in low paying jobs- service retail, caring
Few women entrepreneurs/self employed (3% as compared to 13% of men)
Low representation in decision making positions/Boards and Commissions (33%)/
judiciary/security /economic sectors
Women centre of family life (maternity, child care, sick, elderly. Double burden of
work and family
Time poor (limited sharing of responsibilities in home).
Unpaid work is not accounted for in the national budget and no time use surveys
have been conducted to measure the contribution of unpaid work to the national
economy and time spent by women in unpaid jobs and the informal sector
Higher levels of poverty among women –single , head of household
Harmful notions of masculinity and femininity constrain men and women from
reaching full potential
Areas of Concern
Rising incidence of gender based violence-(domestic violence, rape, sexual
assault, harassment ) leading to murder- low rates of conviction (No
Domestic Violence Bill)
teenage pregnancies,
HIV/AIDs (In 2015,667 cumulative HIV cases of whom 387 (58%) were
males and 280 (42%) were females
Rise in incidence of sex work- no statistics
Alcohol and drug related problems (heroin)
Feminisation of poverty. 18% below poverty line (largely women in women
headed families. Multi-dimensional poverty 40%
Ageing women population
Obesity: 74% of the female population are overweight and 43% are
obese (WHO country profile)
Rise in rates of cancer, diabetes , cardio vascular diseases
Issues for Boys/Men
Underperformance at school
Poor behaviour/drop outs
More boys affected by Risky life styles (drugs, alcohol)
HIV /AIDS higher prevalence rate
High Incarceration Rate (total 787) 45 women
Health issues-Lower life expectancy
Constrained by societal expectations of breadwinner
Many of above have gender dimension- policy makers
not gender aware
Challenges
Small National Machinery- Gender Secretariat – (poorly staffed and resourced)moved ministries very often
Lack of sex disaggregated data/capacity for gender analysis/equality of
outcomes/obligation of results
Limited research on gender/women issues/men’s issues
Civil society groups not rights based/not research oriented
No gender responsive budgeting/budget analysis for impact on men and women
Feelings of complacency- women’s issues are not a problem in Seychelles- (high HD
index/high rankings/women visible )
Cultural stereotypes /harmful masculinities/femininities- not adequately studied and
challenged in schools, society, media
Limited child care services/industries & businesses not family friendly/women on
shift work in hotels
Gender not seen as relational-Backlash-Women’s advancement led to male
marginalisation
The End
Thank You.
Table 6.1: Single parent welfare recipients by gender and age group
Years
Male
Female
2635
2
3649
9
5062
2
63+
2009
1825
1
2635
42
3649
62
5062
4
63+
0
1825
26
2010
1
6
12
2
0
65
80
103
16
0
2011
4
16
23
5
1
147
197
231
23
1
2012
6
13
19
4
0
150
217
199
23
0
2013
5
10
25
6
2
199
245
229
10
1
Jan – Nov 2014
4
26
35
19
0
298
430
348
49
1
Source: Agency for Social Protection
0
Institutional sector
Male
Female
Both
sexes
Employed
population
14
36.6
25.1
10,041
12.2
8.4
10.3
4,124
Private sector
67
46.7
57
22,773
In private household
2.8
5.3
4
1,618
Elsewhere
3.9
2.2
3.1
1,222
Not stated
0.2
0.7
0.4
172
20,260
19,690
Government sector
Parastatal sector
Employed population
Source: National Bureau of Statistics, LFS 2011/2012
39,950
16
14
14
12
10
10
8
8
6
6
5
4
4
2
0
4
4
3
2
2 2
1 1
2
2
1 1
1
0
1
0
Female
Male
0
1
0
0
0
0
Table 9.5: Percentage distribution of the employed population by status in
employment, HBS 2013
Status in employment
Male
Female
Both
sexes
Full time
76.9
90.2
83.6
Part time
4
5.2
4.6
Casual
6.2
1
3.6
Self-employed: Without regular paid employees
10.3
2.4
6.3
Self-employed: With regular paid employees
2.6
0.8
1.7
Members of producers cooperative
0
0.2
0.1
Other
0
0.2
0.1
100
100
100
2,674
2,679
5,353
%
Total
Source: National Bureau of Statistics, Household Budget
Survey 2013
Table 9.6: Employed persons by institutional sector and Sex, 2011/2012
Institutional sector
Male
Female
Both
sexes
14
36.6
25.1
Employed
populatio
n
10,041
12.2
8.4
10.3
4,124
Private sector
67
46.7
57
22,773
In private household
2.8
5.3
4
1,618
Elsewhere
3.9
2.2
3.1
1,222
Not stated
0.2
0.7
0.4
172
20,260
19,690
Government sector
Parastatal sector
Employed population
Source: National Bureau of Statistics, LFS 2011/2012
39,950
Table A1.2:NUMBER OF TEACHERS BY GENDER AND NATIONALITY (2014)
Level
Local
Expatriate
Total
BOTH
SEXES
F
M
Total
F
M
Total
F
M
Crèche
147
-
147
-
-
-
147
-
147
Primary
505
76
581
1
-
1
506
76
582
Special education
22
2
24
-
-
-
22
2
24
Secondary
250
137
387
54
47
101
304
184
488
Tertiary NonUniversity
75
62
137
7
36
43
82
98
180
Total
999
277
1,276 62
83
145
1,061 360
Source: Education Management Information System (Ministry of Education)
1,421