Honourable Mrs Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie, Minister of Gender Equality and Family Welfare;

Honourable Mrs Anishta Babooram, Junior Minister, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare;

Mrs Winfred Lichuma, Gender expert, GOPA Worldwide Consultants, Germany; 

Representatives of Gender Cells of line ministries;

Dear Participants 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

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