Promoting Gender Equality and Women Empowerment

One of the measures announced in the Budget aiming at further advancing gender equality, due to a flagrant underrepresentation of women on corporate boards of directors in our country, is that Public Companies and Statutory Bodies will therefore be required to have at least one woman on their board of directors. The objective is to eventually have a fair gender balance on the boards and thus, the Companies Act and the Statutory Bodies (Accounts and Audit) Act will be amended accordingly.

Budget 2019-2020 also makes a provision of Rs 11 million for the Women`s Empowerment Centres to be revamped, with the following additional facilities: an Atelier des Métiers/ Savoirs for unemployed and vulnerable women; equipment to promote wellness; and Day Care centres for elderly women. The crèche scheme will also be maintained so as to regularise the Child Day Care Centres.

With regards to the maternity leave on full pay, which was limited to three confinements in the public service, Budget 2019-2020 makes provision for this restriction to be removed. Furthermore, an officer in the Public Service, who is nursing her unweaned child, will be entitled to permission on the same basis as working mothers in the private sector, that is, for a period of six months as from date of birth.