They are 4% in politics, 5% in executive posts in the top 100 companies, 22% in legal and managerial professions. Women, who represent 51 % of the population, are quite under-represented in active and public life. Although progress has been made over the last three decades, some stereotypes remain of women?s role in society. In the context of International Women?s Day, all the stakeholders - women?s organisations, the media, political leaders, etc. - have tried to take stock of the situation and understand the obstacles that they still have to face.

?There should be a sort of contract for housework responsibilities before getting married,? Jane Raggoo joked, in a debate on radio yesterday. The trade unionist immediately touched a raw nerve. The perception that a certain number of roles, such as children?s education and the running of the household, are reserved to women remains. As a result, these responsibilities are not equally shared and women hesitate to put a lot into their careers even when they get the chance. Men seem not to be used yet to seeing women working. Husbands and bosses alike.

Attitudes change very slowly in the business sector. Discrimination towards women in the workplace is still very common. Although there has been a 21% increase in female employment in the past ten years, women are still lagging behind. The 34% of women in the workplace today are mainly in clerical and factory jobs. It seems as if women are considered competent only for a few ?female jobs?. If the Sex Discrimination Division has registered only 14 complaints of sexual discrimination during the past eight months, undoubtedly, there are many more cases.

A traditional vision of women is said to be the reason why they are so scarce in top managerial professions, 78% of which are held by men. The private sector has an even more alarming proportion. Yet, the competence of women has stood the test. Examples of success show that women can reach top managerial professions or professions mostly occupied by men. It is a woman that leads the MEPZA and another woman is at the head of the Forensic Scientific Laboratory. Two thirds of magistrates are women. Not to mention the numerous firms led by women.

The struggle for a bigger place for women in all sectors has nothing to do with ideological matters, but rather practical ones. The main problem in our country is the scarcity of human resources. ?If we allow a great percentage of our human capital to be wasted, the country will be the big loser,? declares Sheila Bunwaree. This is why the ministry has this year chosen the theme: ?Women and scientific professions?. The country relies on ICT for its development. If women, who represent 51% of the population, do not take part in the movement, how will we obtain enough technicians to become a cyber island?

It is the same as far as politics are concerned. Powerful orators and gifted administrators have become very scarce. We should start looking for them among women. With one of the lowest percentages of female politicians in the world, Mauritius must have thousands of competent women. The debate is on since the report of the committee on the electoral reform, which has called up the possibility of a quota to facilitate women?s participation in politics. The Ivan Collendavelloo report took up the proposal of the Sachs Commission, responsible for proposing an alternative to the present electoral system. It suggested that, in proportional representation, of the first 12 persons on a party list, 6 should be women.

Although they admit there is a lack of women in politics, women from the opposition reject the proposal. Sheila Bappoo has taken the stand that women do not need any quota. They should be able to impose themselves with their talent and merit. Lindsay Collen, member of Lalit and Mouvman Liberasyon Fam, is dead against such a system. ?To a large extent, male-dominated lobbies of different sectors of the economy, such as the capital sector, have poisoned politics. These communal lobbies simply loathe being represented by women,? she said.

Even women from the majority do not seem very keen on quotas.The debate is only just beginning. Women are still thinking about it. Two Soroptimist clubs, in collaboration with the Jeune Chambre Economique of Port-Louis, will hold a business forum on ?Women in power? at the Alliance française tomorrow.

Finally, it is a matter of respect for human rights. But we are still a long way from this attitude of respect. In fact, statistics tend to show that the situation is getting worse. 2,010 girls were victims of abuse in 2002. In 2003, there were some 150 cases of rape (adults and minors) against 135 in 2002 and 124 in 2000. These are disconcerting statistics, although many of these victims reported the rape long after the act was committed. As far as the Sex Discrimination Division is concerned, it has registered 24 allegations of sexual harassment over the few past months. The government has tried to be more severe: the Sexual Offences (Miscellaneous) Bill was amended to inflict more severe sentences on the guilty. But justice takes so much time to sanction the guilty that many women wonder whether these measures are really efficient. The case for women still has a long way to go.

?The 34% of women in the workplace are mainly in clerical and factory jobs. It seems as if women are ?competent? only for a few ?female jobs?.?