Victoria, Seychelles – In a continued effort to advance gender mainstreaming and promote comprehensive social development, the Research, Policy, and Planning Division of the Family Department, in collaboration with SAWOPE, organized a one-day workshop to review the National Gender Policy as part of the ongoing update process. Held on September 20th, 2024, at the National Museum in Victoria, the event gathered 35 participants from various partner organizations, NGOs, national state agencies, and legal entities across the country.

The review process began the previous year with two consultative meetings on the existing National Gender Policy and Plan of Action. These consultations aimed to create an updated draft that reflects the current societal realities in Seychelles, ensuring it is suitable for adoption, implementation, and enforcement.

Seychelles has made significant strides in socio-economic development, guided by its constitution and people-centered development policies. The country boasts top-tier social indicators, often comparable to those of developed nations. The Seychelles constitution guarantees equal protection under the law, ensuring that all individuals enjoy their rights and freedoms without discrimination, except where necessary in a democratic society.

Gender mainstreaming is a key approach in Seychelles, aiming to identify gender disparities and incorporate the perspectives of all genders into the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and programs. This approach aligns with the guidelines of the SADC Secretariat, Commonwealth Secretariat, and the United Nations. The National Gender Policy primarily follows the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, a comprehensive sub-regional instrument that adheres to international and sub-regional standards.

Seychelles adopted the National Gender Policy to harmonize and mainstream gender considerations across different institutions nationwide, ensuring that all segments of the population benefit equally and that the country meets its SDG obligations.

Despite significant progress, women and girls in Seychelles continue to face challenges that require further examination and action. These challenges will be thoroughly addressed throughout the review, adoption, implementation, and reinforcement of the National Gender Policy and Plan of Action.

This workshop marks a crucial step toward promoting gender equality and building a more inclusive and equitable society in Seychelles. By fostering collaboration among various stakeholders, the initiative aims to create a meaningful impact on the lives of all citizens, regardless of gender.