Women in Seychelles
Overview of the status of women in Seychelles
Women in Seychelles enjoy the same legal, political, economic, and social rights as men. [1]
Family life
Seychellois society is essentially matriarchal . [1] [2] Mothers tend to be dominant in the household, controlling most current expenditures and looking after the interests of the children. [1] Unwed mothers are the societal norm, and the law requires fathers to support their children . [2] Men are important for their earning ability, but their domestic role is relatively peripheral. [1] Older women can usually count on financial support from family members living at home or contributions from the earnings of grown children. [1]
Violence against women
Domestic violence against women was a continuing problem. [2] Police rarely intervened in domestic disputes unless it involved a weapon or major assault. [2] The authorities often dismissed the few cases that reached a prosecutor, or the court gave the perpetrator a light sentence. [2] There was growing societal concern about domestic violence and increased recognition of the need to address it. [2]
Rape , spousal rape , and domestic abuse are criminal offences punishable by a maximum of 20 years' imprisonment. [2] During 2007, the Family Tribunal registered 74 domestic violence complaints. [2] The police registered 56 rape cases and four cases of attempted sexual assault. [2] The Social Affairs Division of the Ministry of Health and Social Development and Women in Action and Solidarity Organization , a local NGO, provided counseling services to rape victims. [2]
Wider society
There is no officially sanctioned gender discrimination in employment and women are well represented in business. [2] As of 1994, women formed nearly half of the enrollment at the prestigious Seychelles Polytechnic , the highest level of education on the islands. [1] As of 2007, there were 10 women in the 34-seat National Assembly , seven elected by direct election and three by proportional representation . [2] Following the July 2007 cabinet reshuffle, there were two women in the cabinet. [2]
Prostitution is illegal but remains prevalent. [2] Police generally do not apprehend prostitutes unless their actions involved other crimes. [2]
The law prohibits sexual harassment but is rarely enforced. [2] Inheritance laws do not discriminate against women. [2]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tartter, Jean R. "Status of Women". Indian Ocean country studies: Seychelles ( Helen Chapin Metz , editor). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (August 1994). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Seychelles (2007) Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (March 11, 2008). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
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