Australian High Commission
Mauritius
Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar, Comoros, Reunion Island (consular)

Australia Supports Regional Human Rights Education Programme

 

A regional on-line Human Rights Education programme was launched earlier today by Australia’s High Commissioner to Mauritius, Ms Jenny Dee and local Human Rights NGO, Dis-Moi in the presence of the Mauritian Acting President, His Excellency Mr Paramasivum Pillay.

 

The programme, which is the first of its kind to be launched in Mauritius, will provide an on-line training platform for civil society groups including people with disabilities to improve their knowledge and understanding of human rights norms and principles, the values that underpin them, and the mechanisms for their protection. The programme will help equip them with the necessary skills to empower members of the community so that they are able to exercise their rights and respect and uphold the rights of others.

 

Similar programmes will be launched in Rodrigues, Comoros, Madagascar and Seychelles over the coming months. 

 

Australia’s High Commissioner to Mauritius Ms Jenny Dee said “Human rights underpin peace and prosperity – Australia’s experience is that building human rights into the fabric of society makes us safer, more prosperous, and more secure.”

 

“The Australian High Commission is pleased to be partnering with Dis-Moi to promote human rights education in this region.  An active civil society is an important pillar of functioning democracies and we are looking forward to launching this project in Rodrigues, Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles to help civil society groups there reinforce their capacity to support human rights.”

 

Other dignitaries that were present for the launch included the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Human Rights and Institutional Reforms, the Hon Maneesh Gobin; the Ombudsperson for Children, Mrs Rita Venkatasamy and the Mayor of Mutsamudu in Anjouan Comoros, Mr Amirdine Mohamed.

 

The On-line Human Rights Education programme is being funded by the Australian High Commission’s Direct Aid Program, a flexible small grants program that is aimed at achieving practical and tangible humanitarian or developmental outcomes in vulnerable communities that have a direct, practical and immediate impact and support achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The priority focus areas of the Direct Aid Program are:

 

- Human rights and good governance

- Women’s economic empowerment

- Health

- Education

- Disaster Risk Management

 

The High Commission is supporting other human rights related projects in the region through its Direct Aid Program.  For example, in 2018:

 

  • In Comoros, the High Commission provided support for training and awareness raising campaigns to promote good governance and increase participation for women in local elections and supported training and raising awareness of violence against women and minors.
  • In Madagascar, the High Commission is supporting Handicap International to improve access to education for girls and boys with disabilities in local communities and has partnered with the UNDP to support the electoral process through strengthening the capacity of media professionals and support to national institutions as part of the UNDP’s SACEM electoral assistance to help strengthen the capacity of CENI, the Malagasy Electoral Commission.

 

23 June 2018