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This week's news highlights: Gender equality in Mauritius, Solar Power Plant underway and more...

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Published on 30 June 2023

A few significant events this past week: a peaceful march organized to raise awareness about the harmful effects of drug use, an ambitious solar power plant project was launched, aiming to harness renewable energy for the country, a notable increase in reported cases of dengue fever, prompting preventive measures and heightened vigilance. And finally, a report comparing gender equality in Mauritius to the rest of the world has been published, shedding light on the progress made and the challenges that still exist.

A peaceful march to raise awareness of the harmful effects of drugs

On Wednesday, a peaceful march took place in Flacq, where a crowd of 2,500 people assembled to raise public awareness about the detrimental effects of drug use. The event was organized by the Ministry of Public Service, Administrative and Institutional Reforms, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Flacq District Council. Free medical services and a blood drive were made available at the location, and several prominent figures participated actively in the event.

A photovoltaic solar power plant project underway at Arsenal

On June 28, the Minister of Energy and Utilities, Joe Lesjongard, participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of a significant solar energy project in Arsenal. The project is being carried out by GreenYellow Indian Ocean Green, a Mauritian subsidiary of the French company GreenYellow, as part of an agreement with the Central Electricity Board (CEB) to construct solar photovoltaic plants throughout the country. The new solar farm will have a maximum capacity of 13.86 megawatts (MW) and is expected to be completed in approximately eight months. In order to connect the farm to the national grid, a dedicated 22-kilovolt (kV) distribution line will be established, linking it to the Jinfei substation.

33 cases of dengue fever in 8 days

According to data provided by the Ministry of Health, a total of 33 cases of dengue fever were recorded on the island between June 19 and 27. To prevent the further spread of the disease, various preventive measures have been put in place. These measures include enhanced surveillance at ports and airports, fumigation operations, conducting "contact tracing" surveys to identify individuals who have had contact with confirmed cases, and launching awareness campaigns across the country.

Gender parity: Mauritius 98th out of 146 countries

According to the latest Global Gender Report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Mauritius still has some progress to make in achieving gender parity. Out of the 146 countries surveyed, Mauritius ranks 98th, showing improvement from the 105th position achieved the previous year. While this improvement is encouraging, it's essential to highlight that significant challenges persist in the areas of economics, politics, health, and education.

Regarding economic participation and opportunities, Mauritius ranks 100th, while in the field of education, the country occupies the 71st position. As for political emancipation, Mauritius ranks 97th. However, when it comes to health and survival, the country is at the top, tied with Malawi, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, and 21 other countries.

The report underlines that the overall gender gap in economics, politics, health, and education has narrowed by only 0.3% compared to 2021, and no country has yet achieved full gender parity. According to the World Economic Forum projections, it will take Mauritius at least another 131 years to achieve complete gender parity.

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