 A woman in the Seychelles and her fishtrap, during the early part of the 1970s. | |
| General Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Women in parliament | 22.86% (2020)[1] |
| Women in labour force | 64.29% (2020)[2] |
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| Women in society |
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Women in Seychelles enjoy the same legal, political, economic, and social rights as men.[3]
Seychellois society is essentially matriarchal.[3][4] Mothers tend to be dominant in the household, controlling most current expenditures and looking after the interests of the children.[3] Unwed mothers are the societal norm, and the law requires fathers to support their children.[4] Men are important for their earning ability, but their domestic role is relatively peripheral.[3] Older women can usually count on financial support from family members living at home or contributions from the earnings of grown children.[3]
Domestic violence against women was a continuing problem.[4] Police rarely intervened in domestic disputes unless it involved a weapon or major assault.[4] The authorities often dismissed the few cases that reached a prosecutor, or the court gave the perpetrator a light sentence.[4] There was growing societal concern about domestic violence and increased recognition of the need to address it.[4]
Rape, spousal rape, and domestic abuse are criminal offences punishable by a maximum of 20 years' imprisonment.[4] During 2007, the Family Tribunal registered 74 domestic violence complaints.[4] The police registered 56 rape cases and four cases of attempted sexual assault.[4] 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.[4]
There is no officially sanctioned gender discrimination in employment and women are well represented in business.[4] As of 1994, women formed nearly half of the enrollment at the prestigious Seychelles Polytechnic, the highest level of education on the islands.[3] As of 2007, there were 10 women in the 34-seat National Assembly, seven elected by direct election and three by proportional representation.[4] Following the July 2007 cabinet reshuffle, there were two women in the cabinet.[4]
Prostitution is illegal but remains prevalent.[4] Police generally do not apprehend prostitutes unless their actions involved other crimes.[4]
The law prohibits sexual harassment but is rarely enforced.[4] Inheritance laws do not discriminate against women.[4]
