Mauritius-Overview

Mauritius is a middle-income country with long-established practices of democracy and an active culture of political debate, and it has a diverse civil society, working on issues such as human rights, women’s rights and women’s political under-representation, LGBTI rights, the rights of the excluded Creole community, high-level political corruption, the environment and HIV/AIDS. Faith groups and associations that represent business interests are also prominent. Mauritius has a national human rights institution, the mandate and independence of which was strengthened in 2013, and a National Human Rights Action Plan for the 2012-2020 period, which recognises the role of civil society and is monitored by a multi-stakeholder committee. Concern has however been expressed about weak legislative provisions against torture, and impunity for the use of force by police officers.