WHAT WE DO

We invest in Human Rights and Citizenship education, through online training for all with a participatory and tailored approach. Along with local stakeholders, ministries and civil organisations, we engage in large scale public campaigns, distribution of educational material and awareness raising through long cycles of peer to peer groups led by youth and people With disabilities. We also have a victim support unit with comprehensive case management provision, legal and psychosocial counselling, special needs education services integrated in schools. Last but not least, we have a special program for vulnerable groups including independent living interventions for people with disabilities.

Mauritius
Rodrigues
Madagascar
Mauritius

Situation at a glance

Context
In less than 50 years, Mauritius has gone from having a low-income sugar-based monoculture economy to having a well-diversified economy supported by export-focused manufacturing, tourism, and financial and business services. However, according to some research, Mauritius is still facing poverty problems in some vulnerable parts of the island, leading to a high level of unemployment and also difficulty for children to have access to education.

Mauritius, a Small Island Development State (SIDS), is likewise having trouble coping with the effects of climate change. The nation is extremely susceptible to the harmful consequences of climate change, particularly in its coastal regions. The more vulnerable people are affected first by the rising sea level, increased frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones, and heavy rainfalls, which all contribute to significant economic damage.

Source: 2021 – UN Country Annual Results Report – Mauritius (March 2022)

  • Human Rights
    Additionally, Mauritius has ratified additional internationally recognised development objectives and treaty commitments, including Agenda 2030, the Samoa Pathway, and the Africa Agenda 2063. There are numerous regional and global human rights agreements to which Mauritius is a party. In terms of engaging in human rights work and completing its reporting requirements to treaty bodies, Mauritius needs now to improve application in each field that she has signed. The country is furthermore, still behind in terms of recognising the rights of people with disabilities and even in terms of infrastructures to facilitate total inclusion in society.

  • Economic situation
    In July 2020, Mauritius attained high-income status (based on 2019 data). However, the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects caused it to change its status in 2020. Despite resolving the public health issue successfully, there was a significant economic impact, as GDP shrank by 14.9% in 2020.

    Mauritius’s real GDP growth is anticipated to rise to 5.8% in 2022, driven primarily by a rebound in the tourism industry and a successful COVID-19 immunisation campaign. A significant increase in prices during the second half of 2021 raised its inflation rate to 4%. The problem persists in 2022 when strong increases in the cost of food and fuel cause the inflation rate to reach 9.5% from January to April. Inflation is anticipated to be 10.5% on average in 2022.

Our work in DIS MOI
DIS MOI Mauritius was registered in 2012 and has received the support of NSIF, Rosa LUXEMBURG foundation, Australian High Commission among others. The main activities have been:

  • FLE
  • Independent Living
  • Law Clinic
  • Online Human Rights Training
  • Environmental Rights Sensitisation Campaigns

Staff and Volunteers
Mauritius has 29 staff, including around 10 program and support staff and special educators for the education program.

Looking Forward
In 2023, DIS MOI Mauritius will scale up its activities , professionalize by adherence to international standards regarding assessment, monitoring and reporting and is planning to widen the HR department and open a legal department.

Source: United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodieu

Rodrigues

Situation at a glance

Context

  • Human Rights

Our work in DIS MOI

DIS Moi’s antenna in Rodrigues was opened in 2018 following the online training on Human Rights that got a couple of young activists to reach out to the main office to create DIS MOI Rodrigues. Since then, around 250 youths got enrolled with a decrease in 2020 due to the lock down.

DIS MOI Rodrigues is currently running fortified education for students in poor areas who are at the brink of dropping out and who are getting additional academic and psychosocial support. DIS MOI is also managing 7 youth clubs in 7 different secondary schools covering the entire island. The youth became very committed and received numerous leadership and youth empowerment training during the past year. They chose to orient DIS MOI’s activities to environmental awareness and lead clean up walks, as well as awareness sessions with the public. In total the clubs were taught to train their peers and reached around 500 public members and another 200 youths.

In November 2022, Rodrigues hosted the 1st Indian Ocean Youth Ecological Council, uniting 30 youths from 3 countries, Mauritius, Rodrigues and Madagascar to discuss and act towards a greener region and more accountability from the governments and citizens about the climate.

Staff and Volunteers
DIS MOI Rodrigues has 1 office in Port Mathurin, one full time program staff and 2 others working on the Fortified Learning Education program.

Looking Forward
In 2023, we are planning to partner with another local NGO named SORE (Save Our Rivers Ecosystems) to scale up their actions towards prevention of fauna and flora of their island and increasing public awareness on Human Rights topics.

Madagascar

Situation at a glance

Context
Given its high number of destitute families and significant inequities, Madagascar is one of the nations in the world with the most pressing poverty issues. 1.38 million individuals living on $1.90 per day, experienced extreme poverty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The proportion of people in extreme poverty increased from 74.3% in 2019 to 77.4% in 2020. According to figures from the World Bank, there are 80% more impoverished people living in rural regions than in urban ones, and two-thirds of them are classified as severely poor. Compared to 31% in the nation’s capital and 55% in secondary cities, the poverty rate in rural sections of the island’s southern region is 90%. Income inequality has increased since 2005, according to the most recent Gini index measurement of 42.6 in 2012.

A third of the population lacks access to public services like electricity and health care, as well as consumption, literacy, and basic household goods. It will be challenging for Madagascar to attain the Sustainable Development Goals if the country does not take the necessary action by 2030. (SDGs). One illustration of gender inequality is the challenge women face in gaining access to land and property.

Source: https://bti-project.org/en/reports/country-report/MDG

  • Human Rights
    The right to life, health, food, water, and sanitation were only a few of the many human rights that were severely affected by the catastrophic drought in southern Madagascar. At least 2,747 inmates received pardons, yet conditions in detention centres were still inadequate and overcrowded. Reporters who covered topics like the Covid-19 outbreak faced harassment. Abortion continued to be illegal, and gender-based violence, particularly against women and girls, was pervasive. People who identify as LGBTIQ+ still endure discrimination

Source: https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/africa/southern-africa/madagascar/report-madagascar/

Our work in DIS MOI
Dis-Moi’s antenna in Madagascar was opened in 2019.  Our main activities are setting up of Dis Moi clubs with youth, sharing awareness on Human Rights, setting up ecological actions in 3 cities. The projects directly reached 100 youth from 14 to 18 years old and 400 persons from the general public.

The youth participated in local ecological festivals, and contributed to raise specific awareness sessions on women’s rights, children and old age populations.

Staff and Volunteers
Dis-Moi’s antenna in Madagascar currently has 1 full time staff, 35 volunteers, 5 partners, and works with 2 schools.

Looking Forward
In 2023, the target is to scale up and open more DIS MOI clubs, to get international affiliations, more training and more professional staff. The 2nd session of the Indian Ocean Youth Ecological Council is scheduled in Madagascar from November 17 – 22 2023.

Source: United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies