On Thursday 10th and Friday 11th July 2025, the National Assembly hosted a Parliamentary training on Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP) in collaboration with UN Women. The workshop brought together 35 current female parliamentarians, female aspirants and parliamentary staff with the objectives of enhancing their understanding of the different forms and drivers of VAWP, develop strategies to prevent, mitigate, and respond effectively to incidents of VAWP, and strengthen participants’ ability to engage more effectively with key stakeholders.
The session was officially opened by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Roger Mancienne who highlighted the importance of the training especially in light of the approaching elections and emphasized that women’s contributions to public life in Seychelles are too valuable for any barriers to be overlooked. The training then began with a presentation by UN Women Regional Policy Specialist Ms. Maureen Shonge who provided an overview of UN Women’s global work on governance, women’s economic empowerment, and ending violence against women. She underlined the importance of women’s participation in achieving gender equality and sustainable development.
The Chairperson of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC), Hon. Regina Esparon, then provided an engaging account of women’s political participation in Seychelles, beginning first by reflecting on Seychelles’ proud achievements in the matter. However, she noted that there are persisting challenges which are compounded by systematic and cultural barriers, including lack of party support, gender stereotypes, and violence against women in politics. In closing, she called for action not only to improve women’s political participation but also to ensure their safety and empowerment. Hon. Audrey Vidot, Vice Chairperson of the WPC also discussed the work of the Committee and engagements with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the l’association des parlementaires des Etats member de la Commission de l’ocean Indien (APCOI).
Ms. Shonge then presented on VAWP covering key definitions, experiences, global data, and root causes such as structural discrimination, gender equality, and harmful social norms. Other presentations delivered by UN Women Regional Policy Analyst, Ms. Mildred Nzau covered online VAWP and different strategies to address this form of violence. A presentation on Election Management Bodies (EMBs) explored the role of EMBs in addressing VAWP across the electoral cycle and another focused-on security services and the role of police in VAWP prevention and response. Participants were able to interact throughout the sessions, sharing their lived experiences and participating in engaging group work.
To conclude the event, the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mrs. Tania Isaac delivered the Vote of Thanks, emphasising the importance of investigating VAWP not only in relation to elected officials and candidates, but also in the underexplored dimension of violence and intimidation against individuals who provide essential support services in political environments, such as parliamentary staff. They are not immune, and future capacity-building activities in cooperation with UN Women will explore this.
