Gender Statistics Year 2016
Highlights
(i) In 2016, the population comprised 638,267 women compared to 625,206 men. Women outnumbered men by 13,061 as they live on average seven years longer than men.
(ii) Women continue to give birth to fewer children than in the past.
(iii) Both men and women are getting married at an older age and the age difference between them is narrowing over time.) Both men and women are getting married at an older age and the age difference between them is narrowing over time.
(iv) Diabetes mellitus was the leading cause of death accounting for 24.0% of deaths among women and 22.6% among men.
(v) More women than men are enrolled in tertiary institutions but there are fewer women in research (PhD, MPhil and Doctor of Business Administration).
(vi) Working women are more likely than men to be employees and contributing family workers but less likely to be heading a business.
(vii) In spite of being fewer in the labour force, women are more numerous among the unemployed.
(viii) Unemployed women were generally more qualified than their male counterparts.
(ix) Women tend to draw lower salaries/wages than men across all occupations.
(x) The proportion of women in the most senior positions (Senior Chief Executive, Permanent Secretary, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Director, Manager, Judge and Magistrate) increased from 23% in 2001 to 40% in 2016.
(xi) Women are more likely to be victims of domestic violence than men.
(xii) Men are more likely to be victims of homicides and assaults while women are more prone to sexual offences.
(xiii) Men are more likely than women to participate in sports as high level athletes.
(xiv) Between 2015 and 2016, Mauritius improved its ranking from 120 to 113 out of 144 countries worldwide with regard to the Global Gender Gap Index (GGI) of the World Economic Forum. The GGI seeks to measure gender equality across four key areas: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowerment.
July 2017
Statistics Mauritius
Ministry of Finance and Economic Development
