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Social policies, risks and vulnerabilities: A gender perspective for Mauritius

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 November 2021

Verena Tandrayen-Ragoobur Open the ORCID record for Verena Tandrayen-Ragoobur [Opens in a new window] ,
Deepa Gokulsing  and
Zoe Irving
Verena Tandrayen-Ragoobur*
Affiliation:
University of Mauritius Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Réduit, Moka, Mauritius
Deepa Gokulsing
Affiliation:
University of Mauritius Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Réduit, Moka, Mauritius
Zoe Irving
Affiliation:
Department of Social Policy & Social Work, University of York, UK
*
Email: v.tandrayen@uom.ac.mu
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Abstract

This article investigates into how gender-neutral social policies affect gender dynamics of labour market participation, family life and livelihood. Taylor-Gooby’s [“New risks and social change”, pp. 1–28, 2004] new social risks concept and Holmes and Jones’ [Rethinking Social Protection from a Gender Lens. ODI Briefing Paper, 2010] framework are used to probe into the deepening of existing gender inequalities in the Mauritian multicultural society. The article argues that the prevailing social interventions in Mauritius overlook new social risks that have stemmed from the island’s economic transformation from a monocrop to an innovation based economy. This structural change has caused women, in particular, to face new risks and vulnerabilities. To advance the argument, the article examines gender norms, lack of appropriate gender-sensitive labour market policies and gender-neutral social protection measures. A mixed methodology is used with both secondary and primary data collected via interviews with key stakeholders from public and non-governmental organisations. The findings reveal the need to connect gender-sensitive welfare policies to risks and vulnerabilities to promote greater gender inclusiveness.

Keywords

Gender Inequalitynew social risksvulnerabilitysocial protection and social policies

JEL classification

H53: Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs H55: Social Security and Public Pensions I3: Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty J16: Economics of Gender • Non-labor Discrimination
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy , Volume 37 , Issue 3 , November 2021 , pp. 273 - 292
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Social Policy Association

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