Mauritius legal & regulatory news

Mauritius Parliament: Marital Rape Now Criminalised with Harsher Sentences

Mauritius's parliament has unanimously voted to criminalise marital rape and impose harsher sentences for femicide, after a spate of violent attacks against women exposed serious gaps in protection. The legal significance of this development cannot be overstated. The new law will provide much-needed protection to victims of domestic abuse, who have long been silenced and unprotected. The fact that one in four Mauritian women has experienced gender-based violence is a stark reminder of the need for stronger laws to safeguard their rights. This move is also significant in light of the United Nations figures showing Africa having the world's highest rate of intimate partner and family-related femicide. The relevant statutes and regulations involved in this development are likely to be the Penal Code Act, which will be amended to include marital rape as a criminal offence. The court hierarchy in Mauritius includes the Supreme Court, which has already shown its commitment to addressing femicide through its sentencing of a husband to life imprisonment for killing his wife in 2025. The key parties involved in this development are the Mauritian government, led by Attorney General Gavin Glover, who has been instrumental in pushing for these reforms. The new law is also expected to have a significant impact on the lives of women and families affected by domestic abuse. Practitioners should monitor this development closely, as it sets a precedent for other jurisdictions in Africa to follow suit.

Mauritius Passes Ambitious Domestic Abuse Law